Travel

Photographing Portland Bill Lighthouse

David Burrows
3 min readAug 16, 2022

If you want somewhere dramatic to photograph, look no further than Portland Bill. The Isle of Portland is nestled in the south-east corner of England.

photograph by David Burrows

Portland island was a natural fortress, and the only way in or out is by boat or a 2.4 mile causeway connecting it to the mainland.It was also home to Portland Castle, which became infamous during mediaeval times when it was used as a prison for political offenders or those who offended against the feudal system.

By the 18th century, it was an abandoned and crumbling ruin — until its extensive restoration in the 1980’s saw it open to visitors once again. It’s also where there is a huge collection of Portland Stone from quarries around the island that are now disused.

The Portland Bill Lighthouse lies at the southernmost point of Dorset. This area has great views out to sea and along the Jurassic Coastline.

The site has panoramic views across the mouth of Poole Harbour and to distant hills in Somerset. This is an excellent place for watching migrating birds, sea life, and ships entering or leaving Poole Harbour. This lighthouse was listed in 1859.

The Portland Bill Lighthouse is an active lighthouse located at the southernmost point of Dorset, at the bottom of a steep cliff. It was built in…

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David Burrows

By explaining photography in an easy-to-understand manner, I aid anyone learning the art.