My magical time in the Isle Of Wight is thanks to transport courtesy of Wightlink however all of the activities mentioned in this series are not sponsored
I recently spent a dreamy time exploring the Isle of Wight courtesy of Wightlink Ferries exploring the best of the arts and culture on this beautiful island.
To get there, I sailed with Wightlink Ferries from Lymington, a charming market town in Hampshire about 30 minutes away from me in the New Forest, to Yarmouth, a gorgeous historic town in the west of the Isle of Wight.
Wightlink Ferries is the leading cross-Solent ferry operator carrying almost five million holidaymakers and Islanders to the Isle of Wight every year and so kindly provided me with transport for my weekend of exploring.
Wightlink provides both a vehicle and foot passenger ferry service. For this trip, that involved travelling across the island in search of the best of the arts and culture on the Isle of Wight, I decided to take my car so I could see as much as possible in the time I was there.
As it happens, the Lymington to Yarmouth crossing is Wightlink’s quickest and most scenic route for car passengers, with a crossing time of only 40 minutes.
For my journey to Lymington, I arrived at the advised 30-minute arrival at Lymington Pier before the morning departure time. Check-in was super smooth and easy and you are then directed into a lane to board. We were then loaded onto the ferry on time, departed Lymington on time and arrived at Yarmouth on time.
Whilst you wait for your trip to depart there are great facilities in both ports that include a Costa Coffee, charging points for electric vehicles, a ticket office, toilets and baby-changing facilities.
Onboard Wightlink Ferries
Once safely on board, there is an announcement that car passengers cannot remain in their vehicles during the crossing and we are directed up to travel in the lounges during the crossing.
I was so pleasantly surprised to see how modern, comfortable and spacious Wightlink’s lounges are that includes sun decks to see the sights of the Solent. This was truly wonderful to see the charming details of Lymington leaving the mainland to the treat of views of the Needles and Hurst Castle as you cross the Solent.
I was also really happy to see the excellent food and drink options available at Wightlink that is so rare on most forms of transportation I take as someone with a dairy allergy it can be so impossible!
I was so happy to find vegan sandwich options, vegan cookies, as well as gluten-free choices, making it so accessible to all. It was also so lovely to see the catering truly tailored to local companies that included Dorset Tea, The Tomato Stall from the Isle Of Wight, the Garlic Farm and more.
The lounge also had many other easy accessed facilities and made the 40-minute crossing go so quickly! You can even purchase postcards to send to loved ones as a treasured reminder of your trip.
Once you arrive in Yarmouth, the navigation leaving the port is an absolute dream and I was on the road to my next destination with no trouble at all.
Planning your trip with Wightlink Ferries
Other than trips around Dorset across to Studland or Swanage I had never been on a car ferry before, but I was so impressed with the ease of the journey from start to finish. The staff were also so helpful, kind and friendly.
As with all travel adventures, the earlier you book the better. Below is the scheduled prices from November but I highly recommend checking this page for all the latest Wightlink offers.
Wightlink Prices:
Prices from £76 return (based on travelling out on 25th Nov and returning on 27th Nov) or from £24.20 return as a foot passenger based on the same dates.
Wightlink routes and crossing times:
Portsmouth Car Ferry Terminal – Fishbourne Car Ferry Terminal: from 45 minutes
Lymington Car Ferry Terminal – Yarmouth Car Ferry Terminal: from 40 minutes
Portsmouth Harbour Railway Station – Ryde Pier Head: from 22 minutes
MyLink Members:
If you’re a regular traveller to the Isle Of Wight it might be worth looking at the MyLink membership. Some of the latest discounts includes:
- Foot returns for £20
- FastCat day returns for £12 this Christmas
- £40 car day returns from Yarmouth
- 30% off car stays of +1 night from Yarmouth
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With stunning beaches, idyllic countryside and elegant sailing towns, the Isle of Wight has it all and it was so wonderful to explore this spot so near me in Dorset with Wightlink.
If you’re looking for an enchanting staycation in the UK full of natural beauty and culture inspiration I so highly recommend booking a trip with Wightlink to visit all the charm the Isle Of Wight has to offer.
Looking for inspiration where to start? My Isle Of Wight series is the ideal place to start if you’re a cultural seeker like myself! It includes my regal day at Osborne House, the charming home of Lord Tennyson at Farringford Estate and a fairytale teahouse in Shanklin.
How many of you have been to the Isle Of Wight? Thank you so much again to Wightlink for making this trip possible!
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