Dawlish Warren Beach

Dawlish Warren is a family beach on a sandspit beside the Exe Estuary. Expect sand and shingle, shops, cafes and bars, and sand dunes and a National Nature Reserve flanking the beach. It suits families who want toilets, a shower and cafes close to the sand. For a base in the area, see Dawlish.

Swimming and lifeguards

The RNLI runs seasonal lifeguard patrols: weekends only at the start of the season, then daily cover through the summer. The rule is simple: no flags, no lifeguards. When the flags are out, swim or bodyboard between the red and yellow ones. If someone is in difficulty, tell a lifeguard, or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.

Dogs

Dogs are managed by zone, so check where you are on the beach. Dogs are allowed all year on the tidal beach to the right of the lifeguard tower and between groynes 3 and 9 on the main beach. From 1 April to 30 September they are not allowed between the lifeguard tower and groyne 3, or on a 230 metre section west of Red Rock Cafe. Past groyne 9 they are banned all year. Around the resort and nature reserve, dogs must be on leads of no more than 2 metres all year, and signs on the beach explain where dogs are allowed.

Parking, facilities and getting there

The beach has parking, public and disabled toilets, baby changing and a shower, plus beach hut hire. Dawlish Warren has a mainline train station a 5 minute walk from the beach, which suits a car-free day. Powered watercraft, fires and barbecues, horse riding, metal detecting and collecting driftwood are all banned.

The nature reserve

The Warren sits within the Exe Estuary Special Protection Area and Ramsar site, and is a Special Area of Conservation for its dune grassland. It is the main roosting site for wading birds and wildfowl that spend autumn and winter on the estuary. Read the site notices on arrival and plan your visit around them.