In line with Government advice, the Great Park currently remains open for you to take essential exercise, if you live locally. (You shouldn’t travel outside of your village, town or area of the city you live in).
To help keep everybody safe, when in the Park you must follow Government national lockdown rules.
Your safety, the safety of our staff and other Park visitors is our utmost priority. We will not hesitate to impose tighter restrictions if safety is compromised.
Before you leave home
Please note - there may be occasions where our team will ask you to move on if an area is becoming too crowded. Please respect their request.
Unwind in the natural beauty of The Savill Garden and experience the magnificent horticultural displays all year round.
Discover enchanting woodland trails filled with wild flowers and seasonal displays that include the famous Punch Bowl in May.
Explore the woodland shores and historic features of Virginia Water and enjoy impressive views of its lake and cascading waterfall.
Walk the iconic tree-lined avenue from Windsor Castle to the Copper Horse statue and encounter our resident deer herd grazing in this ancient parkland.
Immerse yourself in the 3000 acres of Swinley Forest, with over 15 miles of undulating forest trails, hilltop views and the fantastic Look Out Discovery Centre.
Windsor Great Park hosts a variety of events throughout the year to entertain visitors of all ages and interests.
We offer a wide range of benefits and packages to suit many different types of groups and travel trade clients.
A progressive independent commercial business, created by Act of Parliament. Our portfolio includes the whole of Regent Street and much of St James’s in London’s West End, prime regional shopping centres, Windsor Great Park, rural land and coastline, and the UK’s seabed.
Take a journey through the story of Windsor Great Park with our Historic Timeline.
We offer three types of membership to help you to enjoy Windsor Great Park all year round.
Find out more about the properties available in Windsor Great Park and the wider Estate.
Keep up to date with the latest news from Windsor Great Park.
Windsor Great Park hosts a variety of events throughout the year to entertain visitors of all ages and interests.
We are custodians of a wealth of biodiversity. Through careful stewardship, we are actively supporting our vital ecosystems.
We are continually seeking ways to integrate sustainability into all we do. Learn about how we are consciously managing the Great Park for the long term.
Find out more about opportunities to volunteer in Windsor Great Park and Swinley Forest.
The primary responsibility of the Ranger is to oversee the protection and maintenance of Windsor Great Park – to ensure it continues to be enjoyed by generations to come.
The Ranger of Windsor Great Park is often a member of the Royal family, and this role is currently held by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, who has been Ranger since 1952. For more information about HRH The Duke of Edinburgh please visit his profile page.
The current Ranger has taken an active role in overseeing many developments during his office, including the reintroduction of our Red Deer into the Deer Park in 1979 and the development of The Savill Building and Virginia Water Pavilion.
In the mid 1600s, a property called Byfield House was built within Windsor Great Park to house the Ranger – who at the time was Baptist May – and this is now known today as Cumberland Lodge. Then in 1766 Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland, became the first Ranger to live in Lower Lodge, now known as the Royal Lodge – which became the home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother until her death in 2002.
One of the most notable rangers of Windsor Great Park was William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, who held the position from 1746 to 1766. With the desire for a more natural and picturesque landscape, he set about creating Virginia Water - the largest man-made lake of its time in Britain - assisted by architects Henry Flitcroft and John Vardy. Today, the towering Cumberland Obelisk on Obelisk Lawn celebrates the inspiring work of the Duke of Cumberland in his time as Ranger of Windsor Great Park.
King George IV also held the role of Ranger, both as Regent and King, from 1815 to 1830. During this time he recruited the help of the architect Sir Jeffry Wyatville to introduce new features to the Virginia Water landscape – most notably Five Arch Bridge, from where you can look out across the lake towards the same views that King George IV enjoyed. During this time he made other important additions to the Great Park, including the folly of the Leptis Magna Roman Ruins and the iconic Copper Horse statue, erected at the Long Walk as a tribute to his father, George III.
Both Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, the Prince Consort, held the post of Ranger – from 1837 to 1841 and from 1841 to 1861 respectively. Prince Albert especially had a significant impact on Windsor Great Park - committing himself to improving the living conditions of Estate workers, building cottages and establishing the Royal School, so that Estate children could benefit from a thorough education. An equestrian statue commemorating his outstanding contributions to the Great Park can be seen near Smith’s Lawn.
Under the patronage of King George VI, who was Ranger from 1936 to 1952, Sir Eric Savill created The Savill Garden and The Valley Gardens – two of the most important developments within the Great Park in the 20th Century. Then one of the most recent additions to Windsor Great Park has been Ranger’s Avenue, a row of young native oaks which was created at the same time as the restoration of Cow Pond and runs from the pond towards Cumberland Lodge. This was planted in 2012 in honour of the current Ranger, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.
Explore other aspects of Windsor Great Park.
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