Discover Virginia Water

Virginia Water combines a distinctive lakeside landscape with gardens, water features and unusual historic sites. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house in the area can easily shape their preferred style of travel around the experiences available locally: the circular route around the lake offers a longer walk, while the gardens, bridges, ruins and waterfall each provide their own focus. This makes it possible to plan a stay combining exercise, discovery and quiet appreciation of the landscape.

Lake and landscape at the centre

Virginia Water includes a historic artificial lake created in the 1750s. Originally, Virginia Water was conceived as a royal pleasure ground. This history continues to shape the site today, as the water is accompanied by landscaped garden areas and architectural features that contribute to its distinctive character.

The Valley Gardens are located on the north shore of Virginia Water and cover 101 hectares, or 250 acres. They contain national collections of magnolias, rhododendrons, Glenn Dale azaleas, and Himalayan and Chinese birches. Those who appreciate plants, seasonal garden displays and extensive landscapes will find here an independent reason to include Virginia Water in their travel plans.

The Savill Garden is also located nearby and covers 35 acres. It includes landscaped gardens, woodland and changing seasonal exhibitions. From Virginia Water Pavilion, The Savill Garden is 1.5 miles, or 2.4 kilometres, away on foot. This specific distance can be taken into account when choosing accommodation and planning the day, without presenting the different garden areas as a single visitor attraction.

Waterfall, bridges and artificial ruins

A striking feature is the Cascade, a waterfall 30 feet, or 9.1 metres, high. It was completed in March 1789 and is fed directly from Virginia Water lake. This gives the site a visible landscape feature with a clear historical dimension.

High Bridge at Virginia Water is also notable: the five-arched stone bridge dates from 1826–1827. The Leptis Magna Ruins provide another unusual accent. This artificial ruin was created in 1826 and consists of columns, plinths and stone slabs recovered from the ancient Roman city of Leptis Magna in what is now Libya. The ruins of the Temple of Augustus at Virginia Water are considered the largest classical garden ruin ever constructed in this country.

Plan your stay around your own interests

The circular route around the lake is 5.25 miles, or 8.5 kilometres, long. On the route from the Virginia Water South or Virginia Water car parks, the path passes a totem pole. For families with differing interests, this can provide a good basis for making the day about more than a single attraction and combining the landscape with individual discoveries. The length of the circular route should be taken into account when planning your day.

Another important point for orientation is that cycling is not permitted on the southern side of Virginia Water lake. Children of preschool age under five are exempt. Anyone wishing to explore the area by bicycle should therefore take this rule into account when planning. Virginia Water Car Park at Virginia Water railway station has 85 spaces, making it a specific, named reference point for arriving by car.

Other places to consider

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Virginia Water, you can also look at Banstead, Esher, Farleigh, Ashford, Newchapel, Staines, Windlesham and Ockley.

Accommodation in Virginia Water is particularly well suited to travellers who want to combine their holiday with a clear mix of lake, garden landscape, historic structures and longer walks. Depending on whether the Cascade, the gardens, the ruins or the circular route is the main focus, the trip can be weighted in different ways. The many specific attractions make Virginia Water a destination that offers different ways to explore it even when revisited.

For the overarching travel overview: Surrey.