Curtain up for 2026: new museums and cultural experiences

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A sign for Kings Coastal Path

Go wild: coastlines, peaks and starry skies

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A group of friends walking across a bridge in Manchester

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Peaky Blinders Pub Birmingham

Britain on screen: 2026 film & TV highlights

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Cardiff Castle - A DJ using music decks on a stage overlooking a crowd in the grounds

Tastes of 2026: new flavours and spirited openings

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London's Southbank at night

Discover Britain’s biggest events and openings in 2026 – from new museums and festivals to scenic trails. Sail from the Isle of Wight with Wightlink.

Mainland Adventures 2026 – New Openings & Events | Wightlink

Mainland

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New Forest

Love Southsea Dockyard Christmas Market – Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Panto Fun – Aladdin at the Kings Theatre & Snow White at New Theatre Royal

Christmasville - Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth

A Palace House Christmas – Beaulieu, New Forest

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Spinnaker Tower Santa

Santa’s Toymaker Workshop - Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth

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Longleat Christmas illuminations (2)

Festival of Light: British Icons with Wallace and Gromit & Friends – Longleat, Wiltshire

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Aerial view of a grand palace exterior courtyard.

‘The Palace of Oz’ – Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire

Walking in the Air: The Snowman™ Live Tour – Nationwide

All aboard THE POLAR EXPRESS™ – Various UK locations

Santa – The Visit – Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Twilight Tales – Winter Island, Manchester

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Group of friends observing an immersive art installation with glowing jellyfish and tree like structures

The Last Sprouts – Wake the Tiger, Bristol

Luminate Light Trails 2025 – Various UK locations

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Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Romsey, Hampshire, Great Britain 29th November 2024 Press preview Sir Harold Hillier Gardens Light Up Festive light art installationsRuns Thursday 28 November 2024 – Wednesday 1 January 2025*,

Light Up Sir Harold Hillier Gardens – Hampshire

A Royal Christmas at Highgrove, near Tetbury, Cotswolds

Sail from the Isle of Wight for festive fun you can’t find at home. From light trails and steam trains to THE POLAR EXPRESS™ and The Snowman™ Live, discover the best Christmas days out on the mainland with Wightlink.

Mainland Adventures This Christmas – Festive Days Out from the Isle of Wight for Islanders with Wightlink

Experience autumn colours, festive markets and cosy pubs in the New Forest. See pigs on pannage, follow light trails and sail from the Isle of Wight with Wightlink.

Autumn and Winter in the New Forest 2025 – Explore with Wightlink

Lymington

Wightlink

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Visit Portsmouth Logo on background

Autumn and Christmas Events in Portsmouth 2025

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Great-South-Run-Portsmouth-774x434

Discover what’s on in Portsmouth this autumn – from the Great South Run to pantos, festive markets and family fun. Sail from the Isle of Wight with Wightlink.

Autumn and Christmas Events in Portsmouth 2025 | Wightlink Ferries 

Portsmouth

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HIWWT_LOGO_PRIMARY_BLACK

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Common Dolphin in the Solent (c) Theo Vickers

Responsible encounters with marine mammals

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Seagrass Meadow at Seaview Isle of Wight (c) Kate Garnham

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Disposable BBQ

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Crab on the beach © Adam Cormack

Some simple measures we can take to show respect and care for our much-loved marine wildlife

Treating marine wildlife with respect this summer

Isle of Wight

Things to do

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Portsmouth-Museum-exterior-774x434

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People walking down the stairs Sky Garden wth the city in the background

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VE25263

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A day out on the mainland doesn’t have to cost the earth. Here are 40 of our favourite things to do for free.

40 free things to do on the mainland

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An artist's render of PoliNations Credit - Trigger, THISS, Carl Robertshaw, Bronia Housman

Rewilding and environmental art workshops, Devon

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'Mindful’ safaris’ at Blean Woods, Kent

Foraging, forest bathing and wild swimming, Yorkshire

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Person swimming in a lake in Dartmoor, Devon with Wandering Wild

Volunteer at the Peak District National Park

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Woman on pontoon with drink on Fritton Lake Norfolk (credit Edvinas Bruzas)

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Knepp Wildland Campsite_Knepp Wildland

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Aerial view of Wild Ken Hill, Norfolk

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Eurasian beaver -Podolnaya Elena

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Aerial View of Wild Ennerdale, Cumbria

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West Devon beaver site _Credit Sam Rose _whatifyoujustleaveit.info

From rewilding retreats, to volunteering opportunities and urban forests there are many ways to mindfully form a relationship with the natural world on your travels around England. 

Rewilding England – Help Nature Recover and Flourish on your Travels

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solent oyster cages

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oyster cage close up

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reintroducing solent oysters at lymington

We have partnered with the Blue Marine Foundation to place cages containing hundreds of young oysters into the Lymington River as part of our initiative to re-introduce the native shellfish to the Solent.

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oysters at wightlink lymington port 587x387

Re-introducing the Solent oyster to Lymington

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Spinnaker-Tower-top-801x533

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Wightlink FastCat with Portsmouth Harbour in the background

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Wightlink-Fastcat-infront-of-Portsmouth-801x533

Wightlink ferry, St Clare on the Solent with the Isle of Wight in the background

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Spy-on-the-Solent-blog-header-St-Clare-801x533

Whether you travel frequently to and from the Isle of Wight or you’re planning your first Wightlink ‘cruise’ you may be curious about some of the landmarks you can see from the ferry.

Spy on The Solent...

Ryde

Yarmouth

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Find travel inspiration, what’s on guides and things to on the Isle of Wight and across the south coast.

The real Isle of Wight

What’s new on the Mainland? Events and Adventures in 2026

Mainland Adventures This Christmas – Festive Days Out On The North Island

What’s on in The New Forest – adventures on the mainland

What’s on in Portsmouth – adventures on the mainland

Treating marine wildlife with respect this summer

40 free things to do on the mainland

Rewilding England – Help Nature Recover and Flourish on your Travels

Re-introducing the Solent oyster to Lymington

Spy on The Solent…

Wightlink email