Would you dare go into the woods?
The photo above was taken in Lake Tufob. This wooden bridge is built in the middle of the lake. I have posted about this in a video I made.
This was part of our road trip last April with my brothers and cousins. It was the last leg of our trip and what a great place to end the tour.
Lake Tufob is located in Barlig, Mountain Province. It sits quietly on top of a mountain.
This was my second time to come here. The first time was with my family too. It's always a great experience coming here.
From the main road, it is a 10-minute hike but that could be more or less depending on your pacing. It's a steep climb especially the first few feet. The steps of mud and rocks can be slippery. Two guys were clearing the pathway actually when we were there and they were about to finish. They warmly greeted us. Such a warm welcome already.
I took these photos along the steps.
The tiny red ones are strikingly obvious amidst the greens. That's why it caught my attention.
Once you get to the landing, there's a hut which houses the rangers. There you are asked to register and pay a certain fee. If you notice in the background, my brothers were standing at the wash area where a faucet is provided there. The water is cool and refreshing.
This is the kitchen of the rangers' hut. It is very tempting to just spend a cup of coffee there and swap stories. This is very reminiscent of my grandparents' houses both on my parents' side especially my father's side. The house still stands but no one lives there anymore. The last time our brothers together with my cousins went there, things are falling apart. Even the neighbors left their houses too and preferred to stay below the mountain where they don't have to climb up. They are old people and age caught up with them.
The house of my grandparents have a kitchen where one can cook using firewood. You still can see houses like that and it's very nostalgic and homey.
From the hut, it's just a few meters away to the lake.
There used to be a hut here the last time where one can build a fire and probably camp.
I guess it's not that readable but engraved in that fish-like sign post is "No Fishing." I find it ironic that that was engraved on a fish.
At the far edge of the lake, there used to be several huts there as well. I wonder what happened to them. I forgot to ask the ranger.
What is striking is the silence. It hits you right away. While yes there is peace and quite, there is calmness, it is uncomfortable.
For someone who has been used to man-made noises and sounds 24/7, this is unsettling to hear nothing but nature. The gloomy sky is not helping with that uneasy feeling. I have to admit, I have to keep going back here for me to get used to this what I call natural void.
We were the only ones there but I feel like I am being watched but in a good kind of way. The fairy stories that I grew up reading and the movies about entities like the guardians of nature, came flooding back to my senses that I wanted to shout, "Show yourselves!" I actually did that mentally, like channeling my energy to the deities out there. Maybe the Lady of the Lake?
I may have felt something but I didn't entertain it. It's just a feeling but it's not that strong I guess or maybe because I didn't dwell on it.
We then walked toward the bridge that still stands in the middle of the lake.
Some of our companions were already there. In the middle of this wooden, rickety bridge is a seating area where you can maximize your experience - sitting in the midst of nature, soaking it in, absorbing all this natural-ness around you.
My cousin was ahead of me and on the way to the bridge, he stepped in a soft mud and his shoe got stuck.
It's like the lake is saying, no unnatural stuff here or else I'll gobble it up. Or maybe it is saying to take off your shoes and start grounding. Feel the earth with your feet.
I took more photos of the bridge. I wanted to capture more of the bridge but I just can't figure out what I wanted to capture.
A closer look at the seating area. One of our companions was interested with the boat that was there to which the attention of the others were focused on.
It took a while for him to figure out how to get in the boat and get the boat into the water. He was baffled but we were not that ready to help until he finally figured it out. What supportive bunch we were, no? We did cheer him on when he finally figured things out.
He admitted that he was scared that the boat will flip so he rowed every so slowly for a short distance.
Here are a few photos of the bridge.
One has to be careful and be sure of each step because some of these planks are loose and rotten. I don't think that is going to last for long. I hope the next time we visit, a new bridge is in its place.
We could have stayed a little longer but it started to rain.
This is on one of the bridge. They made a path of wood that stretches for a few feet.
I managed to take some photos along the way as we were leaving.
I walked to a path that takes you to another hut up the hill. I can see what believe was a cafe but it was closed. I would have explored it more had I the time.
So I focused on taking photos on the path that connects me to the path that would lead us to where we came from.
I see this kind of wild flower that grows around here too especially in trails that I frequent.
This last photo gave me an under the sea kind of vibe. I like the color of that little fellow in the middle.
I did notice some poops there and the ranger said it must have been from the deer the usually come by the lake. He said if we could stay a little longer, we could be lucky to see some. Unfortunately, it's not meant to be. We had to hurry for the rain was getting stronger by the second.
As we were going down the steps, a group was coming up. Unfortunately for them, the rain already arrived and we had to run the rest of the steps to our vehicle. A few minutes more and we would have been soaked. Surprisingly, midway down the winding road of Barlig, there is no rain. Everything is dry. Maybe the guardians of the forests of Barlig didn't want us to leave.
There will be a next time.