The light sticks to the mountainside as we weave deeper into the valley.
It's like we're magnetized, lured by the metals lying just below the surface. Miners made camp here in the 1950s, but now it is reforestation efforts contrasting the ochre soil that hold our gaze in the Blue River Forest Park. The scenery is from a motion-picture spectacular, preserved for viewing only when tickets allow. My ticket gives entry for just one day to glimpse rivers that you can drink from, earth that stains your fingers, and a bird that barks like a dog but cannot fly.
We’re shown around the park by Axelle Battie from Toutazimut – a guiding operator in the region. I relish her stories of long-distance hiking trails that cross the south of Grande Terre via pinnacles and peaks of the central mountain chain. An environment so different to hiking in NZ… much of the trails here are unmarked, unpaved and depends on locals to help navigate courses in unfamiliar territory. The locals New Caledonians are often hesitant to mark advanced trailheads as the steep influx of cruise tourism has led to many tackling trails beyond their means.
For us though, it’s sleeves rolled up, charging through the forest after Axelle in order to pack everything into one day. Hiking, kayaking the drowned forest, and topping it off with beers and baguettes by the river. We see mountain bikers emerging from black trail missions with mud-splattered faces and tales of near misses. There are adventures for everyone in this park and I vow to come back for extended camping exploration.
Arriving back at the Chateau Royal Beach Resort & Spa, I feast on fresh fillets of mahi-mahi before falling asleep with the abruptness of someone shot with sedatives.
Denne historien er fra August - September 2019-utgaven av Adventure Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August - September 2019-utgaven av Adventure Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Papua New Guinea
Four reasons to add Papua New Guinea to your bucket list
The benefits of being a Multi-Trick Pony
"A broad skill base and how you can draw from one platform to the next – women often pigeon hole themselves"
The RELUCTANT adventurer
An eighteen-year-old princess, who paints his (yes, his) nails and dyes his hair bleach blonde, embarking on an adventure trip with his family, sounds like a plot for a bad 80s movie.
The Meaning of Tramping
What does tramping mean to you?
Keala Kennelly owns Red Bull Magnitude
The North Shore season of 1957 is recognized in the surfing world as the start of an era. When Greg Noll, a young Mickey Munoz and company went out and rode Waimea for the first time, it was a glimpse of what could be in the world of big-wave surfing.
North West Circuit Stewart Island
I found myself in limbo during the winter of 2020, in between jobs in a strained covid economy. And so, I did what any outdoors person would do with a large amount of free time on their hands. It was time to pack up my belongings and hit the road. It was time to leave behind home comforts and go adventure-seeking.
Emilie's adventure to Angelus Hut
“I want to be the leader!” Miss Six announced, pushing past me in her determination to be in front. Momentarily off-balance with my heavy pack, I narrowly avoided twisting an ankle on the sharp rocks and silently swore while cracking a bright smile.
Nancy Jiang Breaking stereotypes
I recently watched a youtube movie entitled, “Her Way” (check it out on the Adventure Website) which introduced a woman who had an overwhelming passion for running. The preface at the bottom of the clip, read as follows:
Adversity at Altitude
The wind and snow is whipping at my face. I’ve readjusted the stiff frozen fleece buff around my neck and mouth, desperately trying to protect myself from the -20 degree bitter wind. Adrenaline is still pumping through my body but I know I’ll start to get cold soon.
Last Great Mountaineering Challenge
Ground-breaking mountaineer Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja MBE has attained an incredible new world record by submitting K2 as part of a collaborative team in the depths of winter. Until now, it was a record that was believed to be impossible to accomplish and was famously known as the ‘last great mountaineering challenge’.
