https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouse-visitor-centres/portland-bill-lighthouse-visitor-centre
We both stirred at around 7am after a really good night’s sleep in the £2 a day / night car park at Lyme Regis. We couldn’t have asked for a better location, and other than a little wind noise we really couldn’t fault the car park. It had plenty of parking spaces, and after hours there were very few taken up so it was a really nice open space.
The night before we were eating out, and weren’t late to bed, so we were up for 7am. After a short discussion we decided to make our way to Weymouth. Mandy had suggested West Bay and as it was only 5 miles away we thought it would be worth a look. We hadn’t had any breakfast so we were hoping to get something there, but at 8.30am there wasn’t anything open so we moved on after half an hour or so.
We moved along the coast road which didn’t initially seem like a coast road due to the lack of view. That was until we started to move parallel with Chesil Beach. Wow, what an amazing road!
As we got nearer to Weymouth, we reflected on a conversation we had with the skipper of our boat trip a couple of days previous. He recommended The Island of Portland, and more specifically its most southerly point, The Portland Bill lighthouse. So we decided that if a local suggests doing something it must be worth a punt.
As we left the mainland and drove across the link road, Chisel Beach was on our right and a very choppy stretch of sea was on out left. The sun was out which gave the sea a divine turquoise blue, but the wind was gusting which was the main contributing factor to the white crests on the tip of each wave. Large cruise liners could be seen in the distance, and the vivid coulours of the sails and wings of the kite and windsurfers danced the foreground. We had a good feeling about this!
Kite Surfers on Portland Beach Road
We collected a few supplies at the well situated Lidl, it being the first building as we crossed the causeway. We then proceeded to cross the island some five miles to the lighthouse. The road had a few steep switchbacks as we climbed through villages, but as we got closer to the lighthouse it became more open and remote. We arrived at the carpark next to the lighthouse and immediately made the decision to stay for a night. At £8 for 24hours we felt it suited our budget as long as we didn’t get ticketed.
The wind was still blowing, but the temperature was still quite pleasant. We didn’t rush to look around. We had a nice parking spot on the edge of the car park overlooking a large grassy area, after which was the sea. We were content to people watch, but it was only a matter of time before I got my kite out. As the kite got higher and higher I moved my position towards the lighthouse in the hope I could get a nice photograph of the kite dancing above the tower. I moved closer to the edge of the field I could see the amazing rock formations that made the transition between land and sea.
The geology of the island was such that it made the sea a treacherous place as two bodies of water met at the peninsula, roughly 45 degrees opposing.
We took a few photos as the sun went down then retiired for what we both agreed was a challenging nights sleep. The wind buffeted the van, and we could hear it almost none stop whistling against the skylights and roof bars. The following morning was still gusty, but the forcast was for stronger winds, so I got up to see the sunrise, and we moved back to the mainland. A wonderful place to visit, and we really enjoyed our stay…but check the weather forcast before you go!
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