Portland Museum, 217 Wakeham, Portland
Tel: 01305 821804
Find out more about Portland Museum

 
Close to Portland Bill Visitor Centre, Portland Bill. Tel: 01305 861233.

Portland is a Gateway Town to the Jurassic Coast.

Portland is an explorer's island with beautiful scenery and a mysterious quality of isolation, joined only to the mainland by Chesil Beach.

The only way to explore this fascinating island is on foot. An excellent network of coastal and cross-island pathways gives superb access to a rich variety of features. Fascinating buildings range from the historic and grand, like Portland's three castles and unique churches, to simple stone cottages of quarrymen and fishermen, all full of charm. Portland Harbour and its monumental breakwaters, the great Verne Citadel and historic gun batteries, contrast with the ancient windmill towers and the three lighthouses at the Bill. Around the coves and rocks you can see the sites of numerous shipwrecks.

Many parts of the island, including the whole of the coastline, are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Chesil Beach and the Fleet Lagoon are of international conservation importance and home to a unique variety of flora and fauna, including nearly 300 species of bird, over 30 species of butterfly and 720 species of moth.

Chesil Beach itself has intrigued geologists for centuries; the stones gradually decrease in size from Portland to West Bay and the size-profile is so perfect that experienced fishermen who beach at night can tell their position just by the size of the stones. The Chesil Beach visitor centre tells the story of the region's unique geology through a series of interactive displays. Visitors can also take a trip on the glass-bottomed Fleet Observer boat to examine the marine world of the Fleet more closely.

Getting There

By Foot: Accessible via the South West Coast Path which runs along the entire length of the Jurassic Coast.

By Coach: A number of independent companies operate coach services to Weymouth especially during the summer season. National Express operates direct coach services to Weymouth throughout the year. Contact them on Tel: 08705 808080 or visit National Express .

By Bus: There are regular bus services from Weymouth to Portland.
Find out more about the Jurassic Coast Bus Service or contact Traveline on tel: 0870 6082608 or visit Traveline for further information.

By Train: South West Trains operate a fast and frequent service from London Waterloo to Weymouth daily throughout the year. Virgin Trains offer fast and frequent services from all major UK destinations to Southampton Central daily throughout the year. Connections are then available from Southampton Central to Weymouth. Virgin Trains also operate direct services to Weymouth on Saturdays during the summer. Contact National Rail Enquiries on tel: 08457 484950 or visit National Rail Enquiries

By Road: If you are driving to Dorset from the north, leave the M5 at junction 25 and follow the signs for Yeovil, then Weymouth. Then take the A354 over to Portland.

From the east, follow the M3 and M27 to Ringwood, then the A31 to Dorchester. Follow the A354 from Dorchester to Weymouth and onto Portland.

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