Virginia Water Lake
Virginia Water, Runnymede
Photo: Berit from Redhill/Surrey, UK, CC BY 2.0Photo: Berit from Redhill/Surrey, UK, CC BY 2.0
A two-mile lake at the southern edge of Windsor Great Park, created as a royal pleasure ground between the 1750s and 1790. A full loop is about 5.25 miles, while the Cascade waterfall and the Leptis Magna ruins are a shorter stroll from the car park.
Highlights
- The Cascade, a 30ft waterfall completed in 1789
- Leptis Magna ruins, columns brought from a Roman city in present-day Libya
- Tree-lined shoreline walks with views across the water
- Cafe and shop at the Virginia Water Pavilion
Good to know
- Dogs must be on a lead around the car park and the Pavilion; off-lead areas are marked on the park's dog walking map
- Cycling is not allowed on the south side of the lake, except for children under 5
- Visitors cannot drive through the park, so ignore sat nav routes through the gates
- The Savill Garden is a 1.5-mile walk away
Getting there
Virginia Water Lake, Virginia Water car park, London Road (A30), Virginia Water, Surrey, GU25 4QFParking: Virginia Water car park (sat nav GU25 4QF) is next to the lake, with toilets, refreshments and a gift shop. No overnight parking.
Get directionsChecked on 19 October 2026 against windsorgreatpark.co.uk, windsorgreatpark.co.uk, windsorgreatpark.co.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
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Nearby
Adventure Play at Windsor Great Park
A hand-built adventure playground in the woods beside The Savill Garden, with treehouses, walkways, slides and giant acorns for children aged 2 to 12. Adults go in with the children, at least one for every four.
Photo: Daderot, CC0The Savill Garden
A 35-acre garden in Windsor Great Park, created by Eric Savill from 1932 and open to paying visitors since 1953. Themed areas change through the year, from the winter beds and spring magnolias to summer roses and autumn colour in the woodland.
Runnymede Air Forces Memorial
A Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorial on the crest of Cooper's Hill, naming more than 20,000 airmen and women of the Commonwealth air forces lost in the Second World War who have no known grave. Unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, it looks down over the Runnymede meadows.