Portland, UK, Port Question

[ssawjo]

Is anyone aware if there will be independent tour guides and/or taxis at the port of Portland, UK?  I am looking for a taxi or someone to take us to the Tank Museum for a few hours in September.  And once we are done there perhaps a drive around the Jurassic Coast. 

 

Thanks for your help, Bill

[MeHeartCruising]

I can't recall if there were taxis at the port or not when I was there for a stop last September.  However, the port ran a shuttle bus that took you into Weymouth and back.  I think it was free.  I seem to recall that the port itself was part of a military base and had limited access, hence the need to use a shuttle bus to go out on your own.

 

Once in Weymouth, you might have better luck finding a taxi.  Maybe contact the museum for suggestions?

[John Bull]

Hi Bill,

 

As MeHeartCruising mentioned, Portland Harbour is a secure port, it's a Royal Navy establishment -  there are no  taxis or tours available on-spec., and the only way in or out of the port is on a ship-sponsored tour or the afore-mentioned Weymouth shuttle-bus (it's usually chargeable. likely to be about £10 return)

That shuttlebus also stops at diminutive  Portland Castle, half-a-mile from the port gate (no shuttlebus charge).

Folk who book a taxi or tour arrange to meet them at Portland Castle for the 20-mile drive to Bovington Tank Museum.

You can try to halve the cost or better by finding sharers via your cruise's RollCall

You could boost your chances of sharers by offering to share with folk wanting to go to

https://monkeyworld.org/

It's two miles from the tank museum - I used to drive coach excursions with passengers pretty evenly-split between the two venues.

And get your driver to drive past nearby Clouds Hill, the reclusive little cottage home of Aircraftsman Shaw. aka Lawrence of Arabia. On that road he was killed in an accident riding his Brough Superior motorbike.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clouds_Hill

 

I guess the place to start is to ask for quotes.

Perhaps a quote for simple there-and-back transport with 3 hrs at the museum, and another for a return via stops at Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door (with  - if you want - an extra 30-40 minutes to walk the headland from L/Cove to meet the transport at D/Door) adding an extra 8 miles and 60 to 90 minutes.

https://portlandprivatehire.com/

http://www.weyline.com/

More transport/tour operators and more info by trawling

 https://boards.cruisecritic.com/search/?q=Portland&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=148

........................................................... 

 

By train instead of road is also a bit complicated.....

 

Take the shuttle to Weymouth and walk to Weymouth train station, about a 15 - 20 minute walk if the shuttle drop-point hasn't changed.

Or book a taxi or uber when you arrive, to meet you at Portland Castle and take you to the station - probably costing about £15.

 

Then take the hourly London-bound train (twenty minutes past the hour) for the 25-minute ride to little Wool Station - one-way tickets £7 outbound, £6 in-bound.

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

It's then a two-mile taxi ride to the tank museum - there's a small taxi rank at the station, but no guarantee there'll be a taxi available, so take with you these (in no particular order) phone numbers 

https://www.alextaxiwool.co.uk/

https://www.lulworthcovecabs.co.uk/

https://garrisoncars.co.uk/

https://www.woolstationtaxi.co.uk/

Arrange with the driver to collect you for the return to Wool Station.

 

There's a taxi rank at Weymouth station for your  return to Portland

 

----------------------------------

 

So it's all a bit complicated.😟

But IMHO well worthwhile 🙂 - it's as comprehensive a tank museum as you'll find anywhere in the world, well laid-out, plenty of signage and knowledgeable staff.

https://tankmuseum.org/

 

JB 🙂

 

Edited March 16, 2023 by John Bull

[Mrs f.]

On 3/16/2023 at 12:31 PM, ssawjo said:

Is anyone aware if there will be independent tour guides and/or taxis at the port of Portland, UK?  I am looking for a taxi or someone to take us to the Tank Museum for a few hours in September.  And once we are done there perhaps a drive around the Jurassic Coast. 

 

Thanks for your help, Bill

We'll also be in Portland.  I found a tour company that offers morning at Tank Museum and afternoon in jurassic Coast.   It needs a minimum of 6 people to run.   Too bad you are not on our cruise (Vista).  We need 1 more couple.     Check out Dorset Tours...Sally will answer questions. 

[ssawjo]

1 hour ago, Mrs f. said:

We'll also be in Portland.  I found a tour company that offers morning at Tank Museum and afternoon in jurassic Coast.   It needs a minimum of 6 people to run.   Too bad you are not on our cruise (Vista).  We need 1 more couple.     Check out Dorset Tours...Sally will answer questions. 

Thanks for the tip, but I called Dorset Tours and they are booked up.

[Mrs f.]

3 minutes ago, ssawjo said:

Thanks for the tip, but I called Dorset Tours and they are booked up.

Sorry.    Btw...do you know Steve and Patty in Carefree?

[ssawjo]

1 minute ago, Mrs f. said:

Sorry.    Btw...do you know Steve and Patty in Carefree?

Sorry, we do not know them.  May have seen them around but no.

[Howard and Nancy]

Hi Bill: 

There is a guide through Tours by Locals who is willing to pick us up at the port and get us to the Tank Museum. The cost would be $647 for up to 10 people. I am not sure if this includes entrance to the museum, or any guiding within the museum? If we can find a few more people on the Niew Statendam who want to make such a journey on Sept. 9th, please let me know and I will try to make the arrangements.

hblonsky@earthlink.net , or (415) 264-2497. 

Howard 

[gnome12]

29 minutes ago, Howard and Nancy said:

Hi Bill: 

There is a guide through Tours by Locals who is willing to pick us up at the port and get us to the Tank Museum. The cost would be $647 for up to 10 people. I am not sure if this includes entrance to the museum, or any guiding within the museum? If we can find a few more people on the Niew Statendam who want to make such a journey on Sept. 9th, please let me know and I will try to make the arrangements.

hblonsky@earthlink.net , or (415) 264-2497. 

Howard 

Any requests for tour shares should only be made on the roll call for your sailing. 

[John Bull]

17 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Any requests for tour shares should only be made on the roll call for your sailing. 

 

@Howard and Nancy The RollCall for your cruise is at https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2913289-ns-september-7-2024-amsterdam-to-athens/page/11/#comments

I've linked you to the latest page

 

Bovington is the world's biggest & best tank museum, but because interest in tanks is quite limited you could offer the excursion as either https://tankmuseum.org/ or https://monkeyworld.org/

The two places are just a couple of miles apart - I used to drive coaches with passengers for either. 

Shouldn't cost the tour operator any more.

 

If that's not broad enough, add the third option of Corfe Castle. it's 9 miles (15 minutes e/w) further so won't add more than a few pounds to the operator's costs

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/dorset/corfe-castle

 

JB 🙂

 

[Harters]

54 minutes ago, John Bull said:

Bovington is the world's biggest & best tank museum

If you do to Bovington, I think they have an exhibition about the eight members of the Tank Regiment who were awarded the Victoria Cross - our highest military honour. One is Lieutenant Richard Wain who was killed in action in 1917. Prior to his transfer to the Regiment, he served with the 17th Battalion Manchester Regiment and was one of the four officers of its "A" Company which attacked German positions on 1 July 1916 - the disastrous first day of the Battle of the  Somme. My grandfather and great uncle also served in A Company so would have known him well. Grandad Tom survived the war (his brother was killed in 1918. 

 

 https://tankmuseum.org/article/wain-victoria-cross

 

It's personal stories like his that can put into context any visit to a military museum.