The Aqua - Portland and nearby Attractions
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There is so much to do on Portland, all within a short walk or drive. Click on the photograph to link to the attraction.
Isle of Portland
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Portland Castle , practically next door to The Aqua, overlooking Portland Harbour stands one of Henry VIII's finest coastal forts, built in the early 1540s to protect against French and Spanish invasion. Today it provides a great day out for visitors. |
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Osprey Leisure Centre ,next door to The Aqua, providing a 25m pool, cardio gym, sports hall and activity sessions. Guests at The Aqia receive 50% discount on most activities. |
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Chesil Beach , a short walk away, provides 18 miles of stunning Jurassic coastline. |
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High Angle Battery . This Victorian gun emplacement, with its magazine tunnels, provides a fascinating trip. Free admission and reached by steep walk up disused Merhants Railway, past the Royal Naval cemetary, or a short drive. |
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Electric Bike Tours .Guided tours are a great way to explore the stunning coast and countryside of West Dorset and Marshwoodtrails fleet of state of the art Electric bikes make cycling an absolute breeze. |
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Portland Bill.For nearly 300 years a lighthouse has stood on Portland Bill to guide vessels heading for Portland and Weymouth and acting as a waymark for vessels navigating in the English Channel. A red sector light warns mariners of the hazardous Shambles Bank lying three miles offshore. Now attracts 300,000 visitors per year. |
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Tout Quarry. A scuplture park, where Portland Stone is carved in its natural setting. Stone carving courses and demonstrations available |
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Portland Museum is a local museum on the Isle of Portland.It is at the southern end of the village of Easton, close to Church Ope Cove. The museum was founded by Marie Stopes and opened in 1930.The cottage where the museum is located was the inspiration behind the novel The Well-Beloved, written by Thomas Hardy.It shows examples of the Island's rich archaeology. |
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Portland Harbour The original harbour was formed by the protection offered by the south coast of England, Chesil Beach and the Isle of Portland. This gave protection from the weather to ships from all directions except the east. King Henry VIII built Portland Castle and Sandsfoot Castle to defend this anchorage. |
Close to Portland
The following attractions are within a short drive, for that special day out
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Weymouth Classic Seaside Resort, with its fantastic beach and vibrant harbour, nestles perfectly alongside the rugged 'Isle' of Portland, the perfect place for visitors who just want to get away from it all. With plenty of places to eat and drink, and all year round events, attractions and activities there's something for everyone. |
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Monkey World, Ape rescue centre, made famous through the TV show of the same name. Great days out for adults and kids. |
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Bovington Tank Museum.The worlds largset tank collection. Mock battles bring the tanks and crews into action. |
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Stonehenge.(approx 90 minutes drive) is probably the most important prehistoric monument in the whole of Britain and has attracted visitors from earliest times. It stands as a timeless monument to the people who built it. The stonehenge that we see today is the final stage that was completed about 3500 years ago |
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Nothe Fort. Short drive into Weymouth. The fort is constructed on three levels. The lowest level, Magazine Level, the Gun Deck Level, and the top level formed the ramparts and provided a raised platform that could be used to fire muskets and light muzzle loaded cannons during an attack on the fort. |
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Hardy's CottageThomas Hardy was born in 1840 in this small cob and thatch cottage, which was built by his great-grandfather and is little altered since the family left. His early novels Under the Greenwood Tree and Far from the Madding Crowd were written here. |