Once down at the bay, we could look forward to another wonderful day's walking on the rolling cliffs to and then around the Angle Peninsula to our destination campsite overlooking Angle Bay. Starting high the route drops down to Freshwater Bay and then meanders up and down along the clifftops until West Angle Bay where there is a gentle climb back up to North Hill on the northern side of the peninsula, before going back down for a short walk round Angle Point and in to our campsite. The highest point of the day is just over fifty metres at North Hill but there are a number of lower level gullies on the route necessitating descent and ascent . The weather forecast is good and we expect to be walking in sunshine for most of the day, albeit there may be a cold breeze.
Towards the end of the road section we passed above the National Trust's Gupton Farm campsite, which was where our friend Martin Howe was heading to yesterday. There had been a festival on the site last night (which was why we avoided it), but it was all quiet this morning when we passed by. From that position on the road we had a great view across the range and fields of Castlemartin to Freshwater West Bay and the cliffs beyond.
From Gravel Bay there is a steady climb up to above the Black Cave and then a couple of ascents and descents at East and West Pickard. Back up from West Pickard to above Guttle Hole for a rolling section out to just after Rat Island at the point of the peninsula. It was a beautiful walk, but one could see that it would be easy to be fooled by the terrain, with the ascents and descents hidden in the folds of the gullies. While the rises and falls are not very challenging in themselves, there are a few of them and if you are not fit or properly equipped or the weather is bad, I can see that it might be hard.
Lying off the coast, just after Parsonsquarry Bay is Sheep Island. During WWII, just off Sheep Island is the location for one of the worst shipping disasters of the war when a landing craft with a crew of 75 men was caught in the open sea in a storm, hit the rocks and was sunk. Only three men survived. As well as the loss of life from the landing craft, another six sailors on an escort ship were also lost. On the adjacent headland beside Sheep Island is the site of another Iron Age promontory fort. From the heights above the island we could see clearly over the bay to the opposite shore to St Anne's Head on the Dale Peninsula which we would reach in a couple of days. From Sheep Island we walked along the cliff to Rat Island where we stopped for five minutes at the remains of the old east blockhouse to enjoy the views.
From Studdock we started the last, slow climb of the day which took us up to the heights of the headland overlooking Thorn Island and from where we had lovely views over the Milford Haven and towards Angle Bay.
Because of the hammerhead at the top of the island and the ins and outs at the bays, we became confused about whether or not we had turned our last corner. Of course we were wrong and continued to plod on.