Tout Quarries

Stone sculptures and scarce wildlife make this former quarry an interesting and unusual site to visit.

Location

Tout Quarries

Portland

Dorset

DT5 2LN

OS Map Reference

SY6844372446

Know before you go

Size

13 hectares

Entry fee

N/A

Parking information

Small car park on site.

Bicycle parking

Grazing animals

None

Walking trails

Network of paths. Links to SW Coastpath.

Access

Some wide gravel tracks. Mostly level but gentle slope into quarry from car park.

From the car park a wide gravelled path leads into the main quarry area, with a number of paths criss-crossing the site and allowing access to the many sculptures worked into the rocks. An interpretation board at this entrance shows the location of the 60 plus sculptures, but you will probably need several visits to find them all!

Visitors should be aware that there are some sheer rock faces and steep slopes. In places there may be loose stones underfoot.

Dogs

On a lead

Please remove dog mess from site.

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

Spring & Summer

About the reserve

Stone sculptures and scarce wildlife make this former quarry an interesting and unusual site to visit for all the family. Worked commercially from c.1780-1982 as one of eighty quarry sites on Portland, the remnants of the quarry's limestone are now used to create sculptures which adorn the site. The bare surfaces of mined stone have been left to regenerate naturally with a host of uncommon plants, such as rock stonecrop and Portland spurge, as well as many rare lichens.

Control of invasive scrub to ensure that the more uncommon dry, open grasslands are not over-run forms the main management at the site. Tout Quarries are a creative and educational resource for visitors, schools and universities who come to learn about wildlife and stone heritage through our activities and those of the Portland Sculpture and Quarry Trust. The best time to visit is in summer, when the common blue, rarer silver-studded blue and grayling butterflies will be out in force. The reserve offers stunning views over Chesil Beach and Portland Harbour to Weymouth and Bridport.

Portland Quarries habitat restoration

Large scale habitat restoration by removal of invasive, non-native scrub has been undertaken across the Portland Quarries as part of a Viridor funded partnership project. At Tout, as elsewhere, wildflowers are now returning to large areas of the quarries previously swamped by a blanket of cotoneaster and buddleia, and have in tern attracted the first colony of silver-studded blues to the area, one of Dorset’s rarest butterflies.

Useful Information

On the Isle of Portland take the A354 up the hairpin bend at Priory Corner. On foot, the reserve is accessed by a number of paths coming off New Road, Wide Street and from the South West Coast Path. By car, take the last exit at the Priory Corner round about onto Wide Street. After ¼ mile turn right onto Tradecroft Road. The reserve car park is found on the right hand side at the end of the industrial estate. Use the 'Get directions' link to see bus and cycle routes.