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Portland Bill

Portland Bill

Portland Bill

Portland Bill is a narrow promontory at the southern end of the Isle of Portland, and the southernmost point of Dorset, England. It’s known for the iconic Portland Bill Lighthouse, which has guided vessels safely around the area’s hazardous coastline for over a century. 

The lighthouse, operational since 1906, stands as a testament to the area’s maritime history, marked by numerous shipwrecks due to the dangerous shallow reefs and the strong tidal race. The Bill is also a waypoint for coastal traffic and has been a site for significant maritime structures, including the historic Old Lower Lighthouse, now a bird observatory.

For those interested in visiting, Portland Bill offers more than just the lighthouse. It’s a place of natural beauty and geological interest, part of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can explore the rugged landscape, observe the diverse wildlife, and enjoy the scenic views of the English Channel. The area also features Pulpit Rock, an artificial stack of rock left over from quarrying operations in the 1870s.






The renovated the Visitor Centre at Portland Bill Lighthouse opened to the public on 29 March 2015, the impressive new main exhibit allows you to learn about the lighthouse and its keepers and find out about Trinity House, the organisation that operates the lighthouse and has safeguarded the mariner for over 500 years. The new exhibition contains a number of interactive displays and historical artefacts and offers the opportunity to encounter a stormy sea journey in the exhilarating zone ‘Into The Dark’. 

Visitors can also climb the lighthouse and see for miles along the beautiful Dorset Coastline, the world famous Jurassic Coast and out to the treacherous Portland Race.








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