La Marie to La Peyre - A hike in solitude

I'm not sewing these days - I'm hiking. :)

The last days have been perfect; blue sky, sun and suitable temperature for a Viking.

If you have read my previous post, you'll know we like to hike and explore new areas. Four days of "recovering" from the Black River Gorges hike, we set out for another hike. We had two areas in mind; Tamarind Falls (bus to Henrietta) or Mare aux Vacoas (bus to La Marie). On the way to the bus stand, we decided to jump into the first bus that goes to either of these places. La Marie (Mare aux Vacoas) won! :)

This is the part of the island where there are no buses running. To enter the Mare aux Vacoas area without car, one has to take the bus to La Marie and walk the 2,2km/1.3 miles to the lake.

Mare aux Vacoas is the largest lake/reservoir in the country - 600 meters/1968 feet above sea level.

After studying the map, our plan was to hike around the lake, but it turned out something else. While hubby was asking a couple of guys (workers, cleaning the road sides), I was busy admiring the gorgeous ferns.

From the workers we got to know it is impossible to circle the lake; big rivers and marshland; impossible to cross, for not to talk about the wild boars! Well, I have read somewhere Mauritians are very helpful (they are!), but it happens they tell a story instead of telling the truth - if they don't know.....

(No offense to my Mauritian readers!)

A couple of hundred meters down the road, we met a gardener at a visitor center (La Sophie Nature Walk). He could tell it is possible to circle the lake by following the bigger trails. He could also tell us he used to walk a lot in the area when he was younger - a guy to be trusted.

"Village Weavers" and their nests. Are you able to spot some yellows in the palm? Sorry no close up, my camera is not good enough for that. By clicking on the link, you'll see a much better photo.

"Village Weaver's" amazing nests.

Agriculture; small cabbage plants.

Road signs for hikers are scarce, we had to ask a third person for the trail leading in to the area. The road leads to Domaine des 7 Vallees - a so called "hunting paradise"! We met the owner on the way; asking us where we are going... Fortunate - yes, I say fortunate - because so many wonderful areas on the island are private and one need permission to enter... We didn't need any permission to go through the forest!

The forest covers an area of 4000 hectares, where more than 2500 Java deers and wild boars live freely.

Since I'm against mass-tourism, I love the idea of Eco-tourism, which is created in Domaine des 7 Vallees. We didn't visit the Domaine, where the reception etc are located. On the way through the park, we came to this place; idyllic little lake with a picnic area and one of the cottages one can rent.

An enormous bunch of bamboos! I didn't know it is bamboos before I had a closer look. :)

It was just after the Riviere Sitron (Lemon River), where this little lake is located, we should have taken a left fork (I believe), instead of doing the straight trail, to circle Mare aux Vacoas. Lack of road signs made us miss the right direction. It didn't really matter; after a wonderful nature walk of approx 15 km/9.3 miles, in tranquility and solitude, we ended up at La Peyre - not far from Curepipe and Nouvelle France! :)

We didn't spot any deer or wild boars - not even BIG rivers or marshland - lol! The nearest we came, were tracks of deer,  defecation from a deer and "something" that might have been a deer, moving in the forest - we just heard the sound of "something".

There are different ways to attract tourists; gorgeous beaches, now the latest; Eco-tourism, hunting etc. I have nothing against Eco-tourism either, but.... when there are hardly no areas on the island left for the locals; then I'm against any kind of tourism! To say it in one sentence; the island is sold to foreigners; all in the name of tourism/Eco-tourism!

***************

It's the weekend! 

After lack of inspiration to sew over the last week, my intension for the next couple of days is to finish a few projects. I think I'll have to reset my brain from wonderful hikes into more creativity! :) The only thing I've done this week - craftwise - is to finish a bag (Christmas gift).

Wishing you all a CRAFTY WEEKEND!