Zhuzishan and Alibang Waterfall – 竹子山與阿里磅瀑布

Usually when I go hiking I have a pretty good idea of what the trail is like and the route that I’m going to take. However sometimes that isn’t the case and I go somewhere on a wing and a prayer. Zhuzishan 竹子山 was one of those hikes.

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Fengtoujian – 峰頭尖

The last time I was hiking in Pingxi, I went to Xiaozishan 孝子山 and Cimushan 慈母山. I had read in a friend’s copy of Taipei day trips 2 that in addition to these two peaks, there is an excellent ridge hike called Fengtoujian 峰頭尖 and so we decided to give it a go. Unfortunately Taipei Day Trips 2 is no longer available and so we had to rely on a map I found to guide us.

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Wuliaojian – 五寮尖

This is actually review of a hike that I’ve done a few times now and without doubt it’s my favourite day hike within easy reach of Taipei. The trail starts next to the Hezuo Bridge 合作橋 just south of Sanxia 三峽. Next to the bridge there’s a small store that sells water, chocolate, beer and the like as well as the white gardening gloves that Taiwanese people often wear when hiking. I remember the first time we came here we all laughed at the number of people with these gloves on but there are so many fixed ropes on this trail that it’s a good idea to get a pair. My hands were covered with blisters from not wearing them.

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Jiaming Lake – 嘉明湖

This is a trip that I had been meaning to make for sometime and, like so many of my ideas, I just hadn’t got round to doing it but finally Chinese new year gave me the opportunity to get up off my arse and go.Jiaminghu is a lake in the south of Taiwan, in Taidong county. It was first thought that the lake was created by a meteor strike, but it turns out that it is actually a tarn left over from the ice age and was created around 6-7000 years ago.  The lake is elliptical in shape and is actually quiet deep (10m) at the deepest point. My original plan included swimming in the lake but temperatures barely getting above zero put that idea to rest!

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