Day 22 Pembroke to West Angle

Thursday 25^th February

Walk distance 20 km

Height  520 est

6 hours

Total coastal distance walked 18 km

Running coastal total distance 315.65km

Running height climbed 10001m

Stayed at High Noon, a lovely B and B in Pembroke. The most fantastic cooked breakfast. Walked down high street passed very attractive buildings and then skirted the cliff and walls of the castle. The path followed a road through x. Briefly passing a bay where I saw redshank and an egret.

 
Once the path left the road much of the walk cross pasture, which was fairly muddy and poached by the hooves of animals.  Although there had been a frost the day was not too cool. At times the sun came through. In sheltered spots it was warm, and here celandine, daisy primrose and dandelion were in flower. Small birds like goldfinches, hedge sparrows and wrens abounded. Pylons dominated the skyline. In a ways they look magnificent and without them of course we'd have no power. These lines led from a very large power station that it took an age to walk around.


Just before hand I passed a beautiful church dominated by the towers behind. This was the scene of a civil war battle. Entering the church yard I spotted a sign for a nature reserve with a fabulous board walk through a reed bed. This had been built by the Prince's Trust. A fantastic organisation helping young people develop skills.


The path now reached the estuary which was more attractive, but the south side was now dominated by an oil refinery. In time, I passed the enormous metal quays with oil tankers moored up alongside. Like with electricity where would we be without oil. Mind you, the world may be a better and safer place if we used some alternatives. It was obvious that the purchase of land for the refineries had led to much of the coastal land being abandoned. There are also many ruined buildings. In one woodland there was a carpet of wild daffodils and snow drops.


All around this section are inaccessible forts. As buildings go they are stunning and off of Angle point one sits on an island. In the middle of the estuary is a Martello tower. I had lunch sat on a derelict sea wall by the bay. Concrete sandbags lay across the beech.

 All around the derelict buildings, concrete and banks suggested a dis-used airfield. Although the estuary, ports and industry had been interesting I was really pleased to see cliffs and the open sea beyond the Milford Haven. I enjoyed taking more pictures of the Irish ferry. Rounding the point I dropped down to West Angle bay which looked fabulous. Then a fast walk into the pretty village of Angle to catch a bus back. Until Angle I had seen no one other than industrial workers in cars. In Angle an elderly lady assured me I was at the right bus stop. But her unsure spoken manner and odd phrases indicated she didn't actually know where the buses stopped or turned. Odd as she lived opposite. So marched to the village church to be sure I was more likely to be picked up. Of course when the bus came it went right by and I wished for it to turn around! My wish granted, the bus ride back went to all the villages, every one dominated by incredibly tall church towers. Presumably doubling as look out towers.