Nijino Falls

This morning I decided on visiting a waterfall that was about an hour's drive away from my house. So I charged up all the batteries, packed my bag, and headed out in the trusty rental car. After driving for an hour I end up on this very small winding road going up the side of a mountain.

Good old Google maps was showing that I was nearing my destination but the road was showing no signs of getting anywhere near a parking lot. It was still just a single very narrow road just barely wide enough to get one car up there.

Getting closer to the red dot on the screen and I spot a car pulled off to the side of the road resting on a ledge that drops off to a pretty steep drop. As I pass this car I see that there is a sign up on the side of the road that may be a clue as to where this waterfall was.

Nijino Falls

I see this sign and it's now that I know that I am at the right place.  The problem is, there was nowhere to park. I drive on a bit to see if there's a parking spot a little further up the road. Nope, still more of the same narrow road but now it's driving through a small village.

I managed to find a spot to turn around and head back towards where I now know there is a waterfall. Luckily for me, the car that I spotted earlier was leaving so I now had a spot to park the car.

After parking the car and grabbing my gear I walked towards the sign I had seen earlier. The waterfall was about a 10-metre walk down a slightly steep track and then you end up right where the photo above was taken. 

 Nijino Falls

So here I was enjoying my peaceful time just warming up to the place and starting to really look for compositions and I started feeling this tapping on my back. It kind of felt like leaves or sticks falling onto my backpack.  So I turn around and see a few hornets.

Then I felt that tapping thing on my back again and I turned around to see another hornet. Needless to say, I grabbed my tripod and camera and got out of there.  

I'll go back again when it's a bit colder and hopefully, those little angry buggers won't be there!