Family Fun in Dorset: The Unique and Ancient Abbotsbury Swannery

Swans and Man in a Rare Partnership

Nesting pair of mute swans at Abbotsbury Swannery are incredibly approachable.

© Ferne Arfin

But what makes the Abbotsbury Swannery unique is that it is managed by man - and has been for at least 600 years. The swans are not tame, and they do not have clipped wings, but they tolerate visitors with aplomb and return to the "5-star" swan accommodation to breed and rear their young, year after year.

Visit in the spring and you can get up close and personal with hundreds - some years as many as 600 - of free-flying swans. At least 150 pairs nest at any given time all over a two acre clearing. Between the end of April and mid-June, the cygnets hatch and the paths of the Abbotsbury Swannery are awash with little bundles of soft gray downy feathers - some taking "time-outs" under their mothers' wings.

Visitor Essentials:

• Address:Abbotsbury Swannery
  New Barn Road
  Abbotsbury nr. Weymouth
  Dorset DT3 4JG
  England
• Tel:+44 (0)1305 871858
• Open:March 15 to November 7, every day, 10a.m. to 5 or 6 p.m. (ring to confirm closing time)
• Coffee shop for lunches, snacks and drinks
• Check their website for current admission fees

Index: Family Fun in Dorset: The Unique and Ancient Abbotsbury Swannery

1. Swans and Man in a Rare Partnership
2. An Unusual Natural Phenomena - Why Swans Return to Nest at Abbotsbury
3. How Did the Abbotsbury Swannery Begin
4. The Abbotsbury Swan herd
5. Baby Swans (Cygnets) at Abbotsbury Swannery