6.9 km along the coast and 7.5 inland
Having stayed with a friend who lives in Kenton, we parked the van at the car park at Starcross. This is just North of the railwaystationand sowe walked through Starcross village, along the rather narrow road. The Railway dominates this length of coast, the pub in Starcross is called the “Atmospheric Railway” in recognition of Brunel’s attempt to build what we would now call a vacuum railway. Although the atmospheric railway itself was not a success, due to higher-than-expected running costs, Brunell’s route along the coast has become the main line to the West and now run by GWR.
After about a mile along the main road the path follows a more minor road, then passed a series of “Holiday villages” at Dawlish Warren and then along a path on the seaward side of the railway towards Dawlish.
Serious seawall construction works was happening around Dawlish station which made access to the beach impossible, so we had to walk up across the railway bridge and then along a road to the town. Dawlish is a rather quaint old town and rather a contrast to the holiday villages around Dawlish Warren.
Unusually there was little alternative inland route here, so we had to almost retrace our steps, although we did stop for a swim in the unusually warm September sunshine before heading for a campsite near Zeals where we had arranged to meet friends next day.
