Around the Zhanghu trails, there are tea plantation and vegetable field, both to enjoy rustic farmhouse and tea trees. From the WaChu sub-path into the trail, it’s the best to enjoy the complete music feast of entire Zhanghu trail, originally develop these facilities in order to combined the musical facilities with natural scenery, to give visitors a different experience, such as the wooden piano which can’t play but only for imagine it sit on top of temperament. But the tongue shape drums, wooden ring and bells still can operate, remember to try it when you walk through.

The Zhanghu Trail is a historic trail, in early time, there are lots of camphor planted in this place, and the terrain looks like a green lake, it is called "Zhanghu" This trail was connected to Maokong, DaiLaoKeng, A-Chuan pit (now it’s named LaoChuan borough) and Galaxy Cave these major roads, and almost parallel to the industry roads, and access to popular area in Maokong, so is an important way from the previous. Now develop for the hiking trails, not only full of historic fun and green forest, but also install the art facilities of forest music by Public Works Department, make the forest is full of art sense. Mr. Zhang, the boss of DaGuanYuan restaurant recommend this trail better, it’s considered to enjoy a forest bath sense. In addition, in the Tung flower season in May, it is a good place to enjoy the flowers, May Snow, can enjoy views from the small trail beside ChenXi tea house, to the place with the most lush of Tung flowers.

Into the WaChu sub-path, firstly will arrive at Hearing Wind pavilion, the pavilion has a beautiful name, you can telescope Taipei 101 intuitive, it’s a good choice whether to take a rest or viewing. Next, go into the forest trail, firstly will see the tongue shape drum, which is derived from an ancient musical instrument of Africa and South America, to be honest, we search on internet for the tongue shape drum from Africa & South America, but they look like a bit different, so we do not know how to play them, only play them for joking, sound like there is a hole, supposed the tongue shape drum is not for knocking but for his particular style! In the Camphor trail, totally there are three pieces of tongue shape drum, you can take a rest or just for playing the drum, the first one nearby the Bamboo chair, which is the one behind the Hearing Wind pavilion, the 2nd is aside of Wooden Ring of Wind, the 3rd in the place which just pass by the Pray Bell.

Then, you encounter the Bamboo Chair, bamboo is likened a gentleman, the bamboo decorated with wind bell which made of bamboo, sitting here, it seems become a scholar suddenly. After the Bamboo chair, there is a road to DaiLaoKeng, you can go to the U-Theater drum show, DaiLaoKen is the earliest development place in this area, in the QianLong of Qing Dynasty, there were people come for reclamation, now LaoChaun borough former name is DaiLaoKen, we can also research the develop story.

Continuously walk to Zhanghu trail, you will find the shape of the piano "Forest Piano", no matter who will play the piano or not, everyone would like to try even it’s soundless, but the spectrum is real, "Spring Song" and "Raindrops Dance" both of them been collected in the Piano Ditty which lots of children have been playing, really familiar to us. The Forest Piano supposed to sit, but the shape is elegant, we never seen anyone to sit it down even we walk by for several time.

Walk into the green forest, there are rich of plant ecology on the roadside, many types of ferns, including large tree ferns like pen, even there are Taiwan Cyatheaceae, there are countless small ferns, of course, also rich of ecology, you can see the beautiful butterflies, as well as stink bugs, ladybugs and various Orthoptera, I believe there must be more lively in summer. Then, among the shade, there are lovely leaf shape plates, raindrops ticking down with knocking sound, it can be relieving the irritable mood when it rains.

Next, we went to the Pray bells which with special design, shake with sound, it’s fun to knock the large metal bell will make sound, there is a feeling like to pray in the temple, it is desirable for the coming Monkey year (which our classmate are born in the Monkey year), wish everything will smooth to us.

Beside the path aside the Pray bell, here is a way to access the Galaxy Cave Trail, we visited for several times, the Galaxy Cave waterfall is very beautiful, also a challenge trails, although it is not affiliated to Taipei Cify, the facilities are simple, but it’s really great to see the waterfall! We had interviewed several tourists and everyone give good rating on the Zhanghu trails and Galaxy Cave Crossing Trail, that is easy to climb and the scenery is beautiful. Here, we can understand it was a little bit hard for the early people to transport the tea downhill.

There is a road next to the bells to approach the industry road, it can reach the Zhang NaiMiao Tea Memorial Hall, for the people are interested in Maokong tea history may visit it, you can hear the fun stories about he history of tea. In addition, it will go through the ChenXi and 6 Seasons tea house when downstairs, these tea house are set up by apprentices of tea master Zhang NaiMiao, they have good skill of making tea, to attract lots of people stay for tea, we all like the tea jelly of ChenXi Tea House.

In moving forward, it will pass to the road of the Goose Feet mountain, which is also recommended trail by tourists, but we did not try it, maybe will visit it next time. Then, through a tongue shape drum, and the old-fashioned earth-cube house, it will return to DaGuanYuan & ChaYenGuanShe restaurant, then can be returned to the cable station.

Transportation:
Wal from cable station about 100 meters, the same direction to the Camphor trail, walk thru the small path between the restaurant DaGuanYuan and ChaYenGuanShe, the path downhill is Camphor Trail, when across the street will find the sign of Zhanghu trail, Or when complete the Camphor trail, from the branch next to SanDunShi Tea Museum to the Zhanghu trails, or you can go thru WaChu sub-path to the Wooden Wing Bell to the Zhanghu trail, this is a shortcut in addition, from the road nearby ChenXi Tea house which next to the Zhang NaiMiao Tea Museum upward, to reach the Pray Bell which is a shortcut, too.

Distance cat cable: ★★ (walk about 100 meters)

Degree of difficulty:☆☆★★★
Culture Index: ☆★★★★ (Road culture, tea culture)
View index: ☆★★★★ (expected far, watch music apparatus)
Eco Index: ☆★★★★

Recommended by crew: Li Long
Zhanghu is flat and smooth trail, suitable for family picnic and excursion, fun with the unique natural temperament facility, whether adults or children will not feel boring, even on rainy day to go, the road is wet but also enjoy the fun of temperament facilities, if enough time, you can walk thru the Camphor trails as well, I believe we can find more different things, recommend to walk the Zhanghu trail in leisure time!

Reference material
Advisory: Taipei City Government Works Earth Works Agency Yehan Ren Chief

books:
Maokong for treasure 2015.8 Taipei City Government Works Geotechnical Engineering Office

folding:
Maokong cable Tsui trip propagation 2014.8 Taipei City Government Tourism Office

website:
Taipei leisure agriculture THEMANET http://www.recreational-agriculture.taipei//mp.asp?mp=10500K

Taipei Mountain Trail pro thematic network - two grid Mountains
http://www.geo.gov.taipei/np.asp?ctNode=56598&mp=106051