Portland Bill Camping

Clifftop pitches

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  • Basic coastal site with spectacular sea views
  • In a scenic clifftop location between Southwell and Portland Bill
  • Direct coast path access and a few minutes' walk from rockpool beaches
As a peninsula with a perimeter of just 13 miles, hardy hikers working their way around the South West Coast Path can tick off the Isle of Portland in about a day. Given its all-round prettiness, though, it would be a shame to be in such a rush when visiting Dorset's most unusual offshoot. A much better plan would be to stay for a while to sleep, swim and scout out wildlife – and that's where Portland Bill Camping comes in… Located between Southwell and Portland Bill at the very tail end of the peninsula, this simple site has several big advantages, including direct access to the coast path, spectacular sea views from its clifftop position and splendidly quiet vibes (something ensured by the site's ban on loud music and noisy groups). Away from base, bathing spots, rockpools and a climbing wall are also accessible within a 20-minute stroll. In terms of practicalities, it's worth noting that these family-friendly plots have access to portable toilets only. Dogs are allowed here throughout the season (as long as they're kept on leads). For dinner, there's both a pub and seafood restaurant within a mile's walk of base.

Campground type

Tent sites 60
Opens

Languages spoken

English

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Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundry Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Budget/backpacker Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby

Type

Farm Pop-up campground Small (11-25 sites)

Accessibility

Disabled facilities

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Climbing nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Watersports nearby

Location

Portland Bill Camping

Portland Bill Road

Glacis

Portland

Dorset

England

DT5 1FR

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London GMT (GMT+00:00)

GPS

50.55909°N
-2.43244°W

Nearest transport

Coach
5.9 km Marks and Spencer
16.7 km South Station
26.8 km Red Lion
Rail
6.4 km Weymouth Rail Station
10.2 km Upwey Rail Station
16.7 km Dorchester South Rail Station
Ferry
5.6 km Weymouth Ferry Terminal
35.2 km Poole Ferry Terminal
35.9 km Poole Quay Ferry Landing

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

In the immediate surrounding area, you can stroll into Southwell (20 minutes' walk) to take on its climbing wall, amble down to Portland Bill (20 minutes) to visit the lighthouse and its visitor centre or fly down to Portland Bird Observatory (15 minutes) to learn about local Dorset ornithology. Pedestrians are also within striking distance of the ruins of Rufus Castle (30 minutes), although you might prefer to drive or cycle if you're heading further up the coast towards Portland Castle (10 minutes' drive) and Castletown D-Day Centre (10 minutes). You can also stick around in this northern part of the peninsula for chartered fishing trips and harbour tours (10 minutes), strolls around Victoria Gardens (10 minutes) or family-friendly treks with Portland Alpacas (10 minutes). Over on the mainland, Weymouth (20 minutes) has galleries, gardens, beaches and shops to pootle around, plus out of town attractions like RSPB Lodmoor (30 minutes) and the Sea Life Centre aquarium (30 minutes). Portland Bill Camping is also an excellent base for jaunts to Abbotsbury (35 minutes), Maiden Castle (35 minutes) or Lyme Regis (an hour and five minutes).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Church Ope Cove 2.4 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Portland Harbour Sandsfoot Castle 4.5 km Sea N/AGoodExcellentGood
Portland Harbour Castle Cove 4.6 km Sea N/AExcellentN/AN/A
Weymouth Central 6.3 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Weymouth Lodmoor 7.5 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Radipole Lake Nature Reserve 6.5 km

Weymouth Sea Life Park and Marine Sanctuary 7.5 km

Lulworth Heritage Centre 14.4 km

Abbotsbury Swannery 16.3 km

Lulworth Castle & Park 18.1 km

National Trust

Max Gate 16.7 km

Hardy's Cottage 19.2 km

Clouds Hill 21.7 km

Corfe Castle 27.8 km

Studland Beach and Nature Reserve 35.2 km

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Around the Island of Portland 5.4 km

RADIPOLE LAKE (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 15/10/1990) 7.3 km

Lodmoor Nature Reserve - Littlemoor - Preston 7.6 km

LODMOOR (CURRENT BOUNDARY FROM 25/11/2004) 8.2 km

Osmington Mills - Ringstead - Upton 9.4 km

Local events

  • Dorset County Show (Saturday 6 September 2025 – Saturday 6 September 2025)

    Dorchester, England 18.2 km

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Offers

Conditions apply - see site type section for details

Reviews

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Frequently asked questions

  • Does Portland Bill Camping have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Portland Bill Camping dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Portland Bill Camping? In the immediate surrounding area, you can stroll into Southwell (20 minutes' walk) to take on its climbing wall, amble down to Portland Bill (20 minutes) to visit the lighthouse and its … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Portland Bill Camping?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  12:30 p.m. –  9 p.m.
    Depart by:  11:30 a.m.
    Read more