Railway journeys: the Exe Estuary from Exeter to Dawlish

Sketch map: Exe Estuary

This is probably my favourite stretch of railway in this country, and certainly the best for birdwatching from the train.

The view from Exton Station

The service runs from Exmouth to Paignton, working its way along the coast from Exmouth to Lympstone then along the seawall to the River Clyst just past Exton, along the back of Bowling Green Marsh then, turning inland through Topsham then via the Exeter stations, south alongside the Exminster marshes then along the seawall past Starcross, through Dawlish Warren and Dawlish then bobbing back inland through Teignmouth and onward to Torbay. The insane thing is that thanks to Dr. Beeching that stretch of sea wall is the only rail connection to England West of Dartmoor.

Railway and seawall going from Langstone Rock to Dawlish

After the train leaves Exeter St. Thomas the line runs roughly parallel to the Exeter Canal and the River Exe and out into open marshy countryside. Back in the old days the pools and creeks along this stretch were the first hints that you might strike lucky and see your first little egret of the year. They still have their fair share of little egrets, and herons and Canada geese. Pretty soon the marsh land thins and the river widens and the railway line becomes the Western edge of the estuary.

Exe Estuary at Starcross

This journey's particularly rewarding in Autumn, Winter and early Spring when huge flocks of waders and wildfowl settle in the estuary. You'll need to sit by a window on the left-hand side to get the best of it.

At low tide the mud is peppered by distant dark shapes that usually turn out to be redshanks, oystercatchers and curlews and you may also see a few flocks of brent geese. At high tide the waders huddle by the railway line, the geese tend to stay out in the main channels of the river. Past Starcross you start to see more black-tailed godwits, dunlins and wigeon. If you're lucky you may get a close view of the regular wintering Slavonian grebe. As the train approaches Dawlish Warren the line runs by the side of the bight, then through a bit of salt marsh, alongside the golf club and into the station.

Oystercatchers, Dawlish Warren bight
Note the white-headed individual at the back

Brent geese, Dawlish Warren bight

Dawlish Warren is worth a few hours' (or even a few days') wandering round. It's a spit jutting about a mile into the mouth of the estuary. A large part of the northern side is a golf course, the rest of the Warren is a mixture of open heath and dunes with some small patches of light woodland at the landward end. The bight on the northern side is great for wintering geese, waders and ducks. The beach on the southern side is great for waders and seawatching. And every shrub or patch of brambles could hold an interesting passage migrant. My list for Dawlish Warren is 114 species with highlights including Bonaparte's gull, Richard's pipit, Dartford warbler and Siberian chiffchaff.

Sanderlings, Dawlish Warren beach

Pulling out of the station the train turns away from the estuary, joins the seawall and goes past Langstone Rock on to Dawlish.

Langstone Rock

Langstone Rock

It's definitely worth keeping a close watch on the sea here at high tide: the gently sloping sand attracts flatfish which then attract shags, great-crested grebes and, if you're lucky a diver may come close. The mussel beds at the end of the rock attract eiders and scoters, with the occasional nice surprise. If the weather's not awful it's a nice walk from Dawlish Warren station along the seawall to Dawlish Warren and worth it for the seawatching. If the weather is awful, it's worth trying to find a bit of shelter (there's not a lot of it, all at the Dawlish Warren end) and dig in to see what gets blown by.

Red-throated diver, Dawlish Warren

Velvet scoter, Dawlish

From Dawlish the line goes on to Teignmouth and on to Torbay, terminating at Paignton.