Turning off the 1089 east of Thaton, through the village of Mork Cham (which had a sign for local weaving, but no sign of any action) you pass the wonderful Shan temple before crossing the Kok river bridge and heading on up towards Wawi. Before the Lao Lee Resort you take the turn off signposted for Doi Gart Phi.
A few klms past the village (missed the name) you take a sharp right up a steep road to the top of the mountain. It is signposted Doi Gart Phi Forest park.
It was a clear day and the views were superb.
I stopped at the main camp site area. There was a French couple on a small bike and a Thai guy on a Versys, all camping for the night. But I continued on up the mountain. Found the perfect spot behind a sala, at an altitude of 1320m. No-one else there and I had a 180 degree vista from here and slung the hammock. Wow..... what a location to camp. Very special indeed. Right on the edge of the mountain.
The full moon rising in the northeast.....
.... and the sun setting in the southwest.
I could make out the distinct shape of the lopsided lump of Doi Wiang Pha about 45klms away to the southwest, the pointy peaks of Doi Angkhang about 50klms away to westsouthwest and the huge mound of Doi Pahahampok aboout 40klms away to the westnorthwest. I could also see Doi Mae Salong northnortheast.
It was a cold night with a steady breeze and my toes never got warm. I'll take my sheepskin slippers to wear inside the sleeping bag, next trip. I have also ordered some chemical packet toe warmers, which sound a nice a idea...
But it was amazing to be lying inside the sleeping bag in the hammock, looking through the mozzie mesh down into the lights of the valley below. No mozzies up there, but the mesh does stop the wind. With the full moon, I could make out the Lao Lee resort close by and across a few mountain ridges, I could see the lights of Fang and Mae Ai in the wide flat valley in front of Pahampok.
The next morning.... In the full panoramic vista, I could see the moon setting over Pahampok and the sun rising in the northeast.
Stunning!!
We also had the Talay Hmork in the valleys below, although not so thick. Perhaps not quite cold enough for thick fog.
The main camp site is the flat cleared area on the ridge.
A "room" with a view.....
Dinner had been a failure, trying to steam ready meals over a small billycan in cold weather, just doesn't work.... Breakfast of tea and pot noodles was an improvement..... Hey, you don't go camping for culinary delights....
After breaking camp, I headed northeast out on the trail across to the Kok river.
A beautiful crisp morning.
There seem a lot of villages, mainly Akha I believe, in the Lam Nam Kok NP and hence a lot of farming, but it's a lovely area, due to the shapes pf the mountains.
After an hour or so of steep ups and downs I reached the river.
Following the south bank, heading southeast.
Good to see some people have not forgotten the traditional ways; a new bamboo walled house being built on wooden piles.
A new bridge over a tributary.
Well, the old bridge had seen better days....
I rode past the old motorcycle bridge, the Bamboo Nest and Akha Hill house entrance tracks, stopped to warm the toes in the hot spring opposite Ruam Mitr and then lunch at the little restaurant by the new concrete bridge.
To finish a wonderful little camping trip and ride, I had to call in to Joakim's cafe on the Kok river, the Chivit Thamadda, best restaurant in Chiang Rai, without a doubt.
Great coffee, fresh hot scones, home made strawberry jam and clotted cream........ Superb.
But the search for Talay Hmork will continue........
A few klms past the village (missed the name) you take a sharp right up a steep road to the top of the mountain. It is signposted Doi Gart Phi Forest park.
It was a clear day and the views were superb.
I stopped at the main camp site area. There was a French couple on a small bike and a Thai guy on a Versys, all camping for the night. But I continued on up the mountain. Found the perfect spot behind a sala, at an altitude of 1320m. No-one else there and I had a 180 degree vista from here and slung the hammock. Wow..... what a location to camp. Very special indeed. Right on the edge of the mountain.
The full moon rising in the northeast.....
.... and the sun setting in the southwest.
I could make out the distinct shape of the lopsided lump of Doi Wiang Pha about 45klms away to the southwest, the pointy peaks of Doi Angkhang about 50klms away to westsouthwest and the huge mound of Doi Pahahampok aboout 40klms away to the westnorthwest. I could also see Doi Mae Salong northnortheast.
It was a cold night with a steady breeze and my toes never got warm. I'll take my sheepskin slippers to wear inside the sleeping bag, next trip. I have also ordered some chemical packet toe warmers, which sound a nice a idea...
But it was amazing to be lying inside the sleeping bag in the hammock, looking through the mozzie mesh down into the lights of the valley below. No mozzies up there, but the mesh does stop the wind. With the full moon, I could make out the Lao Lee resort close by and across a few mountain ridges, I could see the lights of Fang and Mae Ai in the wide flat valley in front of Pahampok.
The next morning.... In the full panoramic vista, I could see the moon setting over Pahampok and the sun rising in the northeast.
Stunning!!
We also had the Talay Hmork in the valleys below, although not so thick. Perhaps not quite cold enough for thick fog.
The main camp site is the flat cleared area on the ridge.
A "room" with a view.....
Dinner had been a failure, trying to steam ready meals over a small billycan in cold weather, just doesn't work.... Breakfast of tea and pot noodles was an improvement..... Hey, you don't go camping for culinary delights....
After breaking camp, I headed northeast out on the trail across to the Kok river.
A beautiful crisp morning.
There seem a lot of villages, mainly Akha I believe, in the Lam Nam Kok NP and hence a lot of farming, but it's a lovely area, due to the shapes pf the mountains.
After an hour or so of steep ups and downs I reached the river.
Following the south bank, heading southeast.
Good to see some people have not forgotten the traditional ways; a new bamboo walled house being built on wooden piles.
A new bridge over a tributary.
Well, the old bridge had seen better days....
I rode past the old motorcycle bridge, the Bamboo Nest and Akha Hill house entrance tracks, stopped to warm the toes in the hot spring opposite Ruam Mitr and then lunch at the little restaurant by the new concrete bridge.
To finish a wonderful little camping trip and ride, I had to call in to Joakim's cafe on the Kok river, the Chivit Thamadda, best restaurant in Chiang Rai, without a doubt.
Great coffee, fresh hot scones, home made strawberry jam and clotted cream........ Superb.
But the search for Talay Hmork will continue........
