Dawlish Warren, Dawlish, Devon
The beach at Dawlish Warren is one of the most popular in South Devon and if you come here, you’ll see why. The vibe is one of traditional seaside holidays, the charm, if you like that sort of thing, is almost timeless. Come in high season and there will be happy families and bronzed bodies on the miles and half long sandy beach that lies superbly between the beautiful Exe estuary and the sea.
The thing is, there’s so much to do here, there has to be because there are campsites and caravan parks at Dawlish and people like to have things to do. There’s the obvious sunbathing and building sandcastles, beach games and swimming in the award-winning clean waters, but there’s so much more. You can hire beach huts and deck chairs and parasols, you can take to the waters kayaking or paddleboarding, and just a stone’s throw away there are rides, adventure golf and go-karts. The beach is backed by sand dunes that form part of a National Nature Reserve where thousands of birds come to spend the winter.
As you’d expect with such a popular beach, there are loos, a café and picnic areas, and in the town, which isn’t very big, there are local shops, a supermarket, and plenty of places where you can buy a souvenir. If you’d rather have your lunch in a pub, try The Boathouse or The Mount Pleasant Inn.
And dogs? Part of the beach is dog friendly all year round, with signs to clarify.
All information correct at the time of writing