The South West Coast Path (SWCP) is a 630 mile National Trail from Minehead to Poole Harbour and this is a report of the trail between Teignmouth and Dawlish Warren in Devon, a distance of about 7km.
I started from the pier in Teignmouth on a gorgeous sunny day. The pier was badly damaged in the storms of February 2014 but has now been repaired and providing family amusements again.
The path follows the promenade with Exmouth in the distance across the Exe estuary. This length of path was closed for many months after the storms to allow Network Rail to carry out repairs.
Alongside the path is the railway line from Exeter to Plymouth so you will regularly have trains passing with the holiday makers waving as they pass you.
At the end of this promenade is the rock formation Parson & Clerk.
Brunel constructed the railway in the 1840s and had to construct five tunnels through the cliffs, quite a feat of engineering. The next image is one of the tunnels with the maintenance offices for Network Rail alongside.
The trail now goes under the railway and up Smugglers Lane. Who knows what contraband was taken up this steep lane?
There’s a short stretch of walking along the A379 before the path heads coastwards again up this leafy lane that provided some welcome shade.
The path then opens out to provide this lovely view towards Dawlish and the Exe estuary.
The path then descends a steep hill and you can see another tunnel in the distance.
I then got a view of Shell Cove and Horse Rocks.
The path then goes through an expensive housing estate before dropping down to a viewing point for this shot of Dawlish.
This section of the railway was extensively damaged in the storms of February 2014 and this shot of the station shows after it was largely rebuilt.
The path then skirts the southern end of Dawlish with the delightful Dawlish Water running through the village and home to the black swans.
The path is now closed for a short section where they are still strengthening the retaining wall where the railway line was left dangling in mid-air in the storms so you have to follow the A379 for a short distance. You can then go back down to the promenade where you get this view towards Dawlish Warren.
As you approach Dawlish Warren you get this view of the Exe estuary with Exmouth in the distance.
Journey’s end at Dawlish Warren with a nature reserve in the distance where thousands of birds come to feed on their way to migration or to spend the winter.
http://www.dawlishwarren.info/things-to-do-at-dawlish-warren/dawlish-warren-nature-reserve Anyone for a cuppa because I’m feeling decidedly warm!
Keith