Willen Lake
{{Short description|Balancing lake in Milton Keynes, UK}}
{{primary sources|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox amusement park
| name = Willen Lake
| logo =
| logo_caption = Willen Lake logo
| location = Milton Keynes
| coordinates = {{coord|52.05467|-0.72106|region:GB_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}
| homepage = https://www.willenlake.org.uk/
| owner = The Parks Trust
| visitors = 850,000/year{{cn|date=March 2022}}
| image = File:Willen_lake.jpg
| area = 138 hectares
| general_manager = Robert Wood
| operator = Whitecap Leisure
| season = Watersports
March - October
Splash Park
April - October
Treetop Extreme
Year-round
Benugo Bar & Kitchen
Year-round
Park
Year-round
}}
Willen Lake is a visitor attraction and public park in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire{{Cite web|url=https://www.theparkstrust.com/parks/willen-lake-south|title=Willen Lake South|last=|first=|date=10 April 2020|website=The Parks Trust|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=10 April 2020}} The site is owned by The Parks Trust, an independent, self-funded charity that cares for and maintains over 6,000 acres of green space across MK.{{cite web |title=Your parks |publisher=The Parks Trust |url=https://www.theparkstrust.com/your-parks/ }}
Willen Lake is Milton Keynes's most popular park,{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecaterer.com/business/tenders/tender-opportunity-willen-lake-milton-keynes|title=Tender Opportunity Willen Lake|last=|first=|date=15 June 2018|website=The Caterer|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=10 April 2020}} attracting in excess of 750,000 visitors a year.{{cn|date=March 2022}} It comprises 180 acres of landscaped parkland which surround around 100 acres of water across two lakes.{{Cite web|url=https://mknhs.org.uk/willen-lake/|title=Willen Lake|date=11 April 2020|website=Milton Keynes Natural History Society|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=11 April 2020}} Both lakes are balancing lakes, designed to mitigate flooding from the River Ouzel. The southern lake offers a wide range of activities on and off the water,{{Cite web|url=https://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/attractions/willen-lake-and-park-821b7e2e|title=Willen Lake and Park|date=11 April 2020|website=Day Out With The Kids|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=11 April 2020}} whilst the northern lake offers a more natural and tranquil setting, ideal for quiet walks and spotting wildlife. There are large events held on the site throughout the year, including Comedy Central's FriendsFest {{Cite web|url=https://friendsfest.co.uk/willen-lake-milton-keynes|title=FriendsFest|last=|first=|date=10 April 2020|website=FriendsFest|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=10 April 2020}}
Attractions
= Operating =
{{As of|2024}}, the activities area of the park includes of a number of leisure attractions {{Cite web|url=https://www.theparkstrust.com/parks/willen-lake-south|title=Willen Lake South|last=|first=|date=10 April 2020|website=The Parks Trust|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=10 April 2020}} including:
- Watersports centre (new centre opened 2021)
- High ropes course
- Children's outdoor playground
- Children's outdoor splash park
- Inflatable aqua park {{Cite web|url=https://aquaparcs.co.uk/about-us|title=About us|date=11 April 2020|website=Aqua Parcs|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=11 April 2020}}
- Ridable miniature railway
- Outdoor fitness equipment
- Health club (including hair and beauty salon)
- Seasonal Funfair
- Large events spaces
- Observation wheel
- Change Please Coffee Shop, a social enterprise {{Cite web|url=https://www.destinationmiltonkeynes.co.uk/news/new-coffee-shop-operator-announced-for-willen-lake/|title=New coffee shop operator announced for Willen Lake|date=19 March 2023|website=Destination MK|access-date=12 November 2024}}
- Premier Inn hotel, with bar open to non-residents.
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.parkrun.org.uk/miltonkeynes/|title=Milton Keynes parkrun|website=Parkrun|access-date=12 November 2024}}
= Previous attractions =
- Miniature golf
- Outdoor amphitheatre
- Wakeboarding course{{Cite web|url=https://www.mkfm.com/news/local-news/wakeboarding-facility-closes-at-popular-milton-keynes-lake-due-to-being-a-loss-making-activity/|title=Wakeboarding facility closes at popular Milton Keynes lake due to being a 'loss-making' activity|date=1 November 2022|website=mkfm|access-date=12 November 2024}}
Geography
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.
The lake is surrounded by a mixture of open parkland and woodland, which forms part of the wider Ouzel Valley Park.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theparkstrust.com/parks/ouzel-valley-park/|title=Ouzel Valley Park|date=10 April 2020|website=The Parks Trust|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=10 April 2020}} The lake is divided by an embankment and bridge carrying the A509 (H5 Portway), which runs between the east and west of the city, providing links to M1 Junction 14 (approximately {{convert|1|mi}} to the north-east), and Central Milton Keynes and the A5 (approximately {{convert|1.5|mi}} and {{convert|2.5|mi}} to the south-west, respectively).