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"With perseverance, we will arrive at our destinations"
-pagnapagna
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Please let us practice the LNT (Leave No Trace) outdoor ethics/principles when going to these nature places.
Manage our waste products properly (pack it in, pack it out), don't leave your trash. Let us not vandalize/write/etch on its rock surfaces as well as on trees. Be respectful of the community's culture and traditions.
If you find this story/blogpost interesting and/or had helped you in any way (in your researches, works, travels, blogs, adventures, homeworks at school, a personal project and more), I'd like to hear a word or two from wonderful people like you or simply Like "pagnapagna" in Facebook. I'd be very thankful. It gives me inspirations. Cheers!
-my pagnapagna-
(June 28, 2017 a Wednesday)
Yes! The tricycle bound for the municipality of Santol is finally departing! That was after we waited for two more passengers to fill its seats at Balaoan, La Union.
After around 20 minutes travel, we arrived at downtown Santol. Paid a 20 pesos fare as I alighted near the Municipal Hall (8:21 am). I went inside into the second floor to meet the Municipal Tourism Officer who was Sir Gerone Navaera. He gladly accommodated me and offered me to visit the Lengsad Falls (I was supposed to see another cascade). I agreed to give this one a try.
With the same guide as I was with when I visited Puy-ocan Falls, on his motorbike, we departed downtown (8:53 am) taking the road going up to the mountains and down to Barangay Tubaday. After more than an hour of travel, "Cesar" the guide (he also works with the Municipal Tourism office), decided to stop and park his motorbike at a waiting shed near the Tubaday Barangay Health Station. From there, we started walking along that generally descending one-lane earth road. There were only few houses and mountainside farms along the way. The road turned into trail that crossed the stream wherein at its far end will be the Lengsad Falls. The trail continued to go down until we arrived at a lone hut which was a "sari-sari" store (10:50 am). We had a snack of sodas and pancakes. Yes pancakes, I was surprised.
The Amburayan river can be seen farther down as well as the the hanging footbridge that goes to the other side which must be the municipality of Sugpon, Ilocos Sur.
The Amburayan river can be seen farther down as well as the the hanging footbridge that goes to the other side which must be the municipality of Sugpon, Ilocos Sur.
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| The Amburayan river |
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| Crossing the Amburayan river was a pedestrian hanging bridge and at its other end was a waiting shed. |
We continued going down to the Amburayan river and walked along its stone carpeted river banks. Although, we had some difficulty climbing on an inclined rock surface just to pass through that area where the river bend made a pool area that there were no river banks to walk on, we made it safely to where the stream from the falls meets the river but the waterfalls was not yet in sight. We hopped from rock to rock and climbed some boulders going upstream. Making things worst, it began to drizzle. The waterfalls can now be partly seen whose base were blocked in view by large boulders that must have been fallen few months or years ago. We lingered there for a while and had some few videos and photographs thinking that it was the turning point of our travel.
Since I was not contented of looking at the waterfalls partly, after that difficult trail we had been through and the drizzle seemed to have stopped, I contemplated. I looked at "Cesar" and said "intan dyay ngatu" (let's go up). So we went up further. "Cesar" was a great help leading the way and pulling me up.
The sun showed up again as we were on those large boulders. I noticed that even the large boulders (two storeys high) on the ground have visible cracks, so anytime it will break and fall.
Although, a little of the side view, there it was the Lengsad falls plunging to its deep overflowing bowl (11:56 am).
Since it began to get gloomy again, after just few minutes of taking videos and photos, we headed back (12:02 noon). It rained when we were at the inclined stone surface at the river bend area and all throughout our way to the sari-sari store above. At the store (1:00 pm), we took shelter from the heavy downpour and rested. It was great that they have hot coffee (made from locally grown coffee) available from a thermos.
Shortly, the rain had ceased and it was time to leave (1:27 pm). But I have to get myself a hiking pole courtesy of the store owner (many thanks!). Slowly but surely, I really trailed behind. Up and up and all up we walked. Along the way, it rained again as we continued to make it to the waiting shed above (2:02 pm). A little rest and we moved on again (2:09 pm). As I made my strides, I felt my thigh muscles begun to stiffen. Yes, I had legs cramps. It slowed me down and many times I had to stop. But I had to keep on moving even in a very slow uphill pace.
It was nice, the rain also had stopped.
Through perseverance, I made it to the waiting shed (3:29 pm) where the motorbike was parked at the nearby Tubaday Barangay Health Station.
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| The Tubaday Barangay Health Station |
After resting for a while and noticed that my cramps had ceased, we rode on the motorbike and left.
At some point along the way, "Cesar" had to stop to relax his feet having cramps.
We made it to downtown Santol (4:20 pm) and we parted ways.
I rode a tricycle bound for nearby town of Balaoan and from there, rode a bus and I was bound for Home Sweet Home.
-end of pagnapagna-
Many Thanks to:
Sir Gerone Navaera
Municipal Tourism Officer
LGU Santol, La Union
& Cesar Corpuz
For Other Posts:
Along the way video clips
Correction in the video: Lengsad Falls and not Linsad
Lengsad Falls Video Clips
Correction in the video: Lengsad Falls and not Linsad
From Manila, ride a bus bound for any of these North western Luzon places: Laoag City-Ilocos Norte, Vigan City- Ilocos Sur, Candon City-Ilocos Sur and Bangued-Abra but you have to get down at the town of Balaoan (two more towns after San Fernando City) in the province of La Union.
At Balaoan, take a tricycle ride going to Santol. Their parking area is located somewhere in-between the Church and the Public Market.
At Santol town proper, look for their Tourism officer at their Municipal Hall or Santol Tourism & Investment Promotion Center, 2nd floor STIPC Building (near the Public Market) and ask for assistance (Hotline: 072-6030154).
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At Balaoan, take a tricycle ride going to Santol. Their parking area is located somewhere in-between the Church and the Public Market.
At Santol town proper, look for their Tourism officer at their Municipal Hall or Santol Tourism & Investment Promotion Center, 2nd floor STIPC Building (near the Public Market) and ask for assistance (Hotline: 072-6030154).
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