Weymouth, Church Ope Cove Portland

Church Ope Cove, Portland

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Portland has a rugged coastline and there are not many marks that can be recommended for beginners or children, access can be difficult and rock marks can prove fatal for those not familiar with the dangers. There is one mark with safe but strenuous access; Church Ope Cove is reached from the village of Easton on the top of the Island, take the A354 and at the exit from the village you will see a stone arch ahead as the roads swings right. There is car park parking at the roadside near The Mermaid or a car park around the corner. Walk towards the stone arch and take the lane to the left which is signposted coast path and Church Ope.There are 153 steps down to the beach and it seems like many more on the way back; travel light but take drinks etc with you, there will not be any "running back to the car" from here! Small children of the ankle-biter kind will not find the going very easy. The beach is safe enough when you get there. Fishing is varied, sandy clean ground in the centre giving way to rocky ground at the edges. Be careful when fishing from the rocks, the walk back up is bad enough without sprained limbs.Many species of fish can be caught here with flatfish, pouting and dogfish providing most of the sport. Wrasse can be caught from the rockier fringes and float-fishing a mackerel strip can catch gar, mackerel, scad and pollock, sole are caught here in the autumn to ragworm bait.
Fishing at night can be interesting, flies hatching out from eggs laid in seaweed on the beach are attracted to the light you need for fishing; bats which live in vast numbers in the old quarries and caves come to feast on the flies.
Portland is a good place for birdwatching as migrating birds stop off for a rest here.

The nearest tackle shops are here

There are toilets on the beach but little else.

For more on fishing Portland have a look at this site.