Category Archives: national park

Asia, national park, travel

Hustai National Park

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After breakfast overlooking the Little Gobi, a longer drive to get us most of the way back to Ulaan Baatar awaited. I may have dozed for much of it. Off the highway, a bumpy dirt track took us towards the gates of Hustai National Park. Buying an entry ticket was more difficult than any other purchase of our month in Mongolia – the only time we had to use US dollars, thankfully Ian and Rachel had been carrying some around for weeks.

Last night in the tents in Mongolia – near the playground and outside the main tourist village for the park.

Once someone opened it for us, we spent time in the visitor centre learning about the local area and Przewalki’s horse – what we’d come to see. An extra pair of chromosomes the main, of a number, difference between them and domesticated horses. Long thought the only wild horse (c.f. brumbies and mustangs), they died out in the wild but have been reintroduced to a few habitats – Hustai being one.

As dusk approached, when the horses would start to come down from the hills to drink, we drove into the park to an area set up for viewing.

Spot the horses was quite difficult from such distance.

Eventually we could pick some out on the skyline.

They didn’t seem that thirsty, we watched them from afar for ages.

There were a couple of scopes set-up to get a better view through. Taking photos through it was hit and miss.

While we waited a large group of park rangers arrived on dirt bikes and a couple of horses. Apparently there was a domestic horse in the herd, and they wanted it out. A couple of the rangers took off up the steep hill.

Slowly the horses made their way down the slopes.

This guy must have been tasked with final capture of the imposter – a loop of rope was on the end of the pole.

The two bikes appeared on the ridge and descended to corral the horses. Suddenly, all hell broke loose and there were noisy dirt bikes going everywhere chasing the horses up the valley and then wheeling them around back down the other side of the valley.

Eventually the domestic horse was separated and captured.

Excitement and horse viewing over, it was back to camp for our last Mongolian camp meal – undoubtedly noodles, some veges and questionable meat – and what would have been a peaceful night, but for some late arrivals setting up camp just up the hill and having a karoake party into the wee hours.

This seemed to be a gathering spot for European campervans; we’d not seen a single one on our ride, yet the overlanders chose to meet here. Weird.

Asia, bikepacking, bikes, hiking, national park, travel

From the road – Rishiri and Rebun Islands

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Easily the highlight of Japan so far – still close to the coast but we found some hills.

The expected rain certainly arrived the morning we got on the ferry in Wakkanai bound for Rishiri. An uneventful voyage over on a pretty empty, larger than expected, boat. We rode an hour or so to the north of the island and the main town, imaginatively Rishiri Town, on a mixture of the main ring road (quiet) and a cycle path (even quieter).

The first campground we checked was deserted and had no views, being inland a bit and surrounded by trees. We decided to check another down on the point near the harbour, lighthouse and onsen. Much better with views, close to town facilities and a few others were camping. Had good tea and coffee in a delightfully retro coffee house before coming back to the campground. Nice sunset, but Mt Rishiri that dominates the island remained capped in cloud.

Up early on Saturday, not to decamp as normal, but to ride 16 km to the trailhead of the Mt Rishiri track. We’d climbed a couple of hundred metres on the bikes, so that meant we were already drenched in sweat early in the morning and there was only 1500 m left to climb on foot. It started off through nice forest, mostly spruce I think. As that thinned, the track steepened and started to get busier. Close as the atmosphere was, there was the odd rain shower too – enough to put jackets on, to really make sure we stayed drenched in sweat.

Occasionally there were glimpses through the foliage and clouds of the summit and ridges above us, and back down to the coast. But mostly we walked in cloud admiring the immediate scenery of foliage, rocky track that must take quite some maintenance and some impressive butterflies. The trail got really busy with people both ascending and descending as we neared the top. The rain resumed just before the summit, so we waited around a bit before heading up to admire the clouds and take a few photos.

As expected, descending 1500 m in six kilometres was hard on the legs – three days later and I still can’t go down stairs without restriction! Even a hot pool that night, after a fun dinner at a local bar watching our tempura being made in front of us, doesn’t seem to have helped much. Having enjoyed island life so much, which is an odd thing to say as Hokkaido is itself an island, we started to contemplate taking an extra day away from the mainland and seeing what is on Rebun Island to the north.

Sunday brought a leisurely forty kilometre ride around Rishiri. Initially it looked like this would have been the day to climb the mountain, as we could finally see the summit – but it soon clouded over for the day. The highlight of riding around the island was stopping to watch and question a local group (probably a family) in a small garage processing hundreds of sea urchins, from that morning’s catch. We got to sample some too, raw they were salty with a hint of sweetness – yum, provided the texture didn’t put one off!

The best part of the riding was saved for the last five kilometres into Rishirifuji (the main ferry terminal on the island is here). We climbed into the forest above the coast on what felt like an old narrow gauge railway – but I can’t imagine why there was ever such a thing on the island with an easy coastal road. The views of the mountain and out over the coast to the sea were excellent, and the bridges across deep gorges equally so. We made it in plenty of time to get an earlier ferry than we’d planned.

A much shorter voyage this time, and not so popular – there were almost as many bikes and motorcycles on board as cars.  Off the ferry, we bought groceries for overnight before setting off north for a campground. A small island, this didn’t take long. Having made camp, there was plenty of time before sunset for a wee bimble.

A little bit of a climb after a short ride to Cape Sukoton, a small island just off there and generally interesting rocks. On the return we took some back roads to view different bays and coves. Unfortunately I missed the best cove when I sailed down a hill while the others were investigating something off to the side. Oh well, I could get dinner started.

Just as we were leaving Monday morning, we heard some kiwi accents. Turns out it was Rob and Haidee – the people behind the Hokkaido Wilds website that we have been using for route ideas. Great to chat and learn a bit more of the island and their adventures living in Japan – they’d just come off the water, having been kayaking since two in the morning as part of their circumnavigation of Rebun.

We’d seen some walking routes advertised around the island, so thought we’d give the forest one down the centre of the island a go on our leisurely way back to the ferry. It turned out to be the riding highlight of the first two weeks, and counting, in Hokkaido. A steeply climbing barely used double track, it was thankfully shaded by forest for the main part of the ascent. Still, it was hot and humid. As we approached the ridge, the forest gave way to tall bamboo and views to the coast, and Rishiri, were there. The bamboo covering of the hills still reminds me of tea growing in East Africa – beautiful.

Stopping often for views, sadly the biggest section of off pavement of the trip so far (less than ten kilometres :/ ) was over (more, please!). We dropped to a new 1500 m tunnel through to a small settlement (seems excessive use of such a tunnel) on the west coast. Pleasingly it was very cool underground. We pottered around the small section of coast looking at some impressive and photogenic rocks, and dipped in the warm sea.

Back through the tunnel, we still had plenty of time to ride the extent of the roads south. I was pleased to finally see some colourful houses! Not on the scale of Mongolian brilliance, but after ten days in Hokkaido it was exciting. A long lunch back near the ferry terminal and we were on our way back to Wakkanai. Goodbye to two great little islands – easily the highlight of the first two weeks in Hokkaido.

Photo dump here.

Aus, family, national park, roadtrip, travel

Top End by campervan

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Into the Northern Territory, where the roads deteriorated markedly but perversely the speed limit went from 110 to 130 km/hr – not that the camper was worth driving at those speeds, 100 was plenty. The landscape of vast flat plains, occasionally interspersed with mesas, covered in low-density, low-height forests and scrub continued. We regularly saw controlled burns keeping the undergrowth in check, only once having the highway completely engulfed in smoke.

Posted observation points were welcome, they helped to break the driving. This one just short of Victoria River had a bonus walk up a hill in the sweltering heat.

Trees and rocks, with a bonus river.

Down to the roadhouse, with attached campground, the only facilities for many miles.

Said roadhouse, without all the vehicles belching diesel. Saw a bunch of big motorsport team trucks rolling through, a change from the preponderance of mining and cattle road trains. Found later the Supercar roadshow was moving from Perth to Darwin.

After not having seen a supermarket all week, a restock in Katherine was needed before heading to Nitmulik National Park for a couple of nights. The Three Gorge boat tour gave us the opportunity to sit, occasionally walk to another boat and learn about the gorge from a local. Towering cliffs and how the volume of water in the wet season has shaped the landscape were impressive.

This may be recognised from some films, but not by me.

Somewhat inexplicably to me, we had an hour to swim at Lily Ponds under a tall thread of a waterfall. About a third of the group got in the water, most else sat in the shade.

I found a marked track that involved plenty of rock-hopping and steep scrambling to the top of the waterfall. Much better view and more interesting up there.

The creek approaching the cliff.

Spot the tour group.

Further up the gorge, past where boats can reach – there are a lot of rocks around these parts.

On the return, the longer walk (not long) between boats and impassable rocks.

First crocodile in the wild for the trip.

Our guide pointed out a viewing platform up high as we neared the end of our boat trip, suggesting it was a good place to see the sunset. As it was the first time I’d seen significant clouds in the sky since our layover in Melbourne, I was hopeful it would be worth the walk and steep staircases. It was.

But first, different rocks! Curious conglomerations.

The start of the Kakadu Highway held the most engaging driving of the trip – especially in a seven metre long, three metre high van. Alas that didn’t last long, but probably good for Mum’s comfort and getting to Jabiru campground before dark. I was a bit under the weather for our two days there, unfortunately coinciding with the hottest weather of the trip – alarmingly close to forty degrees Celsius.

Better than your average water tower.

A little boat tour up the East Alligator River (no gators in Australia, only crocs – the river mistakenly named) was slightly cooler than staying on land. I found the local guide interesting, plenty told of how the local flora and fauna form part of their life. Not a lot of wildlife to be seen in the heat of the afternoon; more time in Kakadu and even getting into the vast, sparsely populated Arnhem Land would be cool.

Spot the fictional characters – Homer, E.T., Robocop…

Although not that far back to Darwin and campervan return, certainly less distance than we had generally been driving, we broke it up choosing to stay in the middle of nowhere. Bark Hut Inn had a great campground, adjoined to a roadhouse, built in an area that once was predominantly buffalo and croc hunting (the old modified Landcruisers with a lot of external steelwork looked plain mad). Disappointed by the lack of wildlife on the trip thus far, we booked one last boat tour on the nearby Corroberee Lagoon – thinking we had enough time to pack, clean the camper and drive to Darwin the following day.

It turned out to go swimmingly (except no-one literally went swimming for obvious reasons). An exceptional tour with a very knowledgeable guide who was only too happy to answer questions, show us what we wanted to see and keep us both amused and informed. Helped that we saw plenty too – here’s a little of it:

On that high, the campervan was returned on time leaving us a day and a bit to have a look around Darwin. With the Supercars in town for the weekend, the excellent night market at Mindil Beach was packed – but the city seemed deserted the following day. Perhaps it’s always like that, but it seemed an odd place. Give me the wilderness instead.

bikepacking, bikes, friends, national park, NZ

Half-Heaphy – James Mackay Overnighter

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With the forecast looking amenable to a pleasant day on the Heaphy, we hastily prepared for a trip in to James Mackay Hut – weather didn’t look so great on the way out, but that was a risk worth taking for time on such a track. Repacking done, the slow drive to Karamea (plenty of roadwork on the winding road) over, and a remarkable pie at Vinnie’s Cafe devoured and we were at Kohaihai trying to evade the sandflies late-morning.

Kohaihai itself not a bad spot, ignoring the insect bites.

All my riding seems to be at a leisurely pace currently, but that’s ok – the Heaphy is wonderful and worth savouring. Far more details and photos from past visits here.

Tom leaving the first beaches and Kohaihai Bluff.

Certainly was looking like a great late-autumn day.

Into the nikau groves.

Rachel emerging from forest on to one of the many swing bridges.

Snacks at Katipo Creek Shelter probably weren’t necessary, as Heaphy Hut is so close, but it was getting warm – I was bewildered to be delayering to summer riding kit. The trail opens up a bit here, in no time we were lunching outside the hut amused by the antics and fighting of the cheeky wekas. It looked as though there were a lot of pigs around, such was the damage to the big lawn in front of the hut – but no, just the wekas ripping up the turf hunting for tasty morsels.

Last time I was through here with Pete, there was the bridge over the Heaphy River had been swept away in a flood – so I was keen to see the new bridges (one crossing the Heaphy below the confluence with the Lewis and the other crossing the Lewis).

This is unusual – quite the convoluted ramp structure to get on to the true left side of the bridge.

Impressive.

The new bridge is much higher above the river. A deceptive incline on the true right side, quite unusual for a swing bridge in the NZ backcountry.

It’s a short section of new trail to cross the Lewis – that bridge not so big, but also more of a climb at the other side than one expects. Another break at the weird Lewis Shelter, because snacks are necessary – especially with a steady two-hour climb next.

The shelter has been closed in, albeit in a rather temporary-looking fashion.

At least that door-of-sorts will keep some weather out.

I suspect this was done for the bridge building, there was a stack of mattresses outside – they weren’t there when the shelter was newer. I pottered on up the climb, nice not to have to spend twenty minutes clambering over a big slip as on last visit. We settled in to a quiet evening in the hut, two other hikers our company. Again with such a large hut and few people in it, it’s difficult to heat – especially with coal no longer supplied and a ropey wood supply.

Supposedly there was some weather to get ahead of on our return, but it sure didn’t look like it. Rachel wanted to go a bit beyond the hut and we were happy to oblige. Fun to attempt slightly more challenging trail – scoured out rocky bits.

We found some rocks and climbed them.

The aforementioned slip about halfway down the long descent to the rivers seemed a good spot to regroup – read: for the others to make sure I’d not gone off the side of the mellow trail – and snack.

Nice to have this bike for the trail riding.

Crossing the Heaphy again. Freewheeling down that bridge, it’s alarming just how much speed one picks up. Hitting an upright definitely to be avoided at that pace.

Pausing in the sun (the weather certainly didn’t come in) to make sure we didn’t carry excess food out, I took the opportunity to wander to the beach – which I’d never had time or bothered to do before. Lovely. At sea level it was warm again, I spent even more time in short sleeves than the previous day. Plenty of time to appreciate the ride out…

A very pleasant two half-days of riding in a beautiful spot (the coastal section always feels like it is somewhere more tropical), we were back at the truck rushing to cover skin and load-up to avoid the bites. Back for another pie in Karamea.

And look at the real estate listings; alas, this has been sold.