Walk 389 -- Angle to West Angle Bay

Ages: Colin was 79 years and 37 days. Rosemary was 76 years and 179 days. 

Weather: Sunny with a light breeze. Perfect! 

Location: Angle to West Angle Bay. 

Distance: 3 miles. 

Total distance: 3958 miles. 

Terrain: Stony track at first. Mostly grassy paths, many sheltered by hedges or trees. Slightly undulating. 

Tide: Out. 

Rivers: None. 

Ferries: None. 

Piers: None. 

Kissing gates: None. 

Pubs: None. 

‘Cadw’ properties: None. 

Ferris wheels: None. 

Diversions: None. 

How we got there and back: Yesterday we towed our caravan from home to Freshwater East. This afternoon we drove to West Angle Bay and parked. We then walked through the village to the church where we had finished our last Walk two years ago. 

At the end we came to our car parked at West Angle Bay. We drove back to our caravan at Freshwater East. 

 

Just before the church in Angle we took a stony track down to the marshlands at the western end of Angle Bay. Oh! It was so nice to be back continuing our Round-Britain-Walk! We both had a deep feeling of satisfaction. I put the camera on a wall and we took a delayed shutter shot of us both. 

We followed the stony track almost all the way to the end of Angle Bay until we turned west along the Pembroke River. The stones were not very comfortable to walk on in some places. We passed a wooden signpost pointing out where the footpaths are. One arm had a horse symbol on it pointing towards the marsh. I looked over to the marsh and there was a 'sort-of' path leading over the end of the bay, but I'm not sure I would have ridden a horse over it. 

We had a 'fantastic' view (I don't think!) of Milford Haven oil terminal from the easternmost end of today's Walk before we turned west to walk along the southern bank of the Pembroke River.

The path skirted a field first, then it went through a gate and was sheltered by high hedges. Further on it was sheltered by trees with dappled sunlight shining through — it was delightful! We came to a place called Chapel Bay, but we saw no signs of a chapel there. 

We were looking towards the other side of the river — it was four years ago when we walked there!

Such a lot of frustrations over that four years. Losing our car, our one and only means of transport, when Colin tried to drive it through a ford. We had to buy another car in a hurry because our village no longer has a bus service so we are 'trapped' if we haven't got a car. We could only afford to buy an old Ford Fiesta which has served us well but is too small to tow a caravan. Being hassled for a year over the last remnants of our mortgage despite the fact we had already paid back from our pensions well in excess of the £90,000 originally borrowed over a mere seven years and had never missed a monthly payment. Being caught up in the drone fiasco at Gatwick Airport and spending a miserable Christmas at home by ourselves instead of the fabulous Christmas we had been promised in Cyprus. Coming to terms with the sudden and unexpected death of our son-in-law who had a heart attack and died within a minute. (He was only 48) Our caravan being useless for touring because bits kept falling off it. (In the end we gave it away to someone who was willing to tow it away for free.) Then there was Covid 19 and a dream holiday in New Zealand was cancelled at the very last minute. (I still have the tickets!) The frustrations of Lockdowns one, two and three...... 

BUT: 

We are both healthy (if a lot older!), double-jabbed and raring to go! We spent the NZ money on a nearly-new caravan and we now run two cars. The mortgage is paid off so we don't have to penny-pinch anymore. Our daughter is coming to terms with a different way of life without her beloved husband. And we are back on the Grand Coastal Trek! No more gripes — look forward, and enjoy each day as it comes. 

We took a picture of the old fort in the Pembroke River which Colin had taken a picture of from the other side four years ago. Further on we passed a fort which was closed. We could see the guns and thought they looked Napoleonic in age. We subsequently found out the place was Victorian. 

We reached the westernmost point of today's Walk with views over to St Ann's Head. There was a fort there and some interesting rock formations.

We came to the one and only seat on the Walk, so we sat on it to admire the view.

I'm afraid I got out my mobile phone — (yes, I've become one of those!) The reason being (don't make excuses!) that I can't get a signal at the caravan site and I wanted to check a few things on the internet. 

I was soon finished, so we walked down the easy path and track into West Angle Bay where our car was parked.

That ended Walk no.389, we shall pick up Walk no.390 next time at West Angle Bay. It was twenty past five, so the Walk had taken us two hours. We drove back to our caravan at Freshwater East.