Virginia Water

13/08/2012

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Virginia Water

Virginia Water is a lake at the southern edge of Windsor Great Park.  It was created by damming the River Bourne in 1753 and now looks completely natural.  We used the car park off the A30 and had a very pleasant stroll of about 4.5 miles around the lake.  The Great Park is a Royal Park which stretches from here to Windsor Castle.  Apart from the scenery there was a lot of wildlife in evidence.

This first photo is of the 100' tall totem pole given to HM the Queen by British Columbia.

Totem pole at Virginia Water

Detail of the carving on the totem pole.

Carving detail of the totem pole

As we moved on from the totem pole a Roe Deer doe ran through the trees then across the pathway, a real surprise to see such a shy animal so close to large numbers of people.  I got these three pictures despite being taken by surprise and having the wrong lens on the camera.

Roe deer Virginia Water

Roe deer Virginia Water

Roe deer Virginia Water

A pleasant landscape garden area not far along from the totem pole.

Landscape garden, Windsor Great Park

These two views of part of the lake are out of sequence being between the car park and the totem pole.

Virginia Water

Virginia Water

More wildlife, a hen pheasant feeding in the grass.

Hen pheasant

An opening in the trees that cover much of this part of the Park.

Opening in the tree cover.

We then crossed over this bridge over Virginia Water lake.

Bridge over Virginia Water lake.

After crossing the bridge we saw these four horse riders enjoying the opportunity for a traffic free ride.

Horse riders Windsor Great Park

A heron glimpsed through the trees.

Heron Virginnia Water

A close up of the heron fishing in an arm of the lake.

Heron fishing in Virginia Water

Two views of part of the lake - these and those of the heron were taken on a different visit when the sun was notable by its absence unlike our later visit.

Virginia Water

Virginia Water

Back to the sunny visit and another part of the lake and its wooded shores.

Woods by the lake.

A Great Crested Grebe on Virginia Water.

Great Crested Grebe.

There's a pleasantly surprising amount of wildlife around Virginia Water, this is a Cormorant perched on branch of a fallen tree drying between fishing dives.

Cormorant Virginia Water

There used to be a summer house here but this is all the visible remains.

Remains of summer house.

A view across the lake to a cottage on the far bank.

Cottage by Virginia Water

Zoomed in you can see the geese grazing the grass next to the cottage.

Geese grazing

Three more views across Virginia Water.

Virginia Water.

Virginia Water.

Virginia Water.

While I was taking the above photos a family of swans came over to investigate us.

Swans on Virginia Water.

Swans on Virginia Water.

Swans on Virginia Water.

A folly - a ‘Roman temple’ built from columns and lintels brought from the ancient city of Leptis Magna in the early 19th century.  I think the A329 road runs over the bridge!

Roman temple folly

Roman temple folly

Turning round, more "ruins" leading down to the lake.

"Ruins" by the lake

Sunshine and shadows across an inlet of Virginia Water lake.

Virginia Water

The cascade over the dam that holds back the waters of the River Bourne to create the lake - quite an adventure playground for children!

Visit our Travel Centre for train, ferry and tunnel bookings.

 

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This site was last updated 13/08/2012