The University of Reading’s Whiteknights campus is a beautiful green oasis situated within a residential area bordering Reading and Wokingham Boroughs. With its distinctive woodland walks, conservation meadows and large lake its appeal stems from both the natural beauty of the landscape and the University’s architectural diversity.
Whiteknights campus has been described by local people as a ‘green lung’. It provides an environment, changing with the seasons, for visitors of all ages to enjoy and benefit from. Many people take their daily ‘constitutional’ round the lake or take pleasure in a leisurely stroll in the Harris Garden where it is possible to forget the pressures of living and working in an otherwise busy urban area.
The 134 hectares are managed to a very high standard by an expert and committed grounds team. Areas of meadow are left uncut to provide habitats and food for seed-eating birds and butterflies, while the lake is a haven for fish, birds and insects. At dusk several species of bat can be observed feeding over the water. There is a wonderful collection of trees, some of which are over 200 years old. The sports pitches are maintained to county standard and used by University sports clubs and an number of external sports clubs.
The University is rightly proud of its campus which is recognised as a valuable asset for student recruitment, staff retention and as an amenity for the local community.