The Savill Garden to the Valley Gardens
"Take an easy and colourful walk in countryside and gardens enjoyed by royalty for centuries."
Walk directions
Facing the entrance to the Savill Building, turn right following the signpost to Deer Park, Bishops Gate and Cow Pond. Walk along a tarmac path with The Savill Garden to the left. At a fork, bear left around the perimeter of the garden and continue, ignoring side tracks, until you pass Garden House and reach Cumberland Gate Lodge to the right.
Turn sharp left, almost doubling back on yourself, along Obelisk Ride, a straight, wide, grassy path heading towards the Cumberland Obelisk. Just before reaching the bridge, take the path on the right alongside Obelisk Pond. Follow this track, keeping the pond on the left, to a T-junction with a tarmac path. Sit and watch the pond awhile, before turning right along the path and on to a meeting of five paths. Take the second left path, signed to the Totem Pole.
At the Totem Pole there are two display boards with information about the gardens. With your back to the Totem Pole and the boards, turn left, following the sign for the walk round the lake. On meeting another track, keep right and arrive at Botany Bay Point, an open grassy area on the lake edge. Continue on the left-hand track, nearest the notice board on your right, to reach the Main Valley. There are no clear landmarks, but the Main Valley can be identified by a grassy area with a single seat on the right of the path and a broad grass path leading uphill, to a small white building.
Turn right, off the lakeside path, and head uphill to reach the Plunket Memorial, from where there are superb views across Virginia Water. With your back to the memorial take the path to the right, which soon meets another path coming from the left. Continue right and, at a cross-track, follow the sign to The Savill Garden (not wheelchairs), and at another cross-track continue straight ahead to soon reach Obelisk Pond. Walk on with the pond on your left to reach a picnic area, children’s play area and then the Obelisk itself on the left. From the Obelisk the path continues ahead to return to the car park.
Additional information
Terrain
- Grassy, sandy and tarmac
Landscape
- Parkland, open fields and gardens
Dog friendliness
- Generally dogs are welcome off the lead, except in the Valley Gardens and on Obelisk Lawn, where notices indicate where leads are required and dog bins are provided
Parking
- The Savill Garden pay-and-display car park off Wick Lane
Toilets en route
- In the Savill Building and near the Plunket Memorial
About the walk
The area covered on this walk, as well as Virginia Water and The Savill Garden, form part of Windsor Great Park. The Obelisk, which is visible from many parts of the walk, commemorates the man who was responsible for starting the development of these beautiful gardens. Ironically, he is a man who... has been widely derided as a ‘butcher’ of men: William, Duke of Cumberland, son of George II. He was responsible for putting down the Jacobite uprising after the Battle of Culloden with horrific cruelty. When he retired, he lived for a while at Cumberland Lodge. As Ranger of Windsor Great Park, he created an area of great beauty. Work started in 1746 when the lake at Virginia Water was first constructed. The lake was enlarged towards the end of the 18th century and other features were added, including a waterfall and Obelisk Pond. Subsequently Queen Victoria became very fond of the area. The Royal Landscape Taken together, Virginia Water, the Valley Gardens and The Savill Garden comprise more than 1,000 acres (405ha), known as The Royal Landscape. The Valley Gardens were created from 1946 onwards and are thought to be the finest woodland gardens in the world. George VI and his consort Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, were closely involved in the creation of these gardens, which provided a particularly valuable green lung for people after the hardships of World War II. In spring, the many rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias and camellias, as well as large swathes of daffodils, all provide a very colourful show. Indeed, the collection of rhododendrons is the world’s largest. The Savill Garden was created in the 1930s and has had the support of royalty over the years. Originally a woodland garden, it has become an interesting selection of different, but linked gardens, with a fine collection of plants from New Zealand. There are also seasonal gardens, a Hidden Garden, an Azalea Walk, and a remarkable Rose Garden. The Queen Elizabeth Temperate House is also a fascinating place to browse. Within Windsor Great Park, this walk and the countryside making up The Savill Garden, Virginia Water, and the Valley Gardens form one of the most enchanting areas of the county.
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Been on this walk?
Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.
Walking in Safety
Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.
Get an AA guide
Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.
About the area
Berkshire consists of two distinct parts: the western half, which is predominantly rural, with the Lambourn Downs spilling down to the River Lambourn and the Berkshire Downs to the majestic Thames, and the eastern half of Berkshire, which offers plenty of opportunity to get out and savour open spaces. Reading and Newbury are the county’s major towns, and the River Kennet flows through them both.
Nearby places to stay
View all (8)
Hotel
Fairmont Windsor Park
★★★★★
"A stylish mix of classic country house with the highest quality facilities...."
- Family rooms:
Hotel
Coworth Park
★★★★★
"Sister hotel to The Dorchester, set in vast parkland..."
- Family rooms: 40
- Free TV
- WiFi available
- Lift available
Restaurant with Rooms
The Loch & the Tyne by Adam Handling
★★★★★
"Fine dining and two delightful rooms in Old Windsor...."
- Rooms 2
- Satellite TV
- Free TV
- Direct Dial
Nearby places to stay
Fairmont Windsor Park
Set within expansive parkland just outside London, Fairmont Windsor Park delivers a refined, contemporary take on luxury, combining grand scale with a sense getting away from it all. Th...
★★★★★ Rating
Coworth Park
Coworth Park is an idyllic location for an escape, with 70 luxury rooms and 240 acres of picturesque Berkshire parkland. Restaurants include Rosette-awarded Restaurant Coworth Park, The...
★★★★★ Rating
The Loch & the Tyne by Adam Handling
A true Adam Handling restaurant in style, the menu at The Loch & The Tyne showcases the best of British produce with a huge emphasis on sustainable practices, featuring ingredients from...
★★★★★ Rating
Great Fosters
Great Fosters is a Grade II listed mansion that dates back to the 16th century. The main house rooms are very much in keeping with the house's original style but are, of course, up-to-d...
★★★★★ Rating
Foxhills Club & Resort
Foxhills is a welcome retreat, set on a 400-acre Surrey estate just 25 minutes from Waterloo and Heathrow, with easy access to major road networks including the M25. The entire resort i...
★★★★ Rating
The Winning Post
The Winning Post is conveniently located for Ascot and Royal Windsor racecourses, as well as The Royal County of Berkshire and Guards Polo Clubs, making it a favourite place for aficion...
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Gardeners Bothy
Awaiting description...
★★★ Rating
Smithy Apartment
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Places to eat nearby View all
Places to eat nearby
The Bailiwick Freehouse
AA Rosette Award
Il Giardino at 1215
AA Rosette Award
Bluebells Restaurant
AA Rosette Award
Coworth Park Hotel Food
The Barn at Coworth Park
AA Rosette Award
Woven by Adam Smith
AA Rosette Award
The Loch & The Tyne by Adam Handling
AA Rosette Award
The Estate Grill at Great Fosters
AA Rosette Award










