Portland Lizard

Picture by Mike McDaid

The common lizard is a small reptile averaging about 13cm in length. They are still widespread throughout much of Britain, living in grassland, heaths, sandy areas and moors and as here on Portland, amongst the rocks.

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Chesil Cove

Picture by Andrea

Sunset at Chesil Cove, Portland. Its said ship wrecked sailors know where they are as the stones on the beach change starting here with large stones going down to almost sand at West bay

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HM The Queen’s Visit to Portland

The Royal Manor of Portland gave a hearty welcome to Her Majesty and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, on 11 June 2009.

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The Rodwell Trail

Picture by Jim Linwood

The Rodwell Trail follows the track bed of the old Weymouth to Portland Railway for two and a quarter miles between Abbotsbury Road, Weymouth at Westham Halt to just beyond Wyke Regis Halt at Ferry Bridge. The line closed to Passengers on 2nd March 1952 and finally closed to Freight traffic on 5th April 1965. The trail is a very pleasant walk with access at several places along the line. There are no less than four old Railway Stations and Halts all of which have the British Railways Totem name signs proudly displayed on the platforms.

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Whitehead Torpedo Works

Picture by Jim Linwood

This monument at Ferrybridge, Wyke Regis commemorates the Whitehead Torpedo Factory, whose foundation stone was laid on the llth of April 1891. It was Robert Whitehead’s expertise which led to the Royal Naval establishment at Portland becoming a major anti-submarine and torpedo warfare centre. The Factory closed in 1991 and  is now a housing estate.

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Pulpit Rock

Picture by Hardo Müller

This artificial stack of rock near the southern tip of the Isle of Portland was left in the 1870s after a natural arch was cut away by quarrymen at the Bill Quarry on the famous headland known as Portland Bill.

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The Cove House Inn

Picture by Wapster

Perched on the sea wall at Chiswell in Portland. On Winter days you can relax in front of the open fire at the The Cove House Inn and watch the stormy seas pound Chesil Beach.

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Chesil’s End

Picture by Matthew Bache

This view looking West over the harbour mouth at West Bay shows how the work’s of man effectivly terminate the great sweep of the Chesil Beach by stopping the natural long shore drift of the pebbles as you travel west from Portland.

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HMS Illustrious

Picture by Mark Connell

Pictured here on a courtesy call to the former Naval Base in Portlan Harbour is HMS Illustrious, an Invincible-class light aircraft carrier.

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The Longboat

Picture by Jonas Wisser

Whilst it is well documented that the Vikings raided Portland, this skeleton is not an archaelogical relic but a modern sculpture at the Tout Quarry Sculpture Park.

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