Established as a national nature reserve in 2000, in the autumn and winter months Dawlish Inner Warren is a major attraction for birdwatchers as it is a major roosting site for wildfowl and waders, as well as flocks of Oystercatcher, Dunlin and Grey Plover. The site has a number of important habitats for wildlife including sand dunes and grassland, salt marsh and fresh water pools. The rare sand crocus and petalwort (one of the liverwort family) grow here, along with sea bindweed, southern marsh orchid and evening primrose. The beaches on the seaward side, managed by the local authority and open to the public are a major attraction in the summer months. The lands of the inner warren, managed by Devon Wildlife Trust, does not have open public access, although there are bird hides. As we walked through the dunes we could see at our feet hundreds of spring flowers with tightly closed flower heads. I imagine in later April and early May the dunes and grasslands would be a riot of colour. We were just a couple of weeks too early.
Walking along the beach you have good views of the rock feature known as Langstone Rock. Although now standing on its own, Langstone was attached to the main mainland cliff until a cutting was taken through it during the building of the Brunel Railway that runs along the bottom of the cliff towards Dawlish and beyond. As well as the iconic arch at the seaward end of the headland, the rock is pitted with caves. The Permian Dawlish sandstone is a lovely deep red colour which you can appreciate closely if you take the path on the cliff side of the railway track where sections of the cliff are vegetated or, the view of the cliffs from the seaward side is just as good as we found out taking the path closest to the sea.
When we reached the section it had been closed off by the railway authority but for the life of us we could not see what all the fuss was about. It appeared that there had been a leak from a water main and they were concerned people would slip on the wet rock. Go figure! They had erected a high fence, to which some kind soul had lain a road barrier on its side, which then operated like a ladder. It was a simple case of up on to the rocks at the side of the fence on one side, past the fence and down the steps on the other side. With a little bit of attention on the wet pathway it was easily passable. Personally, I thought it was a load of kerfuffle about nothing and in my eyes certainly over-cautious. Back on the main seafront, it was a straightforward hike in to Dawlish.