2021年4月20日 石碇翡翠水庫わきの古道歩き Hiking along old trails around Feicui Reservoir in Shiding

翡翠水庫鱷魚島 Alligator island of Feicui resevoir

翡翠水庫は、淡水河の支流北勢溪の水を集め供給する台北地区の主要なダムである。1987年に完成したダムは、その湖底に昔の集落を沈める。小学校もあった集落は、そこそこの規模があり、それら村と周辺を結ぶ道もあった。そうした道は今は集落と一緒に湖底に眠る。ただ、水位が及ばない山の中腹には、当時の古道が残っている。最近この古道がまたボランティアによりきれいにされた。この山域は以前に歩いている。つい最近も訪れている。今回は翡翠水庫を俯瞰できる鱷魚島觀景台を訪れ、その後古道をつないで北宜公路へと下った。今回は英語で記述します。

Feicui-shuiku reservoir (翡翠水庫) is a major water source of the larger Taipei. The construction of the dam was completed as late as in 1987 and the dam has served for thirty some years by now. We take it granted that the dam exists there. There once were villages along Beishixi river (北勢溪) which are now under water. The original residents of course moved out. And there were trails and paths on which the local residents as well as visitors travelled. They are also now under water, though some sections of them above the water level still exist. The remaining sections of the trails however were left unused for a long time.

Hike from east to west

The red rectangle shows the area where the volunteers has worked on

Those old trails have recently been cleared by volunteer hikers of the Allied Hiker Teams (聯合艦隊).  The trails that they worked on are Leigongpi old trail (雷公埤古道), Cheshuanliao old trail (車閂寮古道), Zhukeng old trail (竹坑古道), Shifenzi old trail (十分子古道) and Fanshuliao old trail (蕃薯寮古道), all of which connected points on Beiyi highway (北宜公路) and villages on mountains and in the valley of Beishixi river. As a matter of fact, at the time of original use, there was no such naming to the trails. The names have been given by hikers to easily identify each trail, usually applying the name of the location where the trail passes. After the clearing each trail is in good condition with weeds widely cut out and a lot of aiding ropes fixed. 

All members of the hike

We made a trip to some of the trails early in this month and this is the second time to visit the area this year. We walked from Xiaogetou (小格頭) on the Beiyi highway to Eyudao (鱷魚島) viewing point via Mt. Xiaogetou Xitou-shan (小格頭獅頭山). After enjoying a wonderful view of the Eyudao, we went down to Zhukeng, then took Zhukeng old trail up to Mt. Leigongpi-shan (雷公埤山), further walked Cheshuanliao old trail and Shifenzi old trail to Shifenzi bus stop on the Beiyi highway.

Alight at Xiaogetou

We gather at MRT Xindian station (捷運新店站) and take a green 12 bus (綠12) which leaves at 8:15.  Unlike the earlier bus leaving at 7:15 which we took a a few weeks ago, there is no school children aboard on this bus, though today is a weekday also. A half hour ride brings us to Xiaogetou (小格頭) bus stop. We have 16 members today. It is a very beautiful day today. The sun ray is rather strong, but the air is clean and we feel a nice breeze too, which will surely make our hike enjoyable. Xiaogetou is located on the top of the hill and has an elevation of 470m. 

The trail head to Mt. Xiaogetou Shitou-shan at the end

Trail going through a small tea field, Mt. Leigongpi-shan on right

Xiagetou Shitou-shan summit

At 8:52 we set off and go down Zhukeng Chandao (竹坑產道) road, which starts by the Xiaogetou police station. A sign showing the direction of Eyudao is pasted on to a metal box besides the road. I remember no such sign when I came here 5 years ago. The Eyudao has since became a well-known tourist spot. At 9:00 we come to the trail head of Mt. Xiaogetou Shitou-shan (小格頭獅頭山). The trail first goes through a tea field where you can have a look of Mt. Leigonpi-shan (雷公埤山) on your right and Mt. Zhongling-shan (中嶺山) beyond. We soon enter a forest and pass small ups and downs to the summit (elevation 477 meters), which we reach at 9:12.  

Coming out to an open space

Going down stepped trail

The tree-surrounded small summit avails no view at all and we keep on going. The trail soon descends to an open field. At 9:26 a spectacular view spreads out in front of us. Eyudao, meaning an alligator island, is actually a peninsula stretching out into the water and its shape looks like an alligator from this location. Emerald green water under the blue sky, and all peaks big and small covered with dark green vegetation, it is indeed worth the second visit. When I came here last time, fog covered a half of the scenery. Today everything is crystal clear and you can identify those peaks in a far distance!

 

Wide panorama of the reervoir and mountains behind

Looking up Mt. Leigongpi-shan

Trail end

The path has wooden steps all the way down, which should have been made not so long ago. We com down to the end of the dirt trail at 9:57 where a house stands with an address of Beiyi Street Section 5, Zhukeng Lane No. 28-2 (北宜路5段竹坑巷23號之2, elev. 191m) . This is where the paved Zhukeng Chandao ends. We continue on the paved road, which goes up and levels out in front of two houses.  We stop at Fudegong (竹坑福德宮) temple for rest at 10:06.

Mt. Jiugu-shan (九股山) across water

Going up Zhukeng Chandao road

Broken wooden bridge and approach

We resume our ascent on Zhukeng Chandao road to the head of Zhukeng old trail (elev. 285m) where we come to at 10:30. The old trail dips down to a small stream. There is a precarious wooden bridge over it. We do not dear to cross it so follow the path besides the bridge and go up to the trail. To our surprise, the trail is built on a stone piled platform, which should have costed sizable time and money. The whole construction of bridge and approaching pathway suggests that this trail should have been an important passage for the local people in the past. The trail ascends gradually and then zigzag to a hiker point.

Thick fallen trunk cut out by volunteers

Going up zigzag

Meet local farmers

At 10:55 we come to a junction (elev. 356m). The left one goes further on the slope of Mt. Leigongpi-shan and the other is lead to a paved road above and then a path to the summit. We take the right one and go up. An elderly farmer and his wife are working at bamboo field. Just like anywhere else, only senior people live in such a place. Walking on the paved road for a couple of minutes, we come to the head of path to the summit. This path is in fact a work path (保線路) to maintain high-voltage electricity transmission towers on the mountain slope. The path is pretty steep and a lot of ropes are fixed. We come to a tower at 11:21.

Going up the steep incline

Mt. Huangdidian-shan

Going the ridge path to the summit

The path is yet steep and finally levels out around 11:30. The right side has been cleared and yields an open view. Mt. Hoangdidian-shan (皇帝殿山) reveals its saw-blade profile of peaks and peaks of Pingxi behind it. A junction shows up at 11:38 and we take right to follow the ridge line. After passing small humps we arrive at the summit of Mt. Leigongpi-shan (elev. 548m) at 11:47. We have a lunch rest. The flat summit under trees gives a nice space with an occasional breeze for a long break of almost 50 minutes.

Lunch at the summit

Passing abandoned terrace fields

We take the same path back to the junction and take another path down. Some sections are rather steep and comes to a junction with Leigongpi old trail at 13:10. We follow the trail further down along a water stream running on our right, and soon pass a small shrine in a stone cave. Inside the small shrine stands a table on which a incense vase and two candle stands are placed.  It shows that someone still comes here and pray. This kind of shrines, stone steps and remains of stone houses or terrace fields are important objects that remind us of the old days when the trails were frequently travelled.

Shrine by Leigongpi old trail

The junction of the three trails

Going on a flact section

We go further down on the trail and meet two other trails, one from left Zhukeng old trail and one from right across the stream Cheshuanliao old trail. At the both sides of the stream are wide and flat platforms which are built on stone-piled walls. This place must have been an important junction in the past and probably some houses or huts. At 13:27 we cross the stream and take a steep trail of Cheshuanliao. The steep ascent lasts about 15 minutes and a gradual incline follows to an electric transmission tower. The trail follows a ridge line for a while and then goes on the south side of it. It is wide and rather flat until it comes to a side of small stream at 14:13. Stone steps leads to the top. Passing the highest point the trail goes gradually down along a wide green valley. It meets another trail from right. We follow the trail to left and come out to a house with an address of Xiufeng road No. 105 (秀峰路105號) at 14:25 and have a break.

The final section of Cheshuanliao trail

A view from the house 

The junction with an old sign post

At a junction we take a right one and go up to the ridge. The trail on the ridge line further goes up to a junction to meet a trail from the opposite side where an old sign post still stands. The trail left goes up to the summit of Mt. Zhongling-shan. This is the highest point of our hike today. We go straight and start descent. Some sections are rather steep and a lot of ropes are fixed. We get to the bottom at 15:23 which is a four-way junction. If you go straight you will get to Mt. Jixinjian (雞心尖). We take right one Shifenzi old trail down. 

Going down a steep section

Four-way junction, take right to Shifenzi trail

Going down by bamboo fields

Going down paved road to the end

The trail goes through farming fields for bamboo shoots and gets down onto a freshly paved road. We take left and go down on the paved road, which ends at a house. An aged residents is just out and sprinkling water to his vegetables. Exchanging greetings with him, we get into the bottom section of the old trail by the house. The trail goes up a little along a bare slope with little vegetation where you can see the valley below and the hill over it. It then starts descent, passing a tiny stream and then into woods. We cross Qingtan-xi (青潭溪) stream at the bottom and climb back to the Beiyi highway. We reach Shifenzi bus stop at 16:32. Waiting for about 10 minutes our green 12 line bus has come.

A view from Shifenzi trail

Shifenzi trail head and bus stop 

We walked 10.8 kilometers with a total ascent 852 meters descent 1031 meters, which took us 7 hours and 40 minutes. The route physical index is 26. The last trail, Shifenzi trail is in fact still in use by local people. We met a local man walking the trail and farmers use this trail for their work so it is not in strict sense an old trail.