Day 4 - Nagasaki to Unzen

On paper this day looked to be the toughest day of cycling and it certainly proved to be the case.  The climb out of Nagasaki wasn't as onerous as expected but it was the coolest day so far with light rain.  The combination had us both reaching for our jackets as we cleared the tunnel at the top of the climb.

Our route, hugging the coastline as much as possible, was really pleasant cycling despite the conditions.  The steepness of the coastline meant the road periodically ducked back inland to get around headlands where the road didn't pass.

You will notice a dead end loop in the route at about the 25km mark.  Do not follow this part of the route.  The routing software I used seems too heavily weighted in favour of avoiding major roads at the expense of sending us up a steep climb on unmade roads that deteriorated to a washed out track with stones the size of your fist leading to a dead end at a solar farm.  Trust me, the 500m section on the main road before you can exit on to quieter streets is preferable.

Unfortunately the Lotus Gardens were not open when we went through but would be spectacular in season.  Just past there the route uses a road beside the sea wall which is great, flat and picturesque riding.  The stacks of rubbish washed up by the Typhoon forced us to walk some sections but still better than the main road some 100m above us.  

The final climb up into Unzen is a total climb of 12kms.  The road surface is excellent and there is good width making it a good ride if somewhat steep in sections.  There is no doubt I found the cycling a challenge but this was one of the standout days of the tour.

Route

Stay and Eat

Unzen Fukudaya lived up to its promise as the reward at the end of the climb.  It was our splurge accommodation for the trip.  The staff were very welcoming to the point of storing our bikes in the foyer of their beautiful Ryokan.  The evening meal and breakfast were both superb.  After a much needed soak in the onsen we were restored and ready to face a new day.

We stopped for lunch at Rokubeichaya for a bowl of udon to fortify us for the climb.  The food was good and well located for a lunch stop.