Tag Archives: Monument

The Long Walk’s Lesser-Known Sibling

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The Long Walk in Windsor Great Park is very well known. A long, straight road the goes from Windsor Castle up to a statue of George III is something many visitors to Windsor will take in. However, it isn’t the only route radiating from the castle across the park. Queen Anne’s Ride is an even longer route. Just as straight but not paved and with the section within the town built over, it is a nicer section to visit.

Because it isn’t as well known, there aren’t anything like the number of visitors. You can often feel like you are alone when you are there because any other visitors are likely to be well away from you. Because it is grassy, it is more comfortable to stroll along. There is more undulation, though, so you have pluses and minuses (or ups and downs if I am being literal).

Halfway along the route is a memorial to 1,000 years of the High Sheriff. This circular stone monument has a hole through the middle if you want to look through it. It is a large separation from the memorial and the castle, so I played with focus stacking to get both of them in focus for one image. However, this isn’t the most significant memorial.

Go further from the castle and you come to a statue of Queen Elizabeth II on horseback. Unlike the statue of George III which has him dressed like a Roman emperor, this statue has her looking like she has just ridden out from the castle and is looking back towards it. It is a far nicer statue. If you are walking in Windsor Great Park, I would certainly recommend that you make sure to include Queen Anne’s Ride as part of your route.

Flying Into Washington National

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For the first time in two years, I made a work trip by plane.  I was heading to Virginia for some meetings and was flying into Washington National Airport.  I picked a seat on the left side of the plane in the hope that we would make a river approach.  That gives a good view of the Mall and the surrounding area as you are on final approach.  The weather was lovely with a sunny day and low sun angles as we were arriving later in the day.

At first, we appeared to be heading the right way and then we were too far to the south.  I thought we were going to approach from there but then we made a 180 and headed back towards Dulles before starting down and turning on to the river approach after all.  I could see the area around the mall coming in to view as I looked forward obliquely, but aircraft windows are not good enough to get a shot like that.

I waited until we were closer in getting shots of Georgetown, the Watergate complex and the Kennedy Center.  Then everything was in sight and I was trying to get shots as quickly as I could.  Of course, we are not moving slowly at this point so it is not long before any shots have been missed so it was a question of getting as much as you can.  I was a little hinder because I was shooting on the back screen of the M6.  To see this clearly means taking off my glasses but that isn’t ideal for seeing where to look out of the window.  I think I made it work well enough though.