Private tours out of Portland?

We will be stopping in Portland in September, we'll be in port from 7am-7pm, and I'm hoping to avoid using the ships cruise excursions.

Can anyone recommend a private tour company that they have used?

We'd like to visit Stonehenge, Salisbury, possibly Bath, and tour the Jurassic coast, if possible.

I'd appreciate any suggestions...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2058366&highlight=portland

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2063730&highlight=portland

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=991313&highlight=portland

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1965919&highlight=portland

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1900771&highlight=portland

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1759033&highlight=portland

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1670654&highlight=portland

There are only a few tour operators in the Portland / Weymouth area, plus some private-hire taxi operators. Browse the above threads for recommendations & ancillary info.

Since both Stonehenge & Bath are some distance, guides from Portland/Weymouth won't have too much specialised info about either, and Stonehenge has an excellent audio guide. So really all you need is reliable transport & a knowledgeable & chatty driver.

Be aware also that Stonehenge now has advanced timed ticketing - without a timed ticket you may be delayed at busy times - not something you'll want on a port-of-call visit. Stonehenge was worth less than an hour - now with a new visitor centre a mile from the stones & a shuttlebus between visitor centre & stones it's a much better experience but needs about 90 minutes.

Realistically your time between disembarking & re-boarding is likely to be 8am to 5.30pm, allowing a margin for delays. That gives you about 9.5 hours.

The drive to Stonehenge is about 1hr 45 (60 miles), Stonehenge to Salisbury 20 minutes (10 miles), Salisbury to Portland 90 minutes (53 miles), a total of about 3hr 35 minutes. With 90 minutes at Stonehenge, that leaves about 4hrs 30 for Salisbury and any other little diversions & stops on the way back - perhaps Shaftesbury's Gold Hill, Sherborne & the Cerne Abbas giant or Lulworth Cove & Durdle Door, or just drop into Dorchester or Weymouth for 30- to 60 minutes.

The drive to Bath is somewhere over 2 hours each way. There are several route options which don't add significantly to the drive time & would give you different scenery out & back for most of the way.

You could do justice to Bath in 5 hrs plus, but you really need to spend all your time there.

So either Stonehenge/Salisbury or Bath are viable.

But not realistically all three. That would involve over 4.5 hours driving, a miserly hour in Salisbury, 90 minutes at Stonehenge and an inadequate 2 hrs 30 mins in Bath.

They are cheap & very easy to visit by public transport on a pre/post-cruise day from either Southampton or London.

In fact, at a pinch you can even visit Bath, Stonehenge & Salisbury all in one long day from Southampton by train or from London by excursion coach. Something to consider if you're contemplating a return visit some time in the future.

And under-rated Dorset has plenty of attractions much closer at hand, you're spoilt for choice even on a one-day port-of-call visit. The Jurassic Coast, Abbotsbury Swannery, Lulworth / Durdle Door, Corfe Castle, the Dorset downs & villages, as well as imposing Portland Bill & the Victorian resort of Weymouth.

Rural England - rather than tourist honeypots like Stonehenge & Bath.

But your vacation, your choice. ;)

JB :)

Thanks so much for your very detailed reply, John Bull.

I think we will skip Bath and concentrate on Salisbury/Stonehenge. I really want to have some time to explore the Jurassic Coast!

Sarha

Hope this is OK to add, but I didnt see it listed in your thread. We also stopped at Portland (England) and used http://dorsettours.com/portland-cruise-ship-passengers/ - They are actually located on Portland and only use small groups! Hope this helps.