South East Devon Wildlife
Dawlish Warren
a Special Area of Conservation, National Nature Reserve, and important part of the Exe Special Protection Area and Ramsar site.
Dawlish beach over low light

Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve

 

A photo of the visitor centre at Dawlish Warren

Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve is a really special place for nature, supporting a huge diversity of species, many of which are nationally rare. Covering 214 hectares, this compact and dynamic nature reserve is vital for our estuary bird life and a habitat of international conservation renown.

 

 

 

 

A photo of the dunes at Dawlish Warren

An incredibly popular site during the summer months, conflict between conservation and recreation can be avoided by following the Dawlish Warren code of conduct. Always read the signs on site – not only are the bylaws a legal requirement, but many are related to safety and the tide.

 

 

A photo of an Oystercatcher - photo courtesy Lee Collins

Main Species

Find out more about what makes the Warren an internationally important area for wildlife.
An illustration of Dawlish Warren with different activities (birdwatching, fishing etc), titled "Dawlish Warren Code of Conduct"

Dawlish Warren Code

The perfect starting point to a worry-free visit to the Warren!
An aerial photograph of Dawlish Warren with Warren Point in the foreground

Activities

There is something for everyone at the Warren.
An illustrated map of Dawlish Warren showing which areas dogs are allowed in.

Access

How to get to the Warren and information about access restrictions on the reserve.
Adult male on a wooden bridge over a river looking out at the scenery

Join Us

We have lots of messages to share with the people that visit and enjoy our protected sites across South East Devon. We’re a small but enthusiastic team and we’d love you to get involved with our work. You can keep up to date and find out more by subscribing to our free seasonal email newsletter, Shores, Heaths and Dunes. All we need is your email address to get started.
Person looking at their smarphone while using a laptop

News & Events

When we have news to share or events to let you know about, this is where to find them!