Our best, near, view yet of Rishiri greeted us out of the tents as we prepared for the day’s hike to the top. A comparatively easy sixteen kilometre ride to the trailhead, having to climb a couple of hundred metres nothing compared with the 1500 m on foot to the summit.
Hopefully as charming as this.
Very easy going to start.
Starting to steepen and become less paved.
Beautiful forest lower – spruces, various pines, silver birch were some of the trees we recognised.
Soon out of the forest, confirmation unfortunately that the cloud had rolled in.
It was easy to see just how much water must come down this track; the level of upkeep done to keep it serviceable obvious and impressive.
By now it was very hot and humid, difficult to know if it was worth keeping jacket on to keep from the mist wetting us as sweat was also an issue. By the time we were a quarter of the way up, it became clear we had not made a particularly early start – there were already a lot of people coming down the mountain! Don’t think we ever adjusted to making the most of daylight arriving at four o’clock in the morning.
Occasional glimpses of the top possible.
As the vegetation got shorter, it and the heat started to remind me of being in tea fields.
Three-quarters of the way up there was some respite from the otherwise relentless climbing – my legs were not looking forward to the descent.
It still looks a fair way off.
Back in the mist.
Plastic pipes filled with rocks made for an interesting staircase and erosion control option on this particularly steep section.
Although they started to feel like they would be ideal for people twice as tall as us.
Greeted by rain near the summit shrine.
Made it (two hours and twenty); we didn’t stick around for long on account of rain and no view, alas.
Curious number of boat propellors lugged up here.
The descent was pretty hard going on my legs, it wasn’t a lot quicker than the climb – which gives some indication of the amount of traffic on the track, steepness and my lack of hiking conditioning. I couldn’t walk without discomfit for quite some days! Just as well we were on a bike trip. We did get a few more clear patches on the way down.
Ferry leaving for Rebun, as we would tomorrow.
Rebun, not so far away as Hokkaido; spot the ferry.
That rather distinctive bridge that we saw yesterday, and would ride over tomorrow.
These cicadas were unbelievably loud; if I’d have had ear plugs on me, I’d have used them.
Back in the forest; legs jelly-like by now.
Still can’t see the top as we biked back to camp, after an ice cream at a konbini.
There it is.
Still a bit of the afternoon left; there may have been some swimming in the fishing cove – but not for me, onsen later on was most welcome.
Dinner at an izakaya, where we sat at the bar watching the action.
Happy with the tempura, and to be sitting down.
Nice to see the lanterns lit tonight…
and a big moon come to join us, mountain finally clear of cloud.