'Dawlish Warren' is a small
seaside resort near
Dawlish on the south coast of
Devon,
England. Dawlish Warren consists almost entirely of holiday accommodation and facilities for holiday-makers, especially caravan sites. It is situated at the mouth of the
River Exe, opposite Exmouth, and has a beach, a nature reserve spanning 505 acres (2 km²) and a golf course.
The renowned sand spit at Dawlish Warren is the location of both the
golf course and the
nature reserve, declared a National Nature reserve in recent years. The resort is popular with holidaymakers, despite a death from
bacterial poisoning from a
sewage outflow which previously flowed out into the sea just a few miles offshore of the beach. Since then a new sewage treatment plant has been built resulting in both Dawlish Warren & Dawlish beaches now winning the coveted
Blue Flag for the quality of the bathing waters.
A local caravan park has experienced
flooding in the past due to its low-lying relief and proximity to the
River Exe, which has created the sand spit at Dawlish Warren. This spit has become reduced in size within the past century due to erosion, partly caused by the installation of a
breakwater at
Langstone Rock to the South West, which traps sand from the local
sandstone cliffs and interrupts the natural
sediment flow of the area.
To visit the resort, it is possible to travel by train, as the local railway station is situated within a few minutes walk of the beach.
Dawlish Warren railway station is placed between
Dawlish and
Starcross stations, and is very busy in the high season.
The line runs from Exeter St Davids station along the
River Exe, close to the historic
Exeter Canal, past
Powderham Castle via Dawlish Warren to
Dawlish passing through some stunning scenery.
External links
★
Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve
★
infodawlish.co.uk An informative look at the Town & Businesses of Dawlish and surrounding area