Kyushu Olle Reihoku Course

Today I left early to walk the last one of the Olle courses that I hadn't walked yet for the stamp rally. Leaving my house at 5:40 I got to the Kuchinotsu ferry terminal at 7:45, 45 minutes early for the next ferry. To cross with a regular car up to 4 meters including the driver will cost 2280 yen but it's more convenient than crossing from Mogi, where you pay almost the same but can't take your car. From Oniike on the other side it's about 20-25 minutes to Reihoku. I first dropped off my bike at the finish before I moved to the start at Tomioka port. This is actually the third time I walk this course. From the port I start my way up to the castle at around 9:40. The weather is beautiful. Not too hot like last time in July. After getting some of the local sweets I finally get to the stone beach. I ignored the detour sign that was there, which I would regret later ;). The beach is always hard to walk because the stones keep moving when stepping on them. Nothing seems to be wrong until I get to the area where you usually leave the beach again and climb up to a funeral home. The exit has disappeared! Probably a big wave has destroyed the slope climbing the cliff, that use to be there. Ah! What to do now? I don't want to walk all the way back so I decided to just climb the dune/cliff that is overgrown with plants and push myself through the bushes up the steep slope to get to the top. Covered in sand, and plants I get to the top to continue my way to the finish where my bike is. Just before the finish the ribbons confuse me and I took a wrong turn, cutting off a little bit of the course apparently. But after the 'happening' on the beach I didn't want to go back anymore. From the onsen I then had to cycle my way 4.2km back to my car. With plenty of time left before the 14:45 ferry I dropped in at several souvenir shops and I visited a small island, that I read makes salt. Unfortunately I couldn't find the salt producer, but there was a public bath that serves food and sells omiyage in the center of the small island. I bought Amakusa ice cream and took a look at the omiyage before I drove back to the terminal to catch the ferry.