TV Wildlife Presenter Nick Baker Invites Travellers to the Isle of Wight in New Wightlink Video In Celebration Of The Isle Of Wight
04 August 2020
TV Wildlife Presenter Nick Baker Invites Travellers to Take an Idyllic Cycle Tour of the Isle of Wight in New Wightlink Video
In celebration of the Isle of Wight’s UNESCO Biosphere status, Wightlink, the leading provider of cross-Solent travel, invited wildlife-lover, TV presenter and Isle of Wight devotee, Nick Baker, to the Island to take travellers on a journey to visit his favourite spots, hidden gems and new finds. Nick has always held the Isle of Wight close to his heart having spent his fondest childhood holidays there. Naturally, when embarking on this nostalgic tour of the Island, Nick opted for his favourite mode of transport: his trusty bike. Audiences can see exactly what Nick got up to here.
“Wightlink was delighted to host Nick Baker on the Isle of Wight. His enthusiasm for the Island’s natural beauty shines through in this video and we’re pleased that Nick had such a terrific time. We believe that the end result highlights the appeal of both Wightlink and the Isle of Wight,” said Keith Greenfield, Wightlink CEO. “Cycling is one of the best ways to explore the Island's country lanes and bikes go free on all of our ferries, so viewers can easily hop on and follow Nick’s trail.”
“The Isle of Wight has always been a very special place to me and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Wightlink to highlight to visitors how easy and enjoyable it is to access the Island and to experience a break that’s quite unlike anywhere else in the UK,” said Nick Baker. “From starting my journey onboard Wightlink’s Victoria of Wight flagship ferry, to cycling across the Isle of Wight’s spectacular landscapes – with more than a few exciting wildlife spotting opportunities along the way, I’ve loved every minute of my first getaway post-lockdown and hope to inspire others to do the same.”
Follow Nick Baker’s Isle of Wight Trail
With nearly half of the Island classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Isle of Wight is home to some of Britain’s finest landscapes. From glorious coastlines to blossoming meadows and woodlands it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily, Nick’s itinerary gives travellers the ideal template to explore the Island’s natural environment:
- Budding explorers deserve to arrive on the Island in style, so Nick made his crossing aboard Victoria of Wight, Wightlink’s latest environmentally friendly vessel and England’s first hybrid energy ferry.
- Having landed on the Isle of Wight, Nick begins by jumping on his bike and enjoying the hilltop views from the round-island bike route, before seeking out the great green bush-cricket, whose singing was the soundtrack to his annual summer holidays.
- Next up, Nick celebrates the Island last year being awarded UNESCO Biosphere status, by visiting the Wildlife Trust in Newchurch. Here, he learns about the Trust’s exciting plans to reintroduce beavers, also known as ‘nature’s great eco-engineer’.
- Over on the south coast, Nick speaks with Forestry England and hears all about the successful reintroduction programme of the white-tailed eagle.
- At night, Nick swaps his childhood campsites for a cosy cottage stay in Ventnor, where he rests up before a scenic bike ride along the south coast to the area around Compton Bay. Furthest west on the Island, he admires the iconic Needles, then goes red squirrel-spotting in peaceful woodlands.
- Nick ends his adventures with a well-deserved beer and a delicious dinner at The George Hotel in Yarmouth, before his Wightlink journey home.
How to get there
The Isle of Wight is just a 40-minute ferry ride away with Wightlink and summer-saving weekday deals are now available on both the Portsmouth – Fishbourne and Lymington – Yarmouth routes when travelling with a vehicle. The prices below are valid on travel taken by 30 September 2020 and bookings made before 31 August 2020.
Day returns on any route from £49.50 per car
Travel out before 09:01 and return after 17:59 the same day, on either Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
Short breaks on any route from £90 per car
Travel out before 09:01 on a Tuesday and return after 17:59 on Thursday the same week.
Travel on foot (including your bike!) from £14.40
Wightlink’s FastCat passenger service takes just 22 minutes, with the port conveniently located inside Portsmouth Harbour Train Station – so is perfect for those travelling by train.
More sailings in August on Wightlink’s car ferry routes
Following increased demand for cross-Solent travel, Wightlink is operating more services in August:
- Portsmouth – Fishbourne: There will be three extra round-trip sailings on Fridays in August and on Monday, 10 August.
- Lymington – Yarmouth: There will also be three extra round-trip sailings throughout the week from Monday, 10 August to Monday, 31 August.
For further information and/or to book tickets, visit Wightlink.
About Wightlink
Wightlink is the leading cross-Solent ferry operator carrying almost 4.5 million holidaymakers and Islanders across the Solent to the Isle of Wight every year. Eight ferries on three routes complete over 45,000 sailings a year, giving Islanders an easy and frequent service to mainland Hampshire, and tourists an accessible way to enjoy a taste of Island life.
Wightlink is the leading cross-Solent ferry operator carrying almost 4.5 million holidaymakers and Islanders across the Solent to the Isle of Wight every year. Eight ferries on three routes complete over 45,000 sailings a year, giving Islanders an easy and frequent service to mainland Hampshire, and tourists an accessible way to enjoy a taste of Island life.
Having introduced its new environmentally-friendly ferry – named Victoria of Wight – in August 2018, Wightlink is proud to be heralding a new, greener era of travel between the Isle of Wight and the mainland. As a hybrid energy ship that runs partly on electricity, Victoria of Wight offers greener crossings between the mainland and the Isle of Wight. The Isle of Wight is also the sixth area in the UK to be awarded a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, meaning it’s now recognised as one of the best places in the world to explore the sustainable way people interact with their natural environment.
With seamless train connections to Portsmouth Harbour and Lymington directly to the Wightlink terminals, getting to the Isle of Wight could not be easier. Passengers can step off the train from London, hop on a Wightlink catamaran and be on the Island from just 22 minutes, while the car ferries take around 40 minutes from Portsmouth and Lymington. On board, passengers and drivers alike can relax in the lounges and enjoy some refreshments before arriving on the Island to enjoy the range of attractions, events and experiences that make the Isle of Wight a leading destination for tourists.
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