Abbotsbury

Abbotsbury is a small village located on the Jurassic Coast. Situated in between the towns of Weymouth and Bridport, the village is renowned for its quaint, chocolate box style thatches cottages. The houses surround a church and the main street passes through the centre. Despite its size there is a post office, fishing tackle shop as well as a number of small independent shops, studios and art galleries.

St Catherine’s Chapel is perched high upon the hill and well worth the hike from the village. At the top you can go into the ruins of this historic site, which was once a site of worship for monks on pilgrimage. Although empty today, the chapel remains largely unchanged and from this elevated position you can enjoy spectacular views over Chesil Beach, Fleet Lagoon and to Portland Bill in the distance.

Eat and drink

Abbotsbury has a number of pubs and cafes to sample during your visit. The Swan Inn and Ilchester Arms both serve pub classics, ideal for refuelling after a busy day exploring all that this village has to offer. Abbotsbury Tea Rooms and Abbey House are also worth a visit, if you’re looking for a light bite or Dorset cream tea.

Things to do in Abbotsbury

For a relatively small village, Abbotsbury has an extensive range of things to do. Abbotsbury Swannery is a unique attraction – the only place in the world where you can observe a managed colony of swans in their natural habitat. There’s a willow maze and play park for the children and younger members of the family can help feed the swans. We highly recommend visiting in the spring, so you can see the newly hatched cygnets in their nests.

Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens also makes for an interesting day out. Enjoy a leisurely walk around the beautiful grounds taking in the wonderful arrangements of plants and flowers from around the world. Behind the gardens there is direct access onto Chesil Beach, an 18 mile stretch of pebble bank.

If you’re looking for a unique activity, pop into Abbey Farm flowers to pick your own British grown bouquet. The farm is set in the grounds of a medieval abbey with cakes, cards, gifts and ice cream available to purchase. The friendly team host a variety of events and worktops throughout the year.

Parking

There are car parks at each of the attractions at Abbotsbury as well as a pay and display car park near the beach. There is also an excellent bus service, which passes through Abbotsbury and follows the length of the Jurassic Coast.