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TAIWAN
123
Jun-Jul15
Time to Climb
From Silks Place we continued inland and across the
mountain range, which involved a lot of uphill driving
on twisty, narrow roads. We did have to stop for deep
breaths of fresh mountain air fairly frequently, but the
scenery slowly changing from sub-tropical to alpine,
and the ancient, giant cedar trees were good excuses.
We stopped to do some hiking at the base of Mt
Shihmen, a 3237m peak with stunning views across
the Huehuanshan National Forest and mountain
range. Having failed to check the forecast ahead of
time I was not expecting it to be five degrees, and
was dressed inappropriately for both hiking and the
weather. I cannot stress enough how important it is to
be prepared when doing this kind of trip! Still, I made
it to the top and it was well worth the effort. Having
gone from 800m above sea level to that altitude was
a struggle though, and if you’re considering doing
any kind of serious hiking in the Taiwanese hills, I’d
recommend staying further uphill and giving yourself
a day or two to acclimatise. And did I mention you
should pack warm clothes?
Escaping the fog and the chill that was rapidly
seeping into my bones, we headed happily downhill.
We stopped for lunch at Cingjing farm, in Ren’ai
township. This area is like something out of a movie
– with sweeping,
Sound of Music
-style vistas of the
mountains. A few enterprising locals have capitalised
on this ambience and built traditional chateaux,
complete with European gardens, just in case you
want to pretend you’re in the Swiss Alps and not the
middle of Taiwan. Cinjing Farm is part tourist spot, part
educational centre, with sheep, horses and peacocks
on display. It’s a huge hit with kids and a great way to
break up the journey. Lunch can be had cheaply at
the markets next door.
Swallows Grotto
Silks Place Jacuzzis
on the roof
Silks Place
Silks Place outdoor pool
Silks Place Suite