Visitor Centres

Portland Bill | Dorset

For nearly 300 years a lighthouse has stood on Portland Bill to guide vessels heading for Portland and Weymouth and acting as a waymark for vessels navigating in the English Channel. A red sector light warns mariners of the hazardous Shambles Bank lying three miles offshore.

Location

Portland Bill Lighthouse is located on the Southerly tip of the Isle of Portland, 1.2 miles south of the village of Easton.

Map: click here for streetmap

Public Transport

Frequent bus service from Weymouth - Route 1A

Opening Times for 2008

Date Day Time
March 23 to June 30 Sunday to Thursday. Closed Friday & Saturday 11.00 - 17.00
July 1 - September 30* Sunday-Friday. Closed Saturday. * 11.00-17.00
*The Lighthouse is NOT open on Thursday 10 July for operational reasons.
Opening subject to weather conditions and Trinity House's operational requirements.

Groups and school parties by prior arrangement. See 'Groups' below.

Admission Prices for 2008

Adults £2.50
Senior Citizens £1.50
Children (up to 16yrs) £1.50
Family Ticket (2 adults & 2 children) £6.50

Contact Details

Telephone: 01305 820 495

Groups

Please phone the above number for advance bookings or contact Chris Dodson at Trinity House on 01255 245011.

Prompt arrival at the Visitor Centre is essential. If you arrive late we regret we can not guarantee entry and your visit may be cancelled.

Health & Safety

We want everybody to have an enjoyable experience at our visitor centres and believe safety is a key contributor to people leaving with smiles on their faces. We have a few rules we enforce and would be grateful if you could take the time now to familiarise yourself with them.
Health & Safety Guidelines

Specifications

Established 1716
Height of Tower 41 metres
Height of Light above Mean High Water 43 metres
Automation 1996
Optic 4 Panel 1st order Catadioptric fixed lens
Lamp 1 KW MBI
Character White group flashing 4 times every 20 seconds
Intensity 635,000 candela
Range of Light 25 nautical miles
Fog Signal Character 3.5 second blast every 30 seconds

Tours of Portland Bill Lighthouse are organised by The Crown Estate under licence from the Corporation of Trinity House.
Portland Bill Lighthouse

Portland Bill Lighthouse Mechanism

Portland Bill Lighthouse at sunset
  back | top