Teignmouth to Dawlish Railway Walk
This popular coastal walk follows the South Devon Railway Sea Wall from Teignmouth to Dawlish. The railway was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and opened by the South Devon Railway Company, running from Exeter St Davids railway station to Teignmouth railway station on 30 May 1846.
It's a splendid walk with the waves coming right up to the wall on one side and the trains passing on the other. The path runs for about 3 miles with just a short climb around Holcombe. Please do take care on windy days at high tide though as the waves can come right onto the path.
Start the walk in Teignmouth near the pier and the train station. The path then heads north east past Teignmouth Lido towards Holcombe, a typical small English village, with thatched cottages and country lanes. Here you can see the trains entering the tunnel at Hole Head.
You continue to Dawlish where you finish at Red Rock Beach. The town has a nice park near the seafront where you can see Dawlish Water and enjoy views of the Permian red sandstone cliffs. It's also known for its black swans, introduced from Western Australia, which live with other exotic waterfowl in a small urban sanctuary on Dawlish Water.
You can extend your exercise by continuing to Dawlish Warren on the Dawlish Sea Wall Walk. Here you can visit the Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve which is an excellent place for birdwatching on the Exe Estuary. Here you can look out for little egrets, herons, kingfishers, reed buntings and peregrines.
You could also try the Teignmouth and Dawlish Way circular walk which connects the two towns through a series of footpaths running through the countryside.
Teignmouth to Dawlish Railway Walk Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Teignmouth to Dawlish Railway Walk Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Teignmouth to Dawlish Railway Walk OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Teignmouth to Dawlish Railway Walk Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
In Teignmouth you can catch the ferry over the river to Shaldon. Here you can pay a visit to the lovely RSPB nature reserve at Labrador Bay. There's great views here and lots of wildlife to see including cirl buntings and dolphins.
Head west from Teignmouth and you could pay a visit to the interesting village of Bishopsteignton. There's a ruined 14th century chapel, a small museum, a 16th century pub and fine views over the estuary in this historic settlement.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Devon Walks page.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
The South Devon Railway Sea Wall. The South Devon Railway was built in 1846 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. For a distance of 4 miles, between Teignmouth and Dawlish, it combines the railway with a sea wall. From this location you can see how the railway snakes it's way along the coast, beneath the sea cliffs at Teignmouth, and then disappears into the Parsons Tunnel which you can see in the distance.
Breakwater at Sprey Point. Looking NE during a stiff noreaster, with impressive surf. Holcombe (Parson & Clerk) headland in background, out of square. A square with little land surface.
High Tide. The waves splash over the sea wall at Sprey Point during high tide.
South Devon Railway Sea Wall
Train entering tunnel at Hole Head, Holcombe
Coast path between Teignmouth and Dawlish
Viaduct near Holcombe. This railway viaduct is situated just outside the western entrance of Parsons Tunnel at the end of Smugglers Lane. The coast path goes underneath the viaduct then along the seaward side of the railway line.
A view of Dawlish seafront.