eyecatcher Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Does anyone want to join me on a hike up Doi Suthep on Sunday morning? Many people have gone up there on the road but my route takes you on the original Monks trail, through the forest. On the way we are likely to see many species of butterflies; red, blue and green dragonflies,locusts, crickets, armies of ants and termites, lizards, toads, giant millipedes, beetles, birds, novice Monks and maybe the forestry soldiers. We will walk the waterfalls and when you get to the top...THE DRINKS ARE ON ME!! cameras recommended; sturdy shoes/trainers; water; maybe a change of shirt, mossie repellant. Its not an easy climb, its a challenge but its manageable. Its not a race, it will be an experience you cant even buy in Chiang Mai. Meet at the very top of Suthep Road (outside the new Pun Pun Restaurant) about 09.00-09.15 and should be back for 12.30 Burning calories is a given.....try it just once and feel better for doing so. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I'd love at a crack at that next time I'm in Thailand. Sounds great fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softgeorge Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Love a good trek, can you hold off until 11 a.m dam_n son's piano lessons. Did Kakoda last April, that was a nice stroll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 (edited) Will you pay for the taxi back home? Edit for smiley. Edited November 1, 2012 by Semper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellodolly Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Would dearly love to do it but not physically able. Did I read you correctly up and down in three and a half hours. Is the trail clearly marked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MESmith Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Are you hiking to the summit or just the temple? I did the hike to the temple along the Monks trail with my 6 year old son, New Year's Day a couple of years ago. Emerged from the jungle trail just below the temple to mayhem. Tour buses, songteaws packed the road, exhaust fumes filled the air We turned around immediately & descended the way we'd come up. The trail itself was great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzed Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 sounds wonderful eyecatcher. do you do regular walks? this is something i look forward to when i finally retire to CM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooked Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Will you pay for the taxi back home? Edit for smiley. Ambulance in my case. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydman Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Hi Eyecatcher. If you do this again in Feb, i'd love to come along. I'll even buy the drinks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
femi fan Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 It sounds like a magnificent morning to take part in. But how can you walk all the way up, have some drinks up there, and then walk all the way down in three hours??! Will you be going pretty fast? Will thai females find it too hard? I mean on pace. Me and my wife have trekked in the annapurnas in nepal. I'd love to do this trek with you, but wonder about the pace? Where is the pun pun, on the left or right? Is it before the gate that leads up to the galare restaurant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyecatcher Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 Will you pay for the taxi back home? Edit for smiley. getting back is easy,downhill all the way, but if i pay the 40bt for the taxi you can pay tourown 20bt for the coke at the top...are you in ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyecatcher Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 Would dearly love to do it but not physically able. Did I read you correctly up and down in three and a half hours. Is the trail clearly marked. it will take about 90 mins leisurely (sweating) to get up, 45 minutes running down! but we will grab some nosh at the top, and some rest points aswell..I dont want any casualties....the trail has recently been cleared and marked ....the first half at least...(plans afoot to mark the 2nd half) ....but have to say if you are physically unable/ or physical disability then stay where you are to have a beer. not sure if you are surprised at the time...I used to do the road walk from Huay Kaew, it was 30kms there and back and took me almost 5 hours.....this route burn same calories and still ahve time to go to the gym Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyecatcher Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 It sounds like a magnificent morning to take part in. But how can you walk all the way up, have some drinks up there, and then walk all the way down in three hours??! Will you be going pretty fast? Will thai females find it too hard? I mean on pace. Me and my wife have trekked in the annapurnas in nepal. I'd love to do this trek with you, but wonder about the pace? Where is the pun pun, on the left or right? Is it before the gate that leads up to the galare restaurant? it is great, but as i said not easy, my g/f tried it last week, but she never walked before (do they ever?) she managed the pleasant stroll to the monastery and followed the route back which takes an hour or so. its not a race, its a slow pace, there is lots to see if you keep your eyes and ears open. I found this route only 14 days ago, and i climb it now every morning. I am not fast, I am not even fit, but last week i was fat f*****r now I am not. I anticipate a slow pace will take us 80/90 to get to the temple area. Yes pun pun is the last restaurant on the left, the road ahead leads to Galare.royal project....we will head to the right 1km before starting. Come along, doesnt matter if there are 2 or 3 of us. change your life and SAY YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyecatcher Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 Hi Eyecatcher. If you do this again in Feb, i'd love to come along. I'll even buy the drinks In feb i will have advanced somewhat and be asking people to join me up kilimanjaro.....looks like its another trek alone then hahhaah....if I upped the offer to free beer, ...and then cheese on toast.....and perhaps a battered sausage.....come on guys I dont want to fork out for a hill tribe girl aswell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobin Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 unfortunately can not make it, but would be interested to know where the start point for this is so I can do the walk when am free. can please post some information on that? Lat and long for the start point so that i can plug into google maps would be good ? many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Will you pay for the taxi back home? Edit for smiley. getting back is easy,downhill all the way, but if i pay the 40bt for the taxi you can pay tourown 20bt for the coke at the top...are you in ??? Coke! Are you serious, I was thinking alcoholic beverages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junglechef Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 What new Pun Pun restaurant? The guys who have a healthy restaurant the other temple? (Sorry if I'm taming your post a little off track) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joop50 Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 (edited) What new Pun Pun restaurant? The guys who have a healthy restaurant the other temple? (Sorry if I'm taming your post a little off track) Ok I'm in. Need lo loose some pounds (better kilo's). Another Pun Pun? Edited November 2, 2012 by Joop50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
femi fan Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 It sounds like a magnificent morning to take part in. But how can you walk all the way up, have some drinks up there, and then walk all the way down in three hours??! Will you be going pretty fast? Will thai females find it too hard? I mean on pace. Me and my wife have trekked in the annapurnas in nepal. I'd love to do this trek with you, but wonder about the pace? Where is the pun pun, on the left or right? Is it before the gate that leads up to the galare restaurant? it is great, but as i said not easy, my g/f tried it last week, but she never walked before (do they ever?) she managed the pleasant stroll to the monastery and followed the route back which takes an hour or so. its not a race, its a slow pace, there is lots to see if you keep your eyes and ears open. I found this route only 14 days ago, and i climb it now every morning. I am not fast, I am not even fit, but last week i was fat f*****r now I am not. I anticipate a slow pace will take us 80/90 to get to the temple area. Yes pun pun is the last restaurant on the left, the road ahead leads to Galare.royal project....we will head to the right 1km before starting. Come along, doesnt matter if there are 2 or 3 of us. change your life and SAY YES Sorry to be a bit dogmatic, but i assume the pun pun is on the left before one goes through the gates that lead up to the galare? I'm really keen on making this, and if i can't persuade my wife to come with me am almost certain i will come along on my own. I love walking. One way i might be able to persuade her is if we are in forest cover a lot, out of the sun, is that the case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRed Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Free beer and a nosh at the top how can one refuse...wish i was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naboo Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 If I'm out of bed at 8, I am in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMMCB Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Hi potential hikers, There are dozens of lovely walks on the Doi Suthep - Doi Pui range, many starting low down from various Western edges of town. But regular hikers hardly ever see anybody else up there. It's a real shame. On the edge of Seoul is the busiest national park in the world, with millions going up there every year. I hope Doi Suthep doesn't get quite like that but it would be nice to see more people appreciating the nature on their doorstep. The Pilgrims Trail is a very good one to start with. It was the main way up the mountain to the temple until the road was completed in 1935. It starts at the Channel 7 transmitter gate, past the Wat Fai Hin gate and the CM Zoo rear gate, at about 445m amsl and the first section, about 2kms up to Wat Palad (600m amsl), takes only about 30 minutes along a lovely shady path (a bit stony at first). Beginners might want to return from there the first time. The trail then gets steeper up from Wat Palad and crosses the main road (the trail is a bit tricky to follow at this point up to the crash barrier), then taking another 2 kms or so up to the big bend in the road (with billboard) just below Wat Doi Suthep (c. 1,000m amsl). So that's a four to five km walk each way, up 650m (and down again, unless you use a songtaew or ambulance), through the forest instead of a 12km drive on a fume-filled road. I'd say many would take up to 90 mins to walk up and about an hour back down. See you on the hill. CMMCB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semper Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 change your life and SAY YES Are you by chance a former politician? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyecatcher Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 Hi potential hikers, There are dozens of lovely walks on the Doi Suthep - Doi Pui range, many starting low down from various Western edges of town. But regular hikers hardly ever see anybody else up there. It's a real shame. On the edge of Seoul is the busiest national park in the world, with millions going up there every year. I hope Doi Suthep doesn't get quite like that but it would be nice to see more people appreciating the nature on their doorstep. The Pilgrims Trail is a very good one to start with. It was the main way up the mountain to the temple until the road was completed in 1935. It starts at the Channel 7 transmitter gate, past the Wat Fai Hin gate and the CM Zoo rear gate, at about 445m amsl and the first section, about 2kms up to Wat Palad (600m amsl), takes only about 30 minutes along a lovely shady path (a bit stony at first). Beginners might want to return from there the first time. The trail then gets steeper up from Wat Palad and crosses the main road (the trail is a bit tricky to follow at this point up to the crash barrier), then taking another 2 kms or so up to the big bend in the road (with billboard) just below Wat Doi Suthep (c. 1,000m amsl). So that's a four to five km walk each way, up 650m (and down again, unless you use a songtaew or ambulance), through the forest instead of a 12km drive on a fume-filled road. I'd say many would take up to 90 mins to walk up and about an hour back down. See you on the hill. CMMCB thats spot on CMMCB, but its a tad more than that in total time....I do it every day, the fastest was 65 minutes, the slowest 90 mins and yes 1 hour to come down. In the last 2 weeks I have seen 2 other people on the climb to the top. The trail is now marked in 2 directions to Wat Paalaad, and these are now identifed with the orange flags. I will be orange flagging the climb from the wat Pallad to the top and also getting a few dozen "eyecatcher" directions signs made to fix to trees in the next few weeks. Today I managed to see two blue dragonflies mating....hahahahhaaa....now when did you last say something like that to your friends.....so does the female drag the male around backwards whilst flying OR does the male grab onto the females "tail" with its hands and give it some from underneath? .....T.V its the best!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyecatcher Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 And the answer to the last question: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob8891 Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Sounds a great opportunity: I'd like to join in too. But sadly I'm another one who won't be in CM until February. Maybe all of us johnny-come-latelies can arrange another trek in Feb.... and if you're not bored with the route by then, Eyecatcher, maybe you can be the guide (beers on the walkers next time?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyL Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Huh? Isn't this the morning after the Thai Visa party at the Olde Bell? I know what I'll be doing on Sunday morning -- and it won't involve hiking. Sorry -- gonna pass on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gopi Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 This trail seems fantastic Please tell me if you ever go again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyecatcher Posted November 5, 2012 Author Share Posted November 5, 2012 This trail seems fantastic Please tell me if you ever go again we had a party of 4 set out on sunday morning; and pleased to say we all managed to win the fight with the mountain. not one of us was under 50 so a great achievement. not sure we lost many kilos between us but we sweated buckets for sure. A few people made spurious excuses like TV party for example....well we can do it again next sunday but if anyone wants to join me any other day, I go up to the top every morning, just pm me and we can set a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjo284 Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 HELLO eYE ITS SOUNDS GREAT WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A GO,BUT IM 58,not sure if i could do it. soory for caps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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