Short answer: The sea wall promenade is level and wheelchair friendly, runs half a mile south to Coryton Cove, and puts you a few feet from passing trains. The town beach is down steep steps, so treat the promenade as the destination.
Dawlish's great accessible asset is the sea wall promenade. It is level, it runs right beside Brunel's railway with the sea on the other side, and the trains passing a few feet away are genuinely the main attraction. You do not need to get onto the beach to have a good day here.
The station sits right on the beach, which makes Dawlish one of the easiest Devon seaside towns to arrive at without a car.
Be clear about this. Dawlish Town Beach is reached down steep steps, is mostly pebbles, and largely disappears at high tide. It is not a buggy or wheelchair beach.
Half a mile south along the sea wall, and the best beach in Dawlish — sandy, sheltered by cliffs, gently shelving. The approach along the sea wall is the easy part. Check on arrival how the last stretch down to the sand looks, as it is a cove rather than a promenade beach.
Two miles north, a long sandy spit towards the Exe estuary, with amusements and takeaways at the entrance and its own parking. Flatter access onto sand than the town beach.
On any sandy beach, time the visit for a falling tide. Firm wet sand is far easier with wheels than soft dry sand, and it is the single biggest thing you can do to make a beach day work with a buggy or a wheelchair.
The Smugglers Inn on the hill towards Teignmouth has a large car park and a daily carvery in three portion sizes. Sola Bar & Kitchen at the Warren is the best-rated food in Dawlish, with a big beer garden. The Boathouse at the Warren has sea views from the windows.
Teignmouth, five minutes south on the same line, has the Den promenade — level, well kept and specifically noted as good for mobility scooters.
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