Tout Quarry Sculpture Park

This place is usually open now.

Tout Quarry is a sculpture park and nature reserve in an abandoned 13 hectare quarry on the Isle of Portland. There are wide gravel tracks leading into the main quarry area and an interpretation board with the location of the 70 plus sculptures. The quarry was worked commercially from 1780 until 1982 and is one of 8 on the Isle of Portland.

The limestone quarried from Portland, known as Portland Stone, has been used on important buildings around the world. These include Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral and the UN Headquarters in New York. The remains of the quarry’s limestone has been used to create sculptures. Situated on the clifftop at 100 metres above sea level, there are great views towards Weymouth and Chesil Beach, as well as along the cliff face of Portland towards Portland Bill and the lighthouse.

Spring and summer is the best time to visit, when you will see plenty of wildlife, including common blue, rarer silver-studded blue and grayling butterflies and wildflowers. There is a small car park at Tout Quarry, which can be found at the end of the industrial estate. It is free to wander round and dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead. There is direct access onto the South West Coast Path which runs past this clifftop site and please be aware there are sheer rock faces and steep slopes.