England
Dorset

Abbotsbury Swannery

Click on thumbnail photo for a larger image

Mute swans have been nesting in this sheltered spot in the lea of the shingle beach of Chesil Bank for over 600 years. A sanctuary for the swans was established at least as early as 1393 by monks of the nearby Benedictine abbey.

Hundreds of swans nest here every year, and at any one time there may be as many as 1000 swans in the sanctuary. From late May to late June visitors may wander in amongst the swans and observe the newborn cygnets at close hand. Visitors can watch the swans being fed at 12noon and 4pm daily, an audio-visual show runs every hour, and there is an ugly duckling trail for children.

LOCATION
New Barn Road
Abbotsbury
Dorset
DT3 4JG
Tel: 01305 871858
Fax: 01305 871092
Email: info@abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk
Bookings: 01305 871130

ACCESSIBILITY
Fully wheelchair accessible

ENTRY: fee charged. A season pass is available allowing entry to the Swannery, Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, and Smugglers Barn.

NEARBY
Abbotsbury Gardens
West Dorset Heritage Coast

DORSET PLACES
Abbotsbury Garden | Abbotsbury Swannery | Athelhampton House | Badbury Rings | Cerne Abbas Giant | Chesil Beach | Compton Acres Gardens | Corfe Castle | Dorchester | Kingston Lacy | Lulworth Castle | Lulworth Cove | Lyme Regis | Maiden Castle | Mapperton House | Milton Abbas | Poole | Portland Castle | Shaftesbury | Sherborne | Sherborne Castle | West Dorset Heritage Coast | Weymouth

MUSEUMS
Cider Museum | Clock Collection | Dinosaur Museum | Dorset County Museum | Max Gate | Teddy Bear House | Tutankhamun Exhibition | The Keep Military Museum

FEATURES
Thomas Hardy Biography | Hardy's Dorset | An American in Dorset | A Three Day Slice of English Country Life
Chedington Village

Dorset links

Photos courtesy of Joanne Paul
Text © David Ross and Britain Express 2001