栃木県盲腸線サイクリング第2弾はJR日光線になります。宇都宮から日光までの40㎞くらいの路線ですが、宇都宮鹿沼間は地元の通学・通勤客も多く鹿沼を超えると、観光客が多い路線でもあります。スタートは日光駅。国の重要文化財にも指定されている駅舎はいつ来ても素晴らしいです。町からは、男体山をはじめ日光の山々を見ることができます。
せっかく日光まで来たので、近くの神橋まで行き、そこから一気に山下りと行きます。神橋をでて、最初のポイントが日光だいや公園。大谷川沿いにある公園で、キャンプ場などもある大きな公園です。日光杉並木公園を抜け、ホウトク二宮神社に参拝をし、鹿沼市内まで一気に走ります。
今市から鹿沼までは約20kmほどありますが、緩やかな下りで、この区間の5㎞のタイムが約11分(時速27㎞)出ており、意外と近いというのが感想です。ただし、景色がいいわけではなく、田舎道を延々と走るだけになります。コンビニを探すのも苦労するので、今市で事前に調達は済ませましょう。
鹿沼市街は今宮神社にお参りをし、まちの駅新・鹿沼宿で休憩をとって、一気に宇都宮駅まで向かいました。この区間は、信号も多く結構だるいです。JRや東武を使って、戻るのもありかもしれません。
JR日光駅(10分)→神橋(15分)→日光だいや川公園(10分)→日光杉並木(10分)→道の駅日光ニコニコ街道日光本陣(60分)→まちの駅新・鹿沼宿(60分)→JR宇都宮駅
走行距離 48㎞
走行時間 3時間10分(うち移動時間2時間35分)
トータル時間 4時間15分
The second Tochigi Cycling will be JR Nikko Line. The route from Utsunomiya to Nikko is about 40 km, but there are many local students and commuter passengers between Utsunomiya and Kanuma, and when it exceeds Kanuma, it is also a route with many tourists. The start is Nikko station. The station building, which has been designated as a national important cultural property, is always wonderful. From the town, you can see the mountains of Nikko, including Mt. Nantai.
Since I came to Nikko, I went to the nearby Shinkyo Bridge, and from there I went down the mountain at once. After leaving Shinkyo, the first point is Nikko Daiyagawa Park. It is a park along the Daiya River and is a large park with a campsite. After passing through Nikko Cedar Avenue of Nikko Park, visit Houtoku Ninomiya Shrine and drive to Kanuma City at once.
It is about 20km from Imaichi to Kanuma, but it is a gentle descent, and the time of 5km in this section is about 11 minutes (27km / h), which is surprisingly close. However, the scenery is not good, and you will only run endlessly on country roads. It's hard to find a convenience store, so let's procure it in advance in Imaichi.
Kanuma city visited Imamiya Shrine, took a break at the new Kanuma inn in the town station, and headed to Utsunomiya station at once. There are many signals in this section, and it is quite lazy. It may be possible to return using JR or Tobu.
JR Nikko Station (10 minutes) → Shinkyo (15 minutes) → Nikko Daiyagawa Park (10 minutes) → Nikko Cedar Avenue (10 minutes) → Road Station Nikko Nico Nico Kaido Nikko Honjin (60 minutes) → Town Station New Kanuma-juku (60 minutes) → JR Utsunomiya Station
Mileage 48km
Travel time 3 hours 10 minutes (including travel time 2 hours 35 minutes)
Total time 4 hours 15 minutes