Gardens and landscape

Virginia Water

Virginia Water was first dammed and flooded in 1753. Until the creation of the great reservoirs, it was the largest man-made body of water in the British Isles.

The woodlands surrounding the lake have been continuously planted since the middle of the 18th Century. The Frost Farm Plantation (at the south-western end of the lake) is also a designated SSI (Site of Special Interest), thanks to its maturity and biodiversity.

There are reminders of the past wherever you look. The lake was once a place of pageantry and spectacle and home to a Chinese junk and fishing temples built on the shore.

Take a trip to the south bank and discover an ornamental cascade from the 18th Century, and the Leptis Magna Ruins, a 'Roman temple' built from columns and lintels brought from the ancient city of Leptis Magna in the early 19th Century.

One of the area's more recent additions is a towering 100-foot high Totem Pole, a gift to HM The Queen from the government of British Columbia.

Visitor Information

Read up before you visit and then relax and make the most of your time here.

What's on

Things to do

Whether you’re planning to visit on your own, with loved ones, family, friends, or as a group – there really is something for everyone.

Follow us on Twitter

We’re on Twitter. Follow for the latest news, updates and content from The Royal Landscape in Windsor Great Park.

Need to know

Useful information that might affect your visit

  • Restoration of Lime Tree Avenue

  • Temporary Valley Gardens car park now open

  • Parking on roads around Windsor Great Park

  • Construction of the Virginia Water Pavilion begins