The forecast for the next day was sunny in the morning followed by a passing shower, then clear. So armed with a splendid map of the Beppu Olle course and a One Day Beppu Bus Pass we set out early, planning to walk the olle course in the morning and see the famous Beppu Jigoku, bubbling hot springs, in the afternoon.
However, it started raining as we headed to catch the bus at the station and the next 6 hours were a fierce battle between rain, wind and sun, with wind and sun finally winning in the late afternoon. Oh, and a few pieces of sleet were in the action for a minute or two. Good thing we brought our umbrellas for the "passing shower".
Overall we liked Beppu: great transport, water views, hot springs, and olle course.
Gotta like a town where the traffic policeman bows and waves to passing cars on the morning commute. "Thanks for driving safe!"
On the bus ride to the olle course we see steam rising out of the ground.
We started the olle course at 600 m.a.s.l. in an area featuring a newly completed solar farm. Of course a solar farm will be exposed to the elements and we were pretty wet by the time we reached the mushroom farm in the far trees.
Walking through the tall grass and bamboo gave some respite from the wind. Even then, Sun-Ling's umbrella survived several inversions. In this pic SL has a bit of a shadow as the sun seemed to be gaining the upper hand.
Gate to keep out wild boar.
For 2 or 3 hours it was raining while the sun was shining - a real battle.
Soaked but in good spirits. Really.
We briefly stopped for a rest at a Shinto shrine surrounded by these huge trees, not worrying if we were breaking protocols by sitting on the shrine steps and eating.
Oh crap! The olle course has us going across this lake. Wait, it's actually a gravel parking lot with lots of moss.
9 of 12 kms finished as we hit the paved road at Lake Kagurame.
How about the water action on this leaf-cover trail?
Different setup for this mushroom farm.
Finally the sun seems to be winning.....
...or is the wind winning as we reach Shidakako Lake. Video.
Video link here.
GPS track.
After a hot coffee at the Shidakako Lake visitor center, we hurry back to the solar farm and the bus down to Beppu.
At the station, we immediately transfer to a bus headed out to the famous Beppu Hells (Jigoku) ie bubbling hot springs. There are a bunch of Jigoku; we picked one, Umi, that is known for its blue waters.
The Jigoku are very popular.
Basket of hard boiled eggs.
Video.
Video link here.
At Umi there is also a greenhouse heated by hot water.
And a brown bubbling spring.
As we had a one-day bus pass, we hopped on a bus to the viewpoint. Very cold and windy up there.
Down at the Beppu Harbour students make things ship shape.
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