One of the most exciting and memorable annual attractions in Dorset is the hatching of the baby swans at the Abbotsbury Swannery. It usually happens around mid May each year, although last year the first cygnet hatched on 3 May – nearly two weeks earlier than usual!

The swannery is an ancient institution dating back to 14th century, when the swans were tended to by monks from the nearby abbey. The monks have gone, but other than that little has changed, and the swans are still fed, managed and cared for in the same way they have been for hundreds of years.

It’s now one of the biggest tourist attractions in Dorset, and has even been used as a filming location for one of the Harry Potter movies!

One of the great and unique things about the swannery is that it is not a zoo, so there are no cages or bars and the swans come and go as they please. The swannery is criss-crossed by a network of footpaths, which allow you to get up close to the nesting swans, and if you time it right, may actually get to see cygnets hatching a few feet away from you! It’s a Fantastic experience for all ages, but is especially unforgettable for kids.

For prices, opening times and more info on the Swannery, check out the Abbotsbury tourism website. And if you’re looking for somewhere to stay, our Dorset campsite is just a short drive/bus ride away in Charmouth, which makes it an ideal base for visiting the swannery and the other fabulous attractions on the Jurassic Coast.

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As anyone who has picked up a newspaper or seen a news report recently will know, this summer is shaping up to be absolutely huge for Dorset. The Olympic sailing events taking place in Weymouth Bay will be one of the biggest things to happen to the county in living memory, so we’re expecting an unprecedented influx of visitors from the UK and around the world coming to experience the Games in August.

Our dorset holiday park is just a half an hour drive or bus ride away from Weymouth, with the route taking in some of the most beautiful countryside in Dorset, as well as some truly stunning views of Chesil Beach and the Jurassic Coast. This makes Newlands an ideal base this summer for anyone who wants to see the Olympic sailing and enjoy all the festivities that have been arranged in and around Weymouth to coincide with the Games.

However, not everyone has caught the Olympic fever, and there will be plenty of people coming to Dorset over the summer for reasons other than watching sport. For many of these visitors, it is the age-old beauty of Dorset that is the biggest draw of all, along with the prospect of a peaceful, relaxing holiday on one of the most celebrated and picturesque stretches of coastline in Britain.

These individuals will want somewhere well away from the hustle and bustle of Weymouth and the nightmarish traffic that the Olympics are certain to bring. Newlands also fits that bill rather nicely. For visitors driving to our caravan park in Dorset, using the M5 will mean you stick to the Western side of the country, meaning you neatly avoid the manic traffic maelstrom of people driving to both London and Weymouth over the period of the Games.

From the fossil-rich beaches around Lyme Regis to the stunning coastal landmarks of Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove, the traditional charms and pleasures of the Jurassic Coast will be on the whole unaffected by the Olympics. You can simply relax and get used to a slower pace of life on this idyllic piece of English coastline.

Whatever your reasons for visiting, any holidays in Dorset this year are sure to be an exciting and memorable experience. Whether you come for the Olympics or any other reason,

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We hope everyone has enjoyed the first week of the Easter break, or if you have been at work, we hope you have a great long weekend lined up from tomorrow. We have lots going on here at the park, and although you can’t entirely rely on the weather at the moment, what you can rely on is a fun-packed and relaxing weekend here at our holiday park in Dorset.

This week on the blog we wanted to tell you about our Dorset holiday lodges. These are perfect for when you feel the call of the wild but don’t want the wind and rain and mud to spoil your holiday.

Set in our secluded woodland grounds, these pine lodges really live up to their 5 star billing. Our latest addition is the Elite model, a spacious, luxurious dream lodge with 3 bedrooms, a full kitchen and its own decking area outside.

All the best fixtures and fittings are included within, such as a dishwasher, large fridge/freezer, washing machine, and TV/DVD player – everything you need for a top of the range family enclave, from where you can enjoy your evenings and plan your days out exploring the magical Dorset coastline during your stay.

Should the weather take a turn for the worst, our lodges are also centrally heated, meaning you stay warm no matter what our unpredictable climate brings. If sleeping under canvas doesn’t appeal, our pine holiday lodges in Dorset may be just the thing to enable you to enjoy the salubrious coastal air and our lofty woodlands, cosy and isolated from the hustle and bustle of the world beyond.

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