A sandy beach, coastal route, landscaped park and cultural attractions give Dawlish several possible focuses for a stay. At Dawlish Town Beach, the beach and the cliffs behind it take centre stage; other discoveries range from bagpiper Piper Bill Millins to the natural surroundings of Dawlish Countryside Park. You can tailor your time to your interests, balancing the coast, walks, nature watching and local history.

Coast: Beach and Seawall

Dawlish Town Beach is a sandy beach. Cliffs rise behind it, and the railway tracks also run behind the beach. For a different view of the coast, take the walking route from Teignmouth to Dawlish: it follows the South West Coast Path along the seawall. These offer two distinct options for planning your time – spending time on the sandy beach or walking along the wall between the two named places.

Nature and Open Space at Dawlish Countryside Park

Dawlish Countryside Park covers 65 acres and is a public open space and landscaped park. Its habitats for native plants and wildlife include wildflower meadows, scrubland and woodland; Cirl Buntings are also among the park’s natural features. The varied habitats provide a setting for walks and wildlife watching. The park also offers space for picnics, so you can choose between getting active, observing nature and taking a break in the greenery.

There is a free car park at the park – a useful detail when planning a visit. Dawlish Countryside Park combines the themes of landscape and wildlife with different ways to spend your time there.

Local History at The Lawn and in the Museum

The Lawn is an attraction for visitors and locals alike. It was once a marshy river estuary. The contrast between its former landscape and its significance today gives The Lawn a historical connection and offers a different way to experience Dawlish than the beach and walking route.

Dawlish Museum displays Piper Bill Millins’ D-Day bagpipes. Millins played them during the D-Day landings on Sword Beach. Another exhibition is dedicated to the Great Storm: videos and images about the 2014 storm and its effects are shown continuously. The museum’s subjects therefore range from the D-Day landings to the effects of a more recent storm, offering different historical perspectives in one place.

Miniatures on The Dittos of Dawlish Trail

The Dittos of Dawlish Trail is inspired by the award-winning children’s book The Captain of the Black Swan. More than sixty miniature buildings can be discovered along the trail, including cottages, shops, a theatre and even a lighthouse. Its literary inspiration and many small structures give this trail a different focus from the museum or coast: here, discovering the miniatures takes centre stage.

To explore the trail, you can pick up a free map at The Hub or at the Presents Gift Shop on the beach. Check that the map is available before your visit. This makes it easy to include the trail as a separate activity when planning your stay.

Discover more destinations: Branscombe, Tawstock, Bradworthy, Uplyme, Broadhembury, Sidmouth, Chittlehamholt, Bottreaux Mill

For the broader travel overview: Devon.