Queen Mary Reservoir Webcam – Dinghies and Open Water

The Queen Mary Reservoir Webcam looks out from Queen Mary Sailing Club across one of the largest reservoirs supplying London, in the Borough of Spelthorne, Surrey. In the foreground, rescue boats and safety RIBs are tied up along the club pontoon. Beyond them the water opens out across the reservoir toward the far embankment, a low green line that runs along the horizon under a very big sky. Race marks and buoys dot the surface, and on training and race days dinghies, windsurfers and powerboats cross the frame. On calm mornings the water can lie almost flat and mirror the clouds, while a westerly breeze fills it with whitecaps and sails. It is a working club view, so the scene changes with the club calendar as much as with the weather.

About Queen Mary Reservoir

Queen Mary Reservoir sits south of Ashford and east of Laleham, with the A308 along its northern side and the M3 motorway passing about 400 meters (0.25 miles) to the southeast. It covers 2.86 square kilometers (707 acres) and holds about 30.6 billion liters (8.1 billion US gallons) of water. Like the other big reservoirs west of London, it is raised above the ground around it: the water surface stands about 14 meters (45 feet) above the surrounding land, held in by an embankment 6,324 meters (3.9 miles) long. Heathrow Airport is only 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) to the north.

The reservoir was designed by Henry Stilgoe, chief engineer of the Metropolitan Water Board, and completed in December 1924. Planned as Littleton Reservoir, it was renamed after Queen Mary, wife of George V, who opened it in June 1925. Water is taken from the River Thames downstream of Penton Hook Weir and pumped in through the 1.26 kilometer (0.8 mile) Laleham Aqueduct. The reservoir is run by Thames Water today. In 1943 it had a more secret role, as a test site for the Sleeping Beauty, a one-man motorised submersible canoe developed for wartime special operations.

Queen Mary Sailing Club operates from Ashford Road on the reservoir’s northern side, about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) west of junction 1 of the M3. It is an RYA training centre running sailing, windsurfing and powerboat courses, junior and youth programmes, and racing, and the club company was incorporated in 1972. The reservoir is also a designated Site of Nature Conservation Importance, known for its birdlife, so grebes, ducks and gulls often appear on the water between the boats.

Weather and Climate at Queen Mary Reservoir

This corner of Surrey has one of the milder climates in Britain. Ten years of ERA5 data (2016 to 2025) put July and August highs at about 22.5 to 23 C (72 to 73 F), with nights around 14 C (57 F). This is peak sailing season, with long evenings and up to 16 and a half hours of daylight in June, and the Queen Mary Reservoir Webcam often shows the pontoon at its busiest. Spring warms quickly, from around 11 C (52 F) in March to 18 C (64 F) in May, and breezy spring days bring the most whitecaps to the open water.

Winters are cool rather than cold. January highs average about 8 C (46 F) with nights just above freezing, and snow is rare, usually only a centimeter or two in a whole month. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year, with October the wettest month at around 78 millimeters (3.1 inches). On grey winter days the far bank can fade into haze, and daylight drops to about 8 hours in December, so the view is short and flat-lit.

Things to Do Near Queen Mary Reservoir

The reservoir sits in a pocket of Thames-side towns and green space. Laleham, just to the west, runs down to the river, and the Thames Path follows the bank past Penton Hook Lock toward Staines-upon-Thames, where the town centre and riverside make an easy afternoon out. Sailing is the main thing to do on the reservoir itself, and Queen Mary Sailing Club runs taster sessions and RYA courses for people who have never been in a dinghy.

A short drive away, Thorpe Park Resort in Chertsey is one of the best-known theme parks in the country, and Kempton Park Racecourse at Sunbury holds regular race meetings. For history, Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace are both within easy reach along the Thames. Sunbury and Staines railway stations are each about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the club, and bus route 290 links both stations with the reservoir.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Queen Mary Reservoir located?

Queen Mary Reservoir is in the Borough of Spelthorne in Surrey, England, south of Ashford and east of Laleham. It sits beside the M3 and about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) south of Heathrow Airport, on the western edge of London.

What can you see on the Queen Mary Reservoir Webcam?

The camera looks from the sailing club pontoon, with moored safety boats in the foreground, across the open reservoir to the far embankment. Depending on the day, it can show dinghies racing, windsurfers, training boats, water birds and changing skies.

How big is Queen Mary Reservoir?

It covers 2.86 square kilometers (707 acres), holds about 30.6 billion liters (8.1 billion US gallons), and is enclosed by an embankment 6,324 meters (3.9 miles) long.

Can you sail on Queen Mary Reservoir?

Yes. Queen Mary Sailing Club runs sailing, windsurfing and powerboat courses as an RYA training centre, along with junior programmes and club racing. Access to the water is through the club.

When was Queen Mary Reservoir built?

It was completed in December 1924 and opened by King George V in June 1925. It was designed by Henry Stilgoe of the Metropolitan Water Board and named after Queen Mary.

Where does Queen Mary Reservoir get its water?

Water is taken from the River Thames downstream of Penton Hook Weir and pumped into the reservoir through the Laleham Aqueduct. Thames Water operates the reservoir.

What is the weather like at Queen Mary Reservoir?

Summers are warm, with July highs near 23 C (73 F), and winters are mild, with January highs around 8 C (46 F). Snow is rare, and October is usually the wettest month.

Source: Queen Mary Sailing Club