Our Blog!

Dreams really do come true…

27th June 2019 / No Comments

December 2019 will see Robin Hill launch its brand new and spectacular Christmas evening event – POLAR. Running over four weekends in December, the event will feature a stunning new Amphitheatre production that will delight audiences of all ages, plus a host of other festive activities as part of the award-winning event series at Robin Hill.

Step outside this festive season and experience the thrill of a Christmas dream come true… POLAR promises an enchanting Christmas journey with a spectacular show finale like no other!

Take the Winter Woodland Walk through sparkling ancient forests, enjoy the festive atmosphere of the POLAR Village while you warm up with traditional hot food and drinks, hop on board the Big Red Express, where Father Christmas himself takes the wheel, and tip-toe into the POLAR Hollow where you can meet Pippa, the life-sized cuddly polar bear!

Don’t miss Robin Hill’s rides given a winter makeover, with the Cows Express Junior Ride perfect for little ones, and the 4D Motion Cinema exclusively showing ‘Santa’s Sleigh Ride’ during POLAR!

The event finale is the dazzling Amphitheatre show, POLAR, that follows the magical tale of one boy’s Christmas dream come true, in a sensational dance and acrobatic theatre style production!

This newest addition to Robin Hill’s annual events calendar promises to be the most magical yet, delighting families of all ages as well as couples looking for a unique and romantic way to spend a winter’s evening. Glittering displays and enticing festive flavours will transport visitors through a dreamlike evening brimming with all the excitement and anticipation of Christmas Eve, with the finale POLAR show set to be the most spectacular production Robin Hill’s Amphitheatre has ever seen!

The POLAR Village will be the epicenter of the event, where customers can indulge in traditional festive treats including mulled wine, luxury hot chocolates, roasted marshmallows and delicious homemade food whilst soaking up live music and the beautiful woodland lighting displays.

Speaking about the new event, Alec Dabell, Managing Director and Owner said “We are delighted to bring this brand new and totally unique experience to the Isle of Wight. We think POLAR could be “the” event for families and loved ones this Christmas”.

Tickets for this limited capacity event go on sale at 10am Thursday 27th June, with Frequent Visitor Pass holders eligible for an exclusive discounted rate of just £17.50 for the first four days only of POLAR.

For more information, and to book your POLAR experience, visit www.robin-hill.com/POLAR

What a Whirl Wind few days…

31st May 2019 / No Comments

Sky High 2019 sees record visitor numbers

Following our first-ever Sky High hot air balloon event, we’d like to say a big thank you to all our visitors & partners…

“What a whirl wind few days we’ve had at Robin Hill Sky High 2019! Testing weather put paid to free flight, but 2 fantastic Night Glow shows have punctuated a challenging, yet very exciting inaugural event.

The team and I extend our sincerest thanks to all our visitors for being so flexible and understanding with the programming changes – we know a lot of you were disappointed (as were we!) with the cancellation of all launches. Thank you to those who came out in record numbers to support our ambitious vision.

Great moments of the event include our human image record attempt, sunrise photoshoot, a visit from ITV Meridian and an incredible photo of the event by the talented Sienna Anderson published in the Telegraph – not to mention 2 visually stunning Night Glow shows!

A massive thanks to our event partners Red Funnel Ferries, Isle of Wight Distillery, Island Photo Centre and to the crews and pilots who, although grounded indefinitely, pushed through some very adverse conditions to deliver the balloon activity that could be achieved.

We will be reviewing the event programme and all the feedback received with a view to planning the next Sky High for you, fingers crossed bigger, better and less windy in the future!” – James Crofts, Robin Hill Park Manager

The park is open 10.00 until 18.00 for the rest of the week so pop back and make the most of your Frequent Visitor Passes or 7 day return ticket. If you haven’t already, sign up to our mailing list via our website www.robin-hill.com to keep up to date with all park news and future events.

Photographers Shoot Sky High

30th May 2019 / No Comments

The weather may not have been fully on our side this week but that hasn’t stopped our visiting photographers from capturing some incredible images of the event!

We want to say a big thank you to the thousands of visitors so far this week for their support whilst Sky High finds its feet in 2019 and a special thank you to all the photographers who have shared their images with us. Here’s a selection of some of our favourites!

Don’t forget to enter our #ShootSkyHigh competition for your chance to WIN a Fuji Finepix 130!

Robin Hill goes SKY HIGH in Southampton

12th April 2019 / No Comments

This morning (12^th April 2019), we teamed up with our friends at Red Funnel (include Ted Funnel, to Red Funnel bear) to take a hot air balloon ‘sky high’ from Mayflower Park, Southampton, just meters away from the Red Funnel Ferry Terminal.

Guests joined the team to enjoy this exciting new aerial spectacular. They had the opportunity to meet the pilots and experience one of the remarkable hot air balloons, which tethered from Southampton’s coastline.

James Crofts, Park Manager of Robin Hill said:

‘It was a fantastic morning; the weather was perfect! We are really excited to be bringing a brand-new event, Sky High to the Isle of Wight this May. Huge thank you to the team from Robin Hill, Red Funnel and Bloon for delivering a fantastic experience for the guests that attended. Tune in to ITV Meridian tonight at 6pm to watch it all unfold.’

Sky High is a brand-new event that will see over 40 hot air balloons take to the skies over Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight this May half term.

Sky High will take place at Robin Hill on the Isle of Wight from 27^th – 30^th May (10am – 10pm). In partnership with Red Funnel Ferries, visitors can set sail to the Isle of Wight from Southampton and marvel at the sight of over 40 hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes, taking flight from and tethered in the Lower Valley of Robin Hill Country Park.

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the pilots, walk inside the balloons and possibly even win the chance to take flight*. There will also be kite making and flying workshops for the kids.

A special twilight event, Night Glow will also take place on the 27^th May and 29^th May, where visitors will have the opportunity to see the balloons at nightfall, lit up in all their glory, together with incredible sound and light production. Refreshments and live music will also be available throughout the evening.

Join us as we take to the sky!

Save 20% off ferry travel when you book Sky High tickets with Red Funnel. Simply add your Robin Hill admission tickets for Sky High, then add a ferry booking to your basket before you checkout!

Sheep Ashore!

10th April 2019 / No Comments

Shaun the Sheep arrives at Robin Hill!

Shaun the Sheep set sail to the Isle of Wight with Wightlink Ferries this weekend. Shaun and his entire flock left Mossy Bottom Farm to spread their mischievous frolics and sheepish shenanigans to launch Championsheeps Live at Robin Hill’s brand-NEW event, Farm Fest this Easter (running from 6th April – 27th April, 10am – 5pm).

Shaun’s trip to the Isle of Wight started on-board the new Wightlink ferry, Victoria of Wight, where he got the chance to meet the captain and learn how to navigate his way over to the beautiful Isle of Wight. In true farm yard style, Shaun arrived at Robin Hill Country Park on-board a Massy Ferguson tractor, thanks to C&O Tractors, which is now on display at Farm Fest this Easter!

Shaun the Sheep will be at the baa-brilliant Farm Fest, from the 8th – 12th & 15th – 19th April, for farm-tastic family fun!
Hop on-board for a rumbling tractor ride, spend some time making friends with the farmyard animals in the Touring Petting Farm and test your skills in Shaun’s Championsheeps Live which includes the Free-Range egg and spoon race, Naughty Pig Sack Race, Shirley’s bouncy hopper Pie-Athlon and plenty more opportunities to get involved!

Massey Fergusson and C&O Tractors will be joining the shenanigans with a tractor display, competition and Pedal Tractor Races throughout the event. A wonderful showcase of one of the UK’s most famous tractor brands, a chance to win some goodies and an opportunity for the children to race mini tractors.

Meet the miniature horse, miniature donkey, alpaca, goats, sheep, ducks, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs and even a tortoise at the Petting Farm between 20th – 22nd April 2019.

Find out more about Farm Fest and the activities running throughout the Easter half term here.

Robin Hill to support health and well-being of young people

26th March 2019 / No Comments

2019 Charity of the Year Announced

Vectis Ventures are proud to announce the Isle of Wight Youth Trust as their nominated charity for 2019. The partnership ensures collection boxes for donations positioned at both Robin Hill, the home of adventure and entertainment, and Blackgang Chine, the Land of Imagination, throughout the 2019 season.

The team at Vectis Ventures will be carrying out additional fundraising initiatives, events and fundraising activities to help more young people on the Isle of Wight access the crucial work of the Trust.

James Crofts, Park Manager at Robin Hill said “We are proud to be supporting the Isle of Wight Youth Trust in 2019. We have lots of exciting plans across both Robin Hill and Blackgang Chine to raise vital funds needed to support our island’s young people. We are looking forward to making a real difference to the health and wellbeing of our young people on the Isle of Wight.”

The Isle of Wight Youth Trust is the largest independent organisation providing youth mental health services on the Isle of Wight and committed to improving the wellbeing and mental health of children and young people on our island.

“As an Island-based, Island–focused charity, the Youth Trust relies on the support of our community to deliver vital services to support young Islanders. Last year, we offered around 5,500 one-to-one counselling sessions to over 1,000 young people – we simply would not have been able to do this without the support of our community. Vectis Ventures has a long history of supporting local charities and we are thrilled to have been chosen as their Charity of the Year for 2019. We look forward to working together throughout the year to ensure that young people have access to support in their time of greatest need.” Mairead Healy, CEO, Isle of Wight Youth Trust.

Whilst they offer a range of support for children, young people and their families, the majority of their work is concerned with providing a professional one-to-one counselling service. The problems that children and young people are experiencing when they visit are wide–ranging and there are many reasons why a young person may need counselling. Whatever the issues, the Isle of Wight Youth Trust are here to help.

Please visit https://www.iowyouthtrust.co.uk/ or follow their social media channels for more information.

Preparations for Sky High take place!

19th March 2019 / No Comments

The sky’s the limit

Did you spot the hot air balloon flying in the sky above the park this morning? We’re preparing for the brand-NEW event this May half term, Sky High.

The sky’s the limit this May at Robin Hill’s brand-new soaring event, Sky High, takes place from the 27th to 30th May, 10am – 10pm. Marvel at the sight of over 40 hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes, taking flight from and tethered in the Lower Valley.

You’ll have the opportunity to meet the pilots, walk inside the balloons and possibly even win the chance to take flight*! In addition, there’s kite making and flying workshops for the kids so join us as we take to the sky!

To make the event even more spectacular, Night Glow will take place on 27th & 29th May so you have the opportunity to see the balloons at twilight, lit up in all their glory, together with incredible sound and light production. There’ll be a bar and food available throughout the evening with live music too!

Tickets are available now so get yours to make sure you don’t miss out on this epic new event!

Shaun the Sheep comes to Robin Hill for Farm Fest this Easter

The world’s most famous sheep comes to Robin Hill

13th March 2019 / No Comments

This Easter, Shaun the Sheep himself will be travelling from Mossy Bottom Farm all the way down to Robin Hill to kick off the brand-new event, Farm Fest!

Bring the whole family to meet the world’s most famous sheep and his entire flock as they spread their mischievous frolics and sheepish shenanigans to launch the Championsheeps Live feature during Farm Fest, running from 6th April – 27th April, 10am – 5pm.

Join Shaun from 8th – 12th & 15th – 19th April, as he joins the baa-rilliant Farm Fest for fantastic family fun! Hop on-board for a rumbling tractor ride, spend some time making friends with the farmyard animals in the Touring Petting Farm and test your skills in Shaun’s Championsheeps Live which includes the Free-Range egg and spoon race, Naughty Pig Sack Race, Shirley’s bouncy hopper Pie-Athlon and plenty more opportunities to get involved!

Massey Fergusson and C&O Tractors will be joining the shenanigans with a tractor display, competition and Pedal Tractor Races throughout the event too! A wonderful showcase of one of the UK’s most famous tractor brands, a chance to win some goodies and an opportunity for the kids to race mini tractors.

Meet the miniature horse, miniature donkey, alpaca, goats, sheep, ducks, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs and even a tortoise at the Petting Farm between 19th – 22nd April 2019.

Find out more about Farm Fest & how to get your tickets online now!

The Isle of Wight’s NEW multi-million indoor waterpark ‘The Springs’

12th September 2018 / 11 Comments

PLANS FOR AN EXCITING AND IMAGINATIVE WATERPARK

Plans for an exciting and imaginative multi-million pound indoor waterpark, ‘The Springs’, at award-winning Isle of Wight attraction, Robin Hill Country Park, have been unveiled.

Plans for ‘The Springs’ will be submitted formally to the Isle of Wight Council as a planning application supported by an environmental statement.

This is an exciting project for a major new attraction that will have Island-wide and sub-regional impacts benefiting tourism, regeneration and job creation.

Alexander Dabell, Managing Director of Vectis Ventures Limited said,
‘After years of considered planning, we are delighted to unveil our proposals for ‘The Springs’, an exhilarating new indoor water park to be situated at Robin Hill Country Park, with the most stunning views across the Isle of Wight.

Tourism is very important for the Island and ‘The Springs’ is a further development of Robin Hill which is designed to extend the tourism season. We’ve had great success with our ‘electric woods’ events, attracting over 90,000 visitors over the last four years, however, the Island needs more innovative, fun all-weather attractions for visitors and residents in the autumn-winter months. ‘The Springs’ ticks that box and at the same time provides opportunities for other local tourism businesses to operate a longer season. ‘The Springs’ development will complement our plans for Nesting, creating a fantastic reason to visit the Isle of Wight.

We are extremely excited to progress with these plans, after all, ‘The Springs’ will be splashing great fun!’

Will Myles, Managing Director of Visit Isle of Wight says,
‘I am extremely proud to work with Vectis Ventures, who continually invest in the Isle of Wight’s tourism offering. ‘The Springs’ is exactly what we need on the island for residents and visitors alike. We are always looking for ways to extend our overall season, and this will certainly have a huge impact.’