Rare sea eagle joins the falconry team...
After months of waiting, 10-month-old Chief, a rare White-tailed Sea Eagle, has finally arrived on the Island for what we hope will be an incredible opportunity to educate visitors on the species that became extinct nearly 200 years ago, and provide a major draw to attract people back to the Island after the coronavirus pandemic.
Chief will join a team of over 30 birds looked after by 22-year-old Charlie Rolle, one of the Isle of Wight’s youngest qualified falconers. He will train Chief to fly and express his natural behaviours, so that the magnificent eagle will be ready to educate visitors upon re-opening on 19th May in the park’s spectacular falconry displays.
Charlie Rolle, Head Falconer at Robin Hill said, “It has been my childhood dream to train a White-tailed Sea Eagle. It’s been a slow and steady journey to build a bond of trust with Chief, with his welfare of the upmost importance. It is my passion that time spent with animals and learning from them will help our visitors become more aware of the conservation of our fellow inhabitants and the environmental challenges they face. There is nothing more awe-inspiring than to see a bird of prey in action.”
About Chief
Why the name Chief?
We believed as such a large, majestic bird, he needed a name worthy of his sense of seniority & superiority. One that was easily recognisable while still characterful. A single syllable is also preferential from a falconer’s perspective, so the bird recognises its name quickly during training and displays.
Where did he come from?
Chief arrived on the Isle of Wight with Charlie after a long journey from the Scottish Eagle Centre. Thanks to Wightlink for providing ferry travel across the Solent to ensure both Chief & Charlie arrived home safely.
Appearance:
Chief weighs in at 9.5lb and has a whopping 7.5ft wingspan. He doesn’t yet have his ‘white tail’, as those feathers grow as he gets older.
Diet:
Is predominantly fish, provided by the local Ventnor Haven Fishery, but he also loved quail.
Training:
Is a 1-to-1 process for Charlie and Chief to build a trusted bond, where Chief is slowly becoming accustomed to Charlie’s voice.
James Crofts, Park Manager at Robin Hill, said, “We are so excited to be reopening with a brand-new arrival that enhances our ability to educate and enthral visitors on rare and wild birds. Chief signifies our ongoing development of quality falconry experiences on site, and we hope that by getting up close and personal people will have more appreciation for the species overall.”
He continues: “We hope Chief will not only see a bumper reopening season for the attraction, but also support the Island’s post COVID recovery by providing a big draw for visitors this year.”
WE'RE RE-OPENING FROM 19TH MAY!
We’re absolutely delighted that both Robin Hill and our sister park, Blackgang Chine, will be re-opening from Wednesday, 19th May.
In line with the proposed lifting of lockdown across the country, we’re taking steps to ensure all our guests are able to return to the parks for a safe, comfortable experience and will be following government guidance at all times. We’re sad to be missing out on Easter this year; but all our teams will be working hard over the coming months to ensure both parks are ready to welcome you all back for more exploration, adventure and entertainment!
We’re planning an exciting kick off to the 2021 season with the return of our most popular event ever! Sky High will float back into the park with a full programme of hot air balloon activity, culminating in spectacular Night Glow performances on our picturesque, open-air Lower Valley. Last year’s event sold out and Sky High 2021 will also be a limited capacity event. Tickets will sell quickly, so booking online in advance is essential! Find out more about Sky High here.
To make re-opening even more special, we’re bringing some elements from our Chinese New Year celebrations into this event too. Keep an eye on our website and social media for all the latest updates.
GUEST INFORMATION UPDATE
11.01.21
In response to the Coronavirus situation, we’ve taken the tough decision to postpone the planned opening for February half term.
In celebration of Chinese New Year, Spirit of the Orient was set to take place in February. However, due to the current national lockdown, this is no longer possible, so our teams are working on plans to bring the illuminated experience back later in the year. Further details of when you’ll be able to enjoy the Chinese-themed festivities will be announced in due course.
Both Robin Hill and our sister park Blackgang Chine remain closed until the planned re-opening in the Spring. We’ll keep you as updated as possible over the coming weeks so keep an eye on our websites and social media pages.
We thank all our guests and suppliers for your cooperation and understanding during this time.
Frequent Visitor Passes
We appreciate the ongoing support of our Frequent Visitor Pass holders and can’t wait to see you all back in the park as soon as possible. If you have a valid 2020 or 2021 FVP and would like to be kept up to date with the latest news surrounding our 2021 opening plans, please make sure you’ve signed up to our FVP newsletter. (You’ll need your unique FVP code to do this!) Simply follow this link: https://robin-hill.com/fvp-signup/
Park tickets
2021 park tickets will be launched as soon as we’re able to confirm our opening dates and times for 2021. In the meantime, digital Gift Vouchers are still available to purchase online. These are redeemable both online and in-park against any admission ticket or Frequent Visitor Pass and valid for 12 months! Find out more here: https://tickets.robin-hill.com/product/robin-hill-gift-voucher/
WIN the Black Friday Upgrade:
meals for your group + £100 to spend!
That’s right! We’re spreading even more Christmas cheer this year and are giving everyone who’s booked their POLAR experience online by 11:59 this Friday, 27th November, the chance to WIN our epic Black Friday Upgrade!
Not only will the upgrade include meal vouchers for your group, but also a whopping £100 to spend in the Robin Hill shop – perfect for stocking up on those last-minute Christmas treats and gifts!
One lucky winner will have their booking upgraded to include:
❄ Meal vouchers for their group
❄ £100 to spend in the Robin Hill shop
Full terms & conditions can be found here.
Remember, POLAR will go ahead in accordance with Government guidelines and the park’s exemplary COVID-safe measures will remain in-place. In the event of the government or local authority requiring the event to be cancelled, a full refund will be issued to all ticket holders.
There’s limited availability and tickets are available online now for just £17.00 per person.
POLAR returns to Robin Hill this Christmas…
Join Robin Hill for the second instalment of their winter woodland experience this December. The festive POLAR story continues on selected dates from 12th – 23rd with an evening of magical Christmas delight.
From beautifully illuminated woodland and immersive walk-throughs to wreath-making, a local market and delicious food, the event promises to provide festive cheer this year. Plus, for the first time, the star of the show, Pippa the polar bear, will be joined by a few very special guests from sister park, Blackgang Chine.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the support of our guests this year and simply couldn’t let Christmas go by without celebration. 2020 has been difficult for everyone and given that POLAR is about the magic of imagination, it seemed right to bring a few Blackgang Chine characters over too. From all of us at Vectis Ventures, we’d like to wish our guests, staff, suppliers and partners a very Merry Christmas!” – Alec Dabell, Managing Director.
As you step into the open air, you’ll wander through glistening woodland and encounter a whole series of wonderful experiences along your POLAR journey. Support local traders and crafters at the POLAR Market, where you’ll find a selection of festive delights; perfect for gift ideas and stocking fillers.
Continue through the triumphal marble arch and into the POLAR Village where the Woodland Ponds area is transformed into a true winter wonderland. Enjoy heart-warming tastes of Christmas, finished with a mulled drink or decadent hot chocolate; all accompanied by music from the Christmas Carolettes.
For your chance to meet Pippa the polar bear, head into the POLAR Hollow where you’ll be invited into a young boy’s dream world. All is not as it seems in this immersive, interactive walkthrough; toys come to life and you never know who you could meet along the way. Dodos? Dinosaurs? Fairies? Anything can happen when dreams really do come true.
This year’s event will also see the return of the popular Decoration Workshops and Robin Hill’s beloved outdoor rides will remain open throughout the evening after undergoing their winter makeover.
POLAR will go ahead in accordance with Government guidelines and the park’s exemplary COVID-safe measures will remain in-place.
There’s limited availability and tickets are available online now for just £17.00 per person; with an exclusive 20% discount for Frequent Visitor Pass holders available until 6th November.
Our incredible team have joined forces with two other Isle of Wight businesses to provide desperately-needed clothing to the Island’s care sector. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, local care homes and community carers are needing more scrubs than ever and we’ve stepped in to help!
Reuben Loake, Managing Director of Ryde based company Isle of Wight Jobs, got in touch with clothing manufacturer Rapanui in Freshwater to see if they had any spare material of clothing available to use as scrubs.
“In a highly generous gesture, Rapanui immediately agreed to release a container full of high-quality clothing to any healthcare provider that needed it.” – Reuben, Isle of Wight Jobs
After posting on the Isle of Wight Jobs Facebook group that there was clothing available, Reuben received a high number of calls from care providers desperately needing disposable garments such as t-shirts as well as over 100 local people offering to help sew the garments into scrub trousers, scrub bags and head bands.
Reuben Loake says, “It soon became clear there was urgent need for disposable clothing in the care sector and we needed to act fast. If a care worker comes into contact with someone displaying symptoms, they should ideally be able to change their clothes before visiting another client.”
We then offered to become the distribution centre for the operation, as well as some of our wonderful team volunteering their time to sort through the items and transport over 100 boxes of garments from Rapanui in Freshwater to the park.
Reuben says, “The response so far has been overwhelming with over 20 care providers getting in touch after we posted our campaign on social media. We now need more homes and agencies to contact us with their requirements for tops. We have a range of sizes available as well as hoodies for those self-isolating in the care homes themselves and away from home.”
Robin Hill will be open for collections from Monday April 27th. Care staff can order garments and then access the car park where their order will be ready to pick up.
To find out more or to make an order please call Isle of Wight Jobs on 01983 475110 or send a message to the Isle of Wight Jobs Facebook page
Shaun the sheep returns to the park this Easter!
April half term is looming closer, what a great opportunity to spend 2 weeks off with the family, fun, games and relaxation… We all know it can feel like a struggle to keep the kids entertained throughout the school holidays, but we’ve got the perfect solution for you. Get the whole family involved, outside and away from technology this Easter half-term by joining us at Robin Hill as Farm Fest returns from the 4th-18th April. No farm Fest would be complete without world famous, Shaun the Sheep, he’s back with The Championsheeps farmathlon. Only this time it has an Olympic twist, from ‘Cabbage Shot-put’ to ‘It’s the Marrow-thon’, herd the family together from 10am-5pm on select dates* to take on these bah-rilliant challenges.
Farm Fest isn’t just about the kids; over Easter weekend you’ll have the chance to experience Robin Hill’s first ever Farmers Market! A host of local producers and suppliers will be on-site selling their wares and offering tasters galore. Pop by and lose yourself in the aromatic scents and delicious flavour combinations. Mmmm.
Something for the dads (and other tractor enthusiasts): Our friends over at C&O Tractors will be bringing a selection of tractors to the park for the duration of Farm Fest! There will be Massey Ferguson peddle tractor’s for you to challenge your friends & family to a race!
Shaun the Sheep: Championsheeps Farm-athalon!
THIS EASTER join Shaun for the ultimate madcap sports day meets farmyard frolic! Play 7 farm-made games which are Shaun’s own spin on the Olympic Heptathlon.
Mucky Bucket touring petting farm will be arriving at the park on 12th – 13th April, you’ll have the chance to meet and pet miniature ponies and donkeys, alpacas, goats, sheep, ducks, chickens, rabbits and more!
What’s one of our favourite things to do at the weekend? Get a cheeky Chinese of course!
We can’t wait to re-open the doors for Spirit of the Orient, starting on February 14th, but until then we’re sampling as many oriental delights as humanly possible. There’s nothing quite like ordering a mixed array of Chinese dishes on a Friday night with friends and family.
What’s your go to? Chow Mein? Crispy shredded Beef? Duck in Black Bean sauce?
Don’t limit your cravings for a Chinese to the weekends, any night of the week will do! From February 1st – 14th, you could be in with a chance of winning something special in your fortune cookie… That’s right, it’s our Fortune Cookie Quest and it’s back for the second year. We’ll be hiding hundreds of prizes inside fortune cookies across the island.
Now you don’t have to feel too naughty for an evening of delicious oriental indulgence.
To find out more about the Fortune Cookie Quest and to see your nearest participating restaurant follow this link: www.robin-hill.com/spiritoftheorient-fortune
Are syns really a thing when you could win awesome prizes?
It’s the news you’ve all been waiting for, our 2020 event calendar has been officially announced! We’re super excited for you all to discover Robin Hill like never before, with some firm favourites alongside brand-new events; here’s what you can expect…
FEBRAURY – Spirit of the Orient
We’re kicking the new year off with our award-winning event, Spirit of the Orient which returns for the seventh time! From 6-10pm daily between 14th – 22nd February 2020, you’ll see a fusion of sound, colour, illuminations and oriental flavours. Featuring impressive light exhibits, interactive 12-metre dragon procession, activities for the kids, woodland light shows and traditional lion dances; the park truly will come alive in celebration. Find out more & book your tickets online now!
This event is the first included with a Joint Park or Robin Hill Frequent Visitor Pass!
APRIL – Farm Fest
Join us as Farm Fest returns for the second year running. From the 4th-18th April, hop on board our Big Red Tractor Train for a rumbling ride through the park to the Lower Valley! Spend some time making friends with the farmyard animals in the Touring Petting Farm; watch the kids race around the pedal tractor course and sample some local delights our first ever Farmers’ Market!
This event is included in a Joint Park or Robin Hill Frequent Visitor Pass!
MAY – Sky High
The sky’s the limit from May 23rd-26th as Sky High takes off again for a four-day hot air balloon extravaganza. Marvel at the fabulous balloons, meet the pilots and experience the epic Night Glow show every evening from the Lower Valley ponds!
This event is included with a Joint Park or Robin Hill Frequent Visitor Pass!
AUGUST – Jungle Fever & AFTER DARK
Take the whole family on safari this summer as Jungle Fever returns for the final year! Back by popular demand, the park’s woodland will take on a jungle theme and be buzzing with life every Tuesday & Thursday from 24th July – 31st August, 10am – 10pm.
This event is included with a Joint Park or Robin Hill Frequent Visitor Pass!
Bring a group of friends and experience AFTER DARK down in The Ponds, every Saturday night throughout the summer for this adult only (18+) event! With a programme of awesome evening entertainment, you’ll want to grab a drink from the Cocktail Bar, then dance the night away to live DJ sets!
This event is not included with a Frequent Visitor Pass; however, exclusive offers will be available to pass holders.
OCTOBER – Festival of the Dead
For the first time, our Festival of Light event has a brand-new cultural theme, this time from South America! From the 2nd-31st October, join us at Festival of the Dead on select evenings to celebrate this flamboyant, energetic addition to our annual event calendar!
This event is included with a Joint Park or Robin Hill Frequent Visitor Pass!
DECEMBER – POLAR
Returning for Christmas 2020, experience the festive magic of POLAR, where dreams really do come true! On selected dates between 28th November – 31st December, our woodland will once again be transformed into a winter wonderland and your favourite polar bear Pippa will return with a special addition for 2020!
This event is not included with a Frequent Visitor Pass; however, exclusive offers will be available to pass holders.
The first two weekend’s of our long-awaited winter spectacular, POLAR, have been a great success!
The park saw hundreds of customers through its gates, all immersing themselves in the woodland world of winter magic.
Since the event’s announcement back in June, POLAR has been highlighted as one not-to-miss this Christmas and it hasn’t disappointed customers…
“Well done Robin Hill, POLAR is amazing, the best event yet (and we’ve been to them all). Would recommend it for everybody. Thank you.”
POLAR plays host to an array of festive delights; from the twinkling winter woodland and seasonal food & drink offering, to the handmade decoration workshops and themed rides. The evenings culminate in a heart-warming finale show that sees a little boy’s Christmas dream come true, with a very special surprise that delights audiences and has brought a tear to the eye on many already!
“We just wanted to say a huge thank you to the Robin Hill team for our wonderful evening at POLAR! We had such a lovely time; it was so nice to have a special experience to share as a family. These times are precious and important.”
Visitors can take a ride on the Big Red Express, driven by none other than Father Christmas himself and then follow the winter fairies through the woodland to the POLAR Hollow. After marvelling at the giant 30-foot-tall Christmas tree, continue the journey to meet the star of the show, life-sized polar bear, Pippa! She’s a big bear but she’s as gentle as they come and is particularly fond of hugs.
Only 4 dates remain with limited capacity, so don’t miss out and book now! For more information, and to book your POLAR experience, CLICK HERE!
