Hey hiking friends,
Anusha here. Most of us prefer good weather when we do hikes or travel. But things aren't always as we wish. For example, what to do if it's drizzling in northern Taiwan? Well, I have an ideal place, and the atmosphere of that place suits gloomy days perfectly. That is Sandiaoling.
(Keelung River, railway, and a tortoiseshell cat)
Sandiaoling is the first stop of the famous Pingxi Line. It's popular among hikers and tourists because of the famous waterfalls. The irony is I've been here before but never visited the famous waterfalls.
(Two railway lines divert at Sandiaoling)
I like the mountains, the winding Keelung River, and watching the trains in and out of the tunnel. It's so relaxing to wander around here, especially on cloudy days like this.
I visited Sandiaoling two weeks in a row in May. I took a short hike to Menghuan Waterfall during my second visit. The trailhead is on Yuliao Road, with a sign pointing to Menghuan Temple.
The tricky part of this trailhead is you have to make a U-turn from Sandiaoling Train Station, go into the downtown of Sandiaoling, and take Yuliao Road to get there. However, this extra walk let me enjoy this wandering even more. That's how I met the tortoiseshell cat and watched trains from the bridge.
I was the only person who went to Menghuan Waterfall on that day. It was quiet, and I took my time, which was necessary. The stone steps were so slippery, and I almost tripped several times.
Before reaching Menghuan Temple, several ferocious rushed out to greet me. I like dogs, but meeting dogs on the trails is scary. Lucky for me, the nun from the temple showed up to assure me that those were fine. I felt terrible that I disturbed her quiet morning.
After passing the temple, I reached a long stair going down. Finally, I'd arrived at the waterfall.
On my left-hand side, I saw a small cabin locked behind the gate. This cabin is the temple's property, and visitors aren't allowed to enter. How would the view be from there? I wondered.
I took my time to go down the steps. Again, it was slippery. It'd been raining a lot this spring, and the volume of the waterfall was significant.
I found a spot and sat quietly, savoring this wonderful moment.
Then, I took the same way back to the trailhead and continued my wandering at Sandiaoling.
I enjoy challenging hikes, but I also appreciate relaxing and quiet strolls like this. If you have yet to visit Sandiaoling, find a day with slight rain to go. Sit by the river and enjoy coffee or tea.
Talk to you later.
Anusha