One of the best ways to see some panoramic views of the Jurassic coast, from Weymouth to Portland Bill and back, is by bus. Not only is it “greener” way to travel, but you get the best views from the open-topped bus and, not ony that, you can travel for free using your concessionary bus pass!
The buses leave Weymouth seafront every hour in the summer season from opposite the Kings Statue, where George 111, in his blue and ermine cloak, looks down majestically. The great thing about the trip is the way in which it stops for longer at the beauty spots so you can take lots of photos and soak up the beautiful Dorset scenery.
Chesil Beach is an 18 mile long shingle beach stretching from West Bay to Portland surrounding Fleet Lagoon, which is home to a mute swan colony. The area is designated SSSI being an important habitat for many species.
The red and white striped Portland Bill Lighthouse was built in 1906 to guide vessels and act as a waymark for ships navigating the English Channel. It was modernised in 2021 when the hazardous mercury was removed. It is still a working lighthouse but is now monitiored and controlled from Harwich in Essex. The former keepers’ dwellingd have ben converted into a visitor centre, where there are a number of artefacts and interactive displays. You can experience a stormy sea journey called “Into the Dark”.
The other lighthouse called the Old Lower Lighthouse is now obsolete. The building is now a Bird Observatory and Field Centre offering hostel-style accommodation and a cottage for visitors.
Portland is known world-wide for its sailing waters and the National Sailing Academy is based here. Up on high is a stone sculpture depicting the five-ringed symbol of the Olympic Games, which was commissioned to celebrate the area’s involement in sailing events of the 2012 Olympic Games. Just one of the many features to see on this bus trip.
This bus ride is certainly like no other – a voyage of discovery! Have bus pass will travel!
