The Three Lighthouses of Portland Walk

For anyone staying on the wonderful Isle of Portland in a self-catering seaside cottage, the walks on offer are amongst the most glorious in the country and should definitely be explored! Portland has an abundance of walks, country trails and bridleways, with the stunning South West Coastal Path running all along the outside of the cliff tops.

One of our favourite walks to do on the Isle of Portland is ‘The Portland Bill 3 Lighthouses Walk’ which takes in the lighthouses which were all built in order to help vessels approach the Portland and Weymouth Harbours through the treacherous stretch of water, known as The Portland Race.

The first two lighthouses, Old Higher Lighthouse and Old Lower Lighthouse were built after permission was granted by King George I in 1716. Old Higher Lighthouse is perched right on the hilltop, with Old Lower Lighthouse built on the lower land near the cliff. Both lights were intended to help ships pass through the Portland Race. Then in 1869, both of these lighthouses were replaced by our beloved Portland Bill Lighthouse, famously pictured on many a Dorset postcard, with its striking white and red get up.

The Portland Bill Lighthouse is a great place to visit, especially since the Visitor Centre has been renovated, with the addition of some really fantastic interactive displays including the chance to encounter a stormy sea journey in the exhilarating ‘Into the Dark’ zone.

The Old Higher Lighthouse is now privately owned and Old Lower Lighthouse is now The Portland Bill Observatory and Field Centre.

Our favourite walk, takes in each of these lighthouses. You can get the detailed walk directions here, but as a general guide, the walk begins at the Portland Bill car park and follows the South West Coastal Path north, passing Old Higher Lighthouse and along the west coast of Portland. The walk then crosses farmland to the east coast and follows the east coast path back through the disused quarries and Old Lower Lighthouse, all the way back to the Portland Bill Lighthouse. The walk is around 3.5 miles long and offers absolutely beautiful sights.

Although not part of the walk itself, we really must mention Quiddles Café Beach Bar! This place serves the best seafood around, as well as yummy homemade cakes and anything else that you might fancy after your Three Lighthouse Walk! The café is dog friendly too so you really can reap the rewards after a long dog walk. Sat on the iconic Chesil beach, in the heart of the Jurassic Coast, a little trip here, and you will understand why we had to add this to our blog! Enjoy!