Camping at Lake Hibarako

This weekend a group of us went camping at Lake Hibarako. It’s a lake near Inawashiro and was one of the lakes created when Mt. Bandai erupted in 1888. It was really scenic but unfortunately I forgot my camera, so the only photos I have are from friends that went and I didn’t manage to get in any of them.

There were about 15 of us altogether. (Me, Will, Brian, Geoff, Marchell, Steff, Tracey, Paul, Becca, Desiree and a few other people I didn’t know.) We only spent the Saturday night there but turned up quite early on Saturday morning. It was all arranged by Marchell (A crazy Kiwi JET). He had booked a great little campsite right on the lake. When we got there we set up the tents and just chilled out. We played a bit of Hakki-sack and Frisbee as more people started arriving. Marchell had bought a guitar so Paul and I were playing a few tunes. It was all very relaxed and a really beautiful place.

Our camp setup:

We were only about 20 metres from the lake

The night drew in pretty quickly and we got the fires going. Marchell, Paul and Desiree were demonstrating some fire poi which was quite impressive. Although the weather was really nice during the day it got a bit cold in the evening and when the campsite owner brought a huge pan of oden (Japanese stew) down it was much appreciated. We sat around the campfire, chatting and drinking until we headed to the tents gradually in the night.

The lake as the night drew in.

Paul on the guitar.

Marchell, Geoff, Will and Paul sorting out the food

Geoff, Becca and Paul round the fire

Marchell serving up the oden

Paul showing some fire poi!

Desiree on the fire poi!

The next day we had free use of the campsites Canoes, boats, and mountain bikes, so we all made use of them. Geoff and I took a canoe out for a couple of hours and went all round the lake. It was really beautiful as all the leaves were in full autumn colours. After this me and Becca took a couple of the bikes for a bit of a ride. We headed to the five coloured lakes which looked amazing. The lakes are called the five colour lakes because each one is a different shade of blue/green/turquoise because of the level of minerals in them due to the eruption. I was really disappointed not to have my camera with me to take some photos of this, but hopefully I will return another time.

Brian, Marchell and some guy I don't know on a boat with the colouful trees

I got home quite late and quite tired on Sunday night, but it was a really nice weekend and made me determined to get out and do more in the country side when the spring and summer comes round!