Quietly sitting on the south Devon coast is the charming little seaside resort of Dawlish, previously the haunt of Jane Austen, as well as Charles Dickens who went on to use the seaside town as the birthplace of Nicholas Nickleby. Part Victorian and part Regency, Dawlish has a fine collection of architecture from both periods, which combined with some earlier buildings, give it that special character.
In the heart of Dawlish is “The Lawn”, an attractive public park with its’ avenue of mature chestnut trees, giant cacti and lovely colourful flower beds, a perfect spot where families can play. Alternatively, you can simply find a shady spot to sit while you relax and enjoy the park’s tranquil atmosphere.

“Dawlish Water”, or “The Brook” as it is affectionately called, travels through the centre of “The Lawn” cascading down a series of small waterfalls towards the front. If you walk along the edge of this little river, you can watch the large numbers of trout feeding in the river, as it gently flows towards the sea. As darkness falls a myriad of coloured lights running the length of the water course come on, creating an area where you can enjoy a romantic evening stroll.

The famous Dawlish black swans can be seen gently swimming on “The Brook”, their cygnets paddling behind them. Originally imported from New Zealand by John Nash, a Dawlish born gentleman, they are symbolic of Dawlish and have been the town emblem for over 40 years. Some time between the two World Wars their line was lost but towards the end of the 1940s Captain CRS Pitman, a game warden in Uganda, presented a pair to the town in memory of his late parents, who had resided at Greystoke in Dawlish.

The river is home to many other breeds of duck and rare wildfowl, plus on the park’s edge there are purpose built enclosures where the really young hatchlings can be observed. They can be fed from the small weirs where the water steps down, or maybe one of the many benches littered along the Brook’s edge but, please, only brown bread or greens!

Dawlish offers a wide range of eateries, including cafes, restaurants, pubs and takeaways. There is a comprehensive programme of events running through the summer months, based around the bandstand on the Lawn, as well as a theatre, museum, art gallery and a selection of individual shops. For some leisurely exercise a game of mini golf or perhaps a boat trip, be it fishing or bird watching! In August brings round "Dawlish Carnival" week with daily events including the procession and "Dawlish Airshow" complete with Red Arrows!

The town itself sits on Brunel's fantastic South Devon Coastal Railway, with the trains running along the edge of the main beach, making the journey one of the most scenic in the world.

And of course, there’s Dawlish’s three beaches too!

To the north of Dawlish Warren lies the village of Cockwood. This picturesque little village clmbs up from the harbour, with views of the exe estuary and offers a choice of restaurants and fine real ale pubs. Running inland from Cockwood is an area of wet marshland and the surrounding villages have preserved medieval features.

The bigger resort of Teignmouth, plus the large beach and nature reserve at Dawlish Warren, the county capital of Exeter and the seaside village of Shaldon, are all just down the road. And then there’s Torquay and Paignton… Dawlish’s excellent rail and road links make it an ideal base for touring this part of the country.