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The
Beach
 The
sandy beach of Dawlish Warren can be found to the north of Dawlish,
being over two miles long extending into the mouth of the Exe
estuary. Ideal for relaxing family days on the beach, it
offers very safe bathing and is supervised by a team of experienced
lifeguards, as it gently slopes down towards the sea.
Dawlish Warren has a choice of eateries, rides and shops - all you
need for that perfect seaside holiday and an extensive children's
entertainment programme runs throughout the summer. This includes;
slap stick comedy, concerts and children's parties, while for the
adults can search out that elusive bargain at the weekly open air
market.
The Nature Reserve
The reserve, with its 450 different species of plant life, extends
to over 500 acres and is an internationally important habitat for
many wild species of plants, insects and birds that live there.
The unique and protected Warren Crocus (Romulea columnae) can only
be found at this location. The Marram grass (Ammophila arenaria),
adapted to survive where there is very little water, has colonised
the sand dunes, increasing the fertility and making the dunes more
favourable for other plants.
Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), a source of food for a wide range of
insects, is a common plant and there is a large growth of the small
green Salicornia plant. These thrive in the area behind the dunes,
beside the golf course, an area that is favoured by the local ringed
plovers.
There is a large migrate bird population with Avocets and Brent
Geese overwintering at the reserve, in addition to indigenous
Oystercatchers, Sanderlings and Terns. In fact, the whole of the Exe
estuary has a wide range of residents with groups of Widgeon, Bar
Tailed Godwit, ducks such as Teal and Mallard, Dark Bellied Brent
Geese, Redshank, and Turnstones.
With the reserve acting as an important high tide roosting site, the
incoming tide encroaches on the birds feeding ground and forces them
onto the sandy spit at the mouth of the estuary, then onto the
shingle banks and sands of the warren. In turn, a significant
population of predatory birds, including Sparrowhawks and Peregrine
Falcons are sustained by the other waders and wildfowl.
The Reserve has a Visitor Centre providing general information,
detailed facts and even trivia, about the surrounding area and the
resident wildlife. There are several marked paths which lead
visitors through this unique habitat, as well as guided tours for
those who require them. |
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