1.10 - FRESHWATER WEST - WEST ANGLE
Distance - about 4.5 miles.
Freshwater West is one of Pembrokeshire's finest Beaches / long expanses of sand / spectacular bay / sand dune system (sssi) .
A highly rated surfing location / 1 of the 10 Best Surfspots in the UK .
Good view from southern approach road , near a restored seaweed storage / drying hut .
The seaweed "Porphyra Umbilicalis"/ washed , cooked and mashed to make - " Laver Bread "/ was collected here on a large scale .
Edible seaweed can still be found amongst the rocks , to the North and South of the sandy beach .
A purple green , gelatinous , membranous seaweed , lying flat on some rocks / can be eaten raw ?.
A white building on the road to West Angle / "Rocket-Cart House " / visible from the beach / Rockets were stored here and transported to the site of a coastal disaster on a horse drawn cart / a Rocket then fired a line towards the ship in distress / securing the breeches buoy to rescue passengers and crew / in use until the 1930s.
First mile of the path is strenuous , as it follows an undulating landscape , the route climbs in and out of a number of valleys .
Path passes / a natural Arch - Guttle Hole / and Sheep Island / tricky to reach / with a promontory Iron Age fort nearby .
A large Sinkhole is passed / then offshore , the smaller Rat Island , just before the Tudor - East Blockhouse ( watchtower / fort ) .
Victorian military defences nearby - the gun emplacements of East Blockhouse fort / the fort was demolished / with the battery from 1900 remaining / then a disused radio station is passed .
West Angle bay has a nice beach at low tide / cafe ( in Season ) / large car park / a popular location . The chimney of a once-thriving Brick Works, established in 1880, stands nearby.
Complex geology / with limestone appearing amongst old red sandstone / old emerged beaches and platforms are being further eroded on the north side of the bay / fossils (Crinoids ) in the limestone here / an SSSI .
After West Angle and passing Thorn Island Fort , the path skirts Milford Haven Estuary , crossing the Cleddau Toll Bridge , and exiting the waterway by its north shore.
Car Park - Freshwater West , West Angle .
Bus - "Coastal Cruiser ".