Willen Lake is a visitor attraction, public park and purpose-built balancing lake in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire Created during the development of the city in the 1970s, it forms part of its surface-water and flood-control system. The lake system covers approximately of water across two basins and it has been described by Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust as one of the largest purpose-built balancing lake systems in Britain.
The park is managed by The Parks Trust, an independent charity responsible for parks and green spaces in Milton Keynes, while the water levels are managed by Anglian Water. The South lake is the main recreational area, with watersports and visitor facilities concentrated on its western side. The North lake has a quieter character and is associated with wildlife habitat, public art and religious landmarks, including the Milton Keynes Peace Pagoda and the Nipponzan-Myōhōji Buddhist temple.
Willen Lake is Milton Keynes's most popular park; being free to enter, the number of visitors is not recorded. Surrounding the lake itself, there are a further of landscaped parkland. Both lakes are balancing lakes, designed to mitigate flooding from the River Ouzel.
There are large events held on the site throughout the year, including Comedy Central's FriendsFest.
History
Earlier landscape and archaeology Before the construction of Willen Lake, the area formed part of the agricultural landscape around the village of Willen. The name Willen was recorded as "Wilinges" in the 12th century and is thought to mean "the place of the willows".
Recreation and facilities The south lake is the main recreational area of Willen Lake, with most visitor facilities concentrated on the western side of the lake.
Activities include:
Watersports centre (opened 2021) High ropes course, Treetop Extreme Adventure golf course Children's outdoor playground Children's outdoor splash park Aqua Parcs inflatable water park Outdoor gym equipment trail, including calisthenics, pull-up bars and kettlebells Health club (including hair and beauty salon) Seasonal Funfair Combat Zone, Purpose built outdoor gel blaster arena Large events spaces AstroTurf football pitches Boat hire, including themed pedalos, kayaks and paddleboards Axe throwing Archery Sailing Powerboating Willen Observation Wheel Premier Inn hotel Cabana Boats on-water dining experience Open water swimming, during managed sessions only
During certain times of the year, some areas of Willen Lake are also available for fishing.
Since January 2010, Willen Lake has also been the location of the Milton Keynes parkrun, which currently starts just to the West of the lake, then follows the Grand Union canal to Great Holm, before making a complete loop of the South Lake and finishing by the Watersports Centre.
In May 2026, it was announced that two pub-restaurants on the western side of the southern lake—The Lakeside, operated by Greene King, and The Willen Dragon, operated by Brewers Fayre—would close.
In June 2026, UK PADEL announced the construction of six brand-new Padel courts to Willen Lake.
Geography and setting
The lake is one of the largest purpose-built stormwater balancing lakes in the UK. The lake is designed to take surface run-off from Milton Keynes, the largest of a number designed to do so. The lake has capacity for an additional level increase of 1.3 metres, equivalent to a once in 200 years event. Unlike most of the rest of the UK, Milton Keynes has separate storm and foul sewers, so sewage pollution is not a significant problem.
Willen Lake lies in north-east Milton Keynes and forms part of the wider Ouzel Valley Park system. The lakes are divided by an embankment and bridge carrying the A509, part of the H5 Portway in the Milton Keynes grid road system, which runs between the east and west of the city, providing links to M1 Junction 14 (approximately to the north-east), and the A5 (approximately and to the south-west, respectively).
The park is connected to surrounding areas by leisure routes and redways, and lies near the Grand Union Canal, Campbell Park, Newlands and the village of Willen.
The southern lake is bordered on its western side by the principal visitor facilities, car parks and activity areas. From the eastern side of the lake there are views west towards central Milton Keynes. The North Lake is more closely associated with wildlife habitat, the Peace Pagoda, the Buddhist temple and the historic village of Willen, including the Church of St Mary Magdalene, designed by Robert Hooke.
On the northern side of the Lake, Willen Hospice occupies Manor Farm in Willen Village, overlooking the lake and its island.
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