The pretty South Devon coastal town of Dawlish is readying itself for walkers of all ages and abilities as its inaugural walking festival gets ready to ramble from the start of April.

Lasting ten days and commencing on 1st April, the festival will offer more than 30 walks, most of which are free to join.  Incorporating a variety of special interests and walks of different lengths, the Festival will take in pretty lanes, the South West Coast Path, woodlands, beaches and much more.  Visit http://www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk/whats-on for full details.

Launching on 1st April in Dawlish at St Gregory’s Church, walkers will be able to join one of two performances of ‘The Dawlish Dawdle of April Fools’.  This magical and playful walk, which takes place at 10.30am and 2.00pm, includes games and songs for families and children over the age of five.

From meditation walks to ‘walk and draw’ experiences, taking in views around Coryton Cove and The Red Rock, the festival aims to offer something to everyone, including those with visual impairments. 

For hardened walkers there’s an 11-mile ramble from Dawlish to Mamhead obelisk and back, and for lovers of nature you can join the Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve wardens for a Spring time wildlife walk to see a myriad of unusual wild flowers and migrating birds. 

In addition to an enchanting coastal walk from Dawlish to Teignmouth, there’s even a poetry walk, featuring recitals of poems written about the town of Dawlish. 

For families there are wildlife safaris, including a walk to spot the first signs of spring flowers, lambs and trees coming into bud, which starts from Cofton and takes in both Cockwood and Dawlish Warren.

Cofton Country Holidays offers the perfect place for walkers to stay, with a huge range of on-site facilities. Add to that miles of cycle paths and walks along designated nature trails through woodland, parkland and mature meadows, and you have a great destination for a break close to the Walking Festival, the South Devon coastline and the Exe Estuary. For more details visit www.coftonholidays.co.uk or call 0800 085 8649.

Visit South Devon is funded through money raised from adverts taken on the site by tourist attractions, activity based businesses, accommodation providers, and providers of hospitality.  The site, which appears as the top search result for places to visit, things to do and places to stay in South Devon, provides an affordable portal through which visitors can book B&B, hotel, guesthouse and self catering accommodation.  It also provides comprehensive information on destinations to explore as well as places to dine, eat and drink, enabling visitors to build up an itinerary of things to do while on holiday in South Devon.

For more information on the Dawlish Walking Festival visit: http://www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk/whats-on