Tag Archives: Forest

Butterfly, Flowers, Forest, France, Hikes, Landscape, Mountain, Nature, Travel, Waterfalls |

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Forêt de la Frachas

24 July 2021

Today Detti and I are going from our first walk post Detti wiped out days. She feels ok, so, off we go! And this is a surprisingly long hike, I forgot about the long fire trail that we have to follow first! So it ends up being a nearly 12km walk with about +500m of up hill (probably a bit more).

But, even though by lunch time D is exhausted, food gives her a second wind (and a third, and fourth, and fifth with each snacks later on!) and so, while we do not make it all the way to the plateau, we do make it to an amazing (and amazingly cold) waterfall!

Well done D for this trial of fire! It is a great sign of better times to come!!!

Click here for all the pictures.

Animals, Butterfly, Flowers, Forest, France, Insect, Landscape, Mountain, Nature, Plants, Travel |

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Granges de la Brasque

15 to 18 August 2021

The weather is good, so Detti and I head off on a short holiday to the Granges de la Brasque, a place full of childhood memories and which became an all time favorite relaxing camping spot for Detti and I. The fact that the best cheese in the world is made there is also a great calling card. Oh. And did I mention that at times wild strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are to be found for those looking for them? And that a mere 40m from the camping site there is a fountain with cold and fresh and oh so pure spring water?

On our second day, Detti and I hiked to the little summit nearby, the Mont Tournairet (2085m), small (per our standard) yet, the view from the top is amazing, and we can clearly see many of the summit that my dad and I have been crossing one after the other this last few years. A nice outing, with some raspberries ready to be picked on the way down. Miam! (side note: there is a little well made cabin just by the summit, would be a beautiful spot to hit for a night in early spring when all is still covered in snow!)

We are joined by my parents for the last 2 days, trip down memory lane, a night by the fire, good food, great company, amazing times and… a few kilos of raspberries!.

For the pictures, click here.

Cliff, Details, Forest, Insect, Landscape, Mountain, Nature, Plants, River, Sydney |

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Newnes Glow Worms Tunnel Walk

10 March 2018

Detti and I took the opportunity of this nice weather weekend to go camping in the Blue Mountains and enjoy a nice walk, that goes through the Glow Worms Tunnel of Newnes. A very varied walk, with some views over the top of the eucalyptus trees, and some passage underground, in the man made former train tunnels, but also, if you know where to look, in some natural caves where a very small stream snakes around.

Here is the Full Gallery

Details, Forest, Insect, Landscape, Nature, Plants, River, Sydney |

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Heathcote National Park

27 August 2018

Today, Belle, Detti and I are off to do a walk in the Heathcote National Park, a park that I have never explored before, but seems to be quite promizing, with the promises of beautiful water hole, rivers and the like.

And we are very happily swept away by how accessible it is, and yet how pristine and natural it is! Some very peaceful water hole, amazing trees, GYmea Lillies…

We will be back!

Here is the Full Gallery

Animals, Cliff, Details, Forest, Landscape, Nature, River, Sydney, Travel, Waterfalls |

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Birds and Blue Mountains

1 September 2018

Penny having just come back from France with a little frog, she organized a weekend away in the Blue Mountains, and Detti Hemant and I were invited. We joined the fun, and had the surprise of an awesome welcome party at the AirBnB we were staying at: Birds. Plenty of birds, which came to us for a feed, and to the delight of our French guest, and our Indian flatmate.

Once we left the birdies to their day, we went for a short walk along side one of the many little stream that one can enjoy in the area, and came back some time later for some more bird watching.

Here is the Full Gallery.

Details, Forest, Landscape, Nature, Plants |

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Burnt Forest

10 September 2018

On our way back from Lemon Tree Passage, we drive past a zone of the forest which had suffered from a previous bush fire. I had noticed it on our way in. The sharp contrast between the charcoal black of the totally burnt wood, and the bright orange and yellow of some gumtree’s trunk. I had thought it could make for some good pictures. So as we drive by, I asked Detti if she would mind stopping for a few minutes.

I think I could have easily walked around and take snaps for hours. And would have probably end up with a lot of crappy shots too.

But there is something there that I really appreciate. I hope you will too.

Here is the Full Gallery

Forest, Landscape, Nature, Plants, River, Tasmania, Travel, Waterfalls |

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Waterfalls

DSC0630119 January 2017

Today is the waterfalls day. We go from one to the other, and enjoy the sight of them. Some small, some big, some strong, some more discreet, from above or bellow, there is something captivating about water in movement.

We went to Nelson’s Falls, and the Russel Falls group.

Here is the full Gallery

Aujourd’hui nous allons voir une série de cascade. Nous allons de l’une à l’autre, émerveillés par chacune. Certaines sont petites, d’autres grandes, larges ou étroites, discrètes ou puissantes, faignantes… du dessus ou du dessous, il y a quelque chose de fascinant dans le mouvement de l’eau.

Flowers, Forest, Landscape, Nature, Plants, River, Tasmania, Travel, Waterfalls |

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Montezuma Falls

DSC0619718 January 2017

Our main destination today is Montezuma Falls, one of the tallest in Tasmania.

A short walk which follows an old train tracks, in the middle of the rainforest, leads to it. Green overdose. The forest is luxuriant, lush, vibrant. Water is sipping everywhere, feeding this green giant carpet.

The waterfall is really tall. Lost high above us, a ridge far from our reach.

We then keep driving South, slightly West, and pass near the old mining site of Iron Blow which offer interesting colors of rocks and lake. And we finish in a camping site by the cold and beautiful Burbury lake.

Here is the full Gallery

Notre destination principale aujourd’hui est l’une des plus grande cascade de Tasmanie: Montezuma Falls.

Une petite marche d’approche qui suit une ancienne voie de chemin de fer y mène, au beau milieu d’une forêt luxuriante. Une overdose de vert. La forêt est vibrante, riche, charnue. L’eau est partout, nourrissant ce tapis vert géant.

La cascade est vraiment grande, son sommet perdu loin là-haut, inaccessible.

L’après-midi, on repart, continuant vers le sud-est, et on passe près de l’ancienne exploitation minière de Iron Blow, qui offre une terre stérile aux couleurs étonnantes. Nous finirons dans une petit camping près du très beau (et très froid) lac Burbury.

 

Forest, Landscape, Nature, Ocean, Plants, Sunset, Tasmania, Travel |

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More Rainforest

DSC0604517 January 2017

Today we drive around and stop at various places in the Rainforest area of Tasmania. Each time, we go for a small walk in wonder. Surrounded by giant trees. We can only grasp their size when they have fallen and we can then walk along side them, their trunk having become a long straight natural wall, about 2 meters tall, and many many meters long.

One of our walks brings us to a waterhole, accessed through an arch in the rocks. This is quite fantastic, walking in the realms of sylphides and elves. A world I hope will be protected from the stupidity of humans loggers. Ah, Tasmania, if only you knew…

By the road we can see vast spaces which have been burn by some fire or other, and we can see the gumtrees starting to sprout back. It is quite a funny sight, those trees with their auras of new green leaves.

We had dreams of a nice hot meal and a night spent in Corinna. Alas it was all booked out, so we left. Not really knowing what was ahead of us. Took the ferry across and kept driving. Rain started to fall. And still no idea of where we would eat, let alone sleep. We stopped in Zeehan for a bit. A pub meal. Good. But nothing special. From there, as dusk was settling, we made our way to Trail Harbour, a small village on the West Coast. Little piece of paradise, no running water nor electricity, yet a very welcoming clean little town, with a small inviting camping area.

The tents were quickly erected, and then we had the chance to witness a very beautiful sunset.

Here is the full Gallery

Aujourd’hui on explore différents coinsdes  luxuriantes forêts tasmaniennes. A chaque fois, ces petites marches nous émerveillent. Nous sommes entourées d’arbres géants. On ne peut que commencer à en estimer la taille  que lorsqu’ ils sont au sol, étant alors devenus un long et haut mur naturel, d’un un peu plus de deux mètres de hauts, et je ne sais combien de mètres de long…

L’une de ces marches nous amene près d’un trou d’eau, petit étang accessible via une arche de roche. C’est assez fantastique, nous marchons dans le royaume des elfes et des sylphides. Un monde qui j’espère échappera à la stupidité des bucherons. Ah Tasmanie, si seulement tu savais…

Le long de la route on peut voir de vaste étendues qui ont été décimées par un incendie , et deci delà, on peut voir les eucalyptus qui commencent à reprendre le dessus. C’est une vision bien singulière que ces arbres avec leur aura de feuilles vertes…

Nous rêvions d’un bon repas chaud, de la viande, un verre de vin ou de cidre, et d’une nuit à Corinna, petite bourgade qui avait l’air bien sympa. Pas de bol, c’est complet, alors on reprend la route, on passe la rivière en barge, et on continue, sans trop savoir où on va pouvoir manger, et encore moins dormir. La pluie commence à tomber. Une petite bruine assez fraîche. Et toujours pas de coin fantastique pour la halte. On s’arrête à Zeehan, dans le pub du coin, un repas chaud, et bon, rien de spécial, mais ça fait du bien. On reprend la route alors que le crépuscule s’installe, et on va jusqu’à la côte, au  petit village de Trial Harbour, un village sans prétention, pas d’eau courante, pas électricité, et pourtant un village très accueillant, très propre, un petit coin de paradis, avec une petite aire de camping juste en bord de mer.

Les tentes sont très rapidement plantées, et on peut alors apprécier un magnifique coucher de soleil.

 

Here is the full Gallery.

Flowers, Forest, Landscape, Nature, Plants, River, Tasmania, Travel |

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Rainforest

DSC0590316 January 2017 (suite)

After this morning spent by the shore, in a very mineral world, we go a bit ore inland, and make contact with Tasmanian amazing rainforest.

We have just a bit of time, after planting our tents, to go for a short walk in the surrounding forest. It is quite magical, and SO different from the morning experience. To start, there is very little noice. A few birds here and there, and the rustle of leaves, but it is very mute compare to the roaring of those waves crashing with violence. Then the colors, no more blues, the sky is hidden under the thick canopy, it’s green all around, and brown for the earth. Luxuriant vibrant greens. It’s alive, everywhere, trees, alive and well, outgrowing each other. The lines are vertical as opposed to horizontal.

But it is just as fantastic and captivating!

PS: this flower is a Leatherwood flower, from which the delicious Leatherwood Honey is produced!

Here is the full Gallery

Après cette matinée passée sur la côte, nous plongeons vers l’intérieur des terres pour notre premier contact avec la luxuriante forêt de Tasmanie.

Nous avons juste le temps, après avoir planté nos tentes, d’aller faire une petite marche dans la forêt qui nous entoure. C’est assez magique, et c’est si différent de l’expérience du matin! Pour commencer, il n’y a que très peu de bruits. Des oiseaux ici et là, et le bruissement des feuilles, mais le son est assourdi par le couvert végétal, bien loin du grondement incessant de ces vagues qui s’éclatent sans cesse. Et puis les couleurs, plus de bleus, le ciel est caché par un écran végétal, c’est le royaume du vert, du vert partout dans toutes ses déclinaisons. C’est la vie, de partout, les arbres vivent et essayent de se surpasser. Les lignes sont verticales, non plus horizontales.

Mais c’est tout aussi fantastique et captivant!

PS: cette fleur est une fleur de Leatherwood, à l’origine du miel de Leatherwood!