Dawlish Town Beach

The sand at Dawlish curves gently between red sandstone cliffs, backed by a proper seaside promenade that actually looks like people use it. You can swim here - the beach shelves gradually, which matters if you're bringing small kids - and the town itself sits right behind, so you're not trudging half a mile back to the car park. The South Devon Railway line runs alongside, which some find charming and others find a bit much when a train rattles past mid-picnic. Either way, it's part of the place.

For families staying at Lady's Mile or Golden Sands, both practically on the doorstep, this is convenient rather than spectacular. A couple of hours in summer is realistic - paddling, fish and chips from one of the seafront shops, maybe a walk along the promenade. The beach is relatively sheltered, which keeps the water marginally less arctic than other Devon stretches. Low tide reveals more sand and rock pools worth poking about in if the kids are still entertained.

Historians and serious walkers will find the red cliffs themselves more interesting than the beach itself. The coastal path heads north toward Teignmouth or south toward Shaldon, and the geology lecture writes itself. The town has the feel of a Victorian seaside resort that's keeping things ticking rather than reinventing itself, which is either authentic charm or stuck-in-time depending on your mood.

Park the car at the seafront or head down from the town centre. Free, obviously - it's a beach. October to April it's genuinely pleasant with fewer people and clearer light.