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
