A guide to self-driving tours in Siming Mountain: a weekend getaway amidst the fallen leaves of late autumn
Preface
After seeing so many ancient towns in the Jiangnan waterside villages, I always wanted to see something different. Looking online for travel guides, Yuyao's Siming Mountain became my top choice. It boasts winding but not difficult hairpin bends, towering, slightly reddish Metasequoia trees, overlapping peaks, and pristine ancient villages...
I decided to drive on a whim. It was more than 200 kilometers from Shanghai, and the journey took about 3 hours. It wasn't far, so I just put down the work at hand and went to the mountains to relax.
Travel guides said Siming Mountain is very popular in late autumn, so we chose a weekday to avoid peak travel times. We did some quick research, booked accommodation, and set off the next day. It was past 9 a.m. when we left, and we arrived at Siming Lake around 12 p.m. If we were hungry by then, we could find a farm stay nearby. Otherwise, we'd head to Siming Lake to see the Metasequoia trees (use "Siming Lake Metasequoia" on the navigation).
The Metasequoia in Siming Lake turns red
Even though it was a weekday, the free parking spaces at the Metasequoia entrance were already full (there are plenty of parking lots nearby, some of which may charge a fee). The parking lot is a bit far from the Metasequoia forest, about a 5-6 minute walk. There are local specialties for sale along the roadside: salt-baked potatoes, free-range eggs, homemade rice wine, Liangnong cakes, and more.
As we approached the Metasequoia forest, we saw it fenced off from a distance. I thought, "Oh no! I've made a mistake." Now that we're here, we can't just leave. We followed the crowd inside, opened a small gate, and from the conversation next to us, we learned that the water level of Siming Lake had risen, and the fence had been closed off for safety reasons.
At the end of November, the Metasequoia trees have begun to turn red. The red, orange, yellow and green colors are very layered under the slanting sunlight. The vast tracts of Metasequoia trees, the blue sky and white clouds, and the breeze-swaying Siming Lake merge into a dynamic picture.
Metasequoia trees stand in the water like pagodas, towering into the clouds. Occasionally, birds fly by, as if they are also appreciating the beauty of the Metasequoia trees.
In the distance there are lakes, mountains, water, villages and smoke from cooking, forming a natural beauty.
Besides its Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Siming Lake is also a protected drinking water source. I saw local residents washing vegetables and dishes in the small waterway nearby. If you're visiting, please don't litter; our beautiful environment depends on everyone's collective efforts to protect it.
There is a difficult section of road near the Metasequoia forest, with puddles and mud. For safety reasons, do not get close to the water. The land has been infiltrated by water, and some parts feel soft when stepped on.
There are puddles on the ground, so be careful when you walk.
There's a makeshift toilet next to the Metasequoia forest, which is better than nothing. We were a bit hungry after leaving the Metasequoia forest, so we drove out and saw a very eye-catching "Feng Sao Farmhouse" on the roadside. There were quite a lot of cars at the entrance. I looked at the reviews online and it seemed good, so I chose this one. It was indeed crowded when we entered, but we didn't take our order and kept being told to wait. We understood the crowds, and we asked for a pot of tea, but it wasn't brought either. We waited for about 20 minutes before we finally got our order from the owner. We ordered the highly recommended dishes: poached chicken, five-spice beef, and salt and pepper brook pit fish. The first two dishes came quickly, but they were both cold. The poached chicken wasn't tender, and the beef was too salty. We finished them all, and the small yellow croaker hadn't arrived. Brother Peng, who doesn't like rice, was completely full of it.
Taken from the restaurant entrance. After dinner, we started walking up the mountain. Not far away, we found "Zhengmeng Street," which looked like a food court. Turning the corner, there were many restaurants on both sides. We thought any one of them would probably be hot and filling. We figured there wouldn't be many restaurants in the mountains, otherwise we wouldn't have to wait so long. We went on a Wednesday, not a weekend.
It takes 28 minutes to get from the Metasequoia Forest to the Siming Mountain Viewing Platform. There is a parking space, but it is located at a big bend. If there are cars on the road, they will keep honking their horns. It is a downhill slope, and the big cars are afraid of not being able to brake, so they keep honking their horns from a long distance, which made me feel nervous. When we went there, there was a parking space and there were quite a few people. At 1 or 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the sun was glaring, and we couldn't take any good pictures. We didn't stay for too long and went directly to the next stop.
We didn't plan to visit the major attractions (Simingshan National Forest Park and Danshan Chishui Scenic Area) because we were driving alone and had never driven mountain roads together before. Since we were both lazy, we didn't get enough exercise from work and weren't very good at hiking, so we decided to skip it. Looking at the map, the two scenic areas were quite large, and we should be able to spend most of the day exploring each. Continuing on, we found our hotel, which was right next to the main road and very visible. After checking in, we still had some time left, so we decided to explore the surrounding area.
Jiangnan Siheyuan in Lijiakeng
The hotel is very close to Lijiakeng Village where I wanted to go. Lijiakeng is only one kilometer away from Danshan Chishui Scenic Area. On the way, I passed the sign for Danshan Chishui Scenic Area. There were small roads all the way. I thought the scenery on the small roads was much better than that on the main road. The bamboo on the outside and the other plants on the inside that go up the mountain "meet" at the highest point, like a natural parasol, so you won't be bored while driving.
The entrance to the scenic area is the Party and Mass Service Center. There are many parking spaces at the door. Maybe we arrived a little late, or maybe it was a weekday, the parking spaces were empty and there were few people. There are buses here.
There was emerald green water behind the bus stop, perhaps flowing from the reservoir? I wondered if it was from the Siming Corridor Bridge. I crossed the Siming Corridor Bridge and arrived at the village. Courtyards, each built with stone foundations, were dotted throughout the village, with towering gables between the houses. I was about to walk up the steps to see what was inside, but a woman passed by, probably on her way home. I stopped in my tracks, fearing I might disturb her.
It was nice to stroll along the creek. Sweet potato flour was drying on the roadside, sweet potatoes were soaking in buckets, and other local specialties were displayed for sale. Grandparents were in groups of three or four, either chatting or sitting on rocks, daydreaming. There was a section of the creek where the water was dry, with rocks exposed. Brother Peng called out to let us go down and play, saying that this was something different. A man's death is due to his youth. While laughing at his childishness, he jumped in and played with him. It looked like it was built for flood control, as the water upstream didn't overflow the dam, so there was little water downstream. Needless to say, after Brother Peng called us down, I found it quite beautiful. On one side was the village, on the other, high mountains. Looking up, I saw blue sky and white clouds, and looking down, I saw the gurgling clear water. It was as beautiful as a painting, almost unreal.
I was in a daze for a while and then saw the beautiful scenery of the golden mountain in the sun. The light of the setting sun shone on the plants on the top of the mountain, making the plants look even more golden. The natural filter is the most beautiful.
I pulled out my drone in the parking lot, hoping to get a bird's-eye view of this ancient village. It wasn't large, but the houses were so tightly packed together that they looked a lot like siheyuans. Upon returning, I checked, and they were indeed. These siheyuans were built during the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. I'd always thought siheyuans were a Beijing icon, or at least a northern architectural style. I hadn't expected they'd also exist in Jiangnan.
Lijiakeng Village is also known for its longevity. In 2015, it was recognized as one of Ningbo's first longevity villages. The village Party Secretary believes that Lijiakeng's beautiful scenery, with towering mountains, towering ancient trees, clear streams, and fresh air, is the fundamental guarantee of longevity. Furthermore, the habit of rising at sunrise and going to bed at sunset, coupled with a healthy, healthy diet and a peaceful and relaxed disposition, contributes to the longevity of the residents here.
It's quiet here, free from the hustle and bustle of a big city and the fast-paced life, perfect for relaxing. The village is surrounded by mountains, and at 4 p.m. it looked like dark was approaching. Worried about the mountain roads becoming difficult after dark, we decided not to stay. On the way here, we saw a nice view, and on our way back, our GPS showed us the Fěi Shu Tan Reservoir. We could pull over where the road was wider and less trafficked to take some photos.
Chasing the sunset at the hotel
It was almost dark when we reached Lijiakeng. The further we went, the brighter it got, and the sun rose higher. It looked like we could catch the sunset at the hotel. There was a small terrace at the hotel, and the stairs leading up gave us an unobstructed view. I arrived late, and a few men had already set up their equipment, waiting for the sunset. We continued up. Although it was a bit higher, many branches blocked our view. If you can't capture the sunset, you can capture the afterglow. It's like a photo where there's no sunset, but its shadow is everywhere.
We kept filming until the sun went down, then went straight to the restaurant for lunch. We ordered four dishes, including the salt and pepper stream fish, which we hadn't had at lunch, and the others were stinky tofu, crispy veal, tofu soup, and two drinks. The portions were generous and the taste was good. While eating, Peng Ge didn't forget to complain about the lunch, saying that if the lunch was like this, he would be happier in the afternoon.
After dinner, I returned to my room to organize the day's footage. Although I didn't visit many places, I still had a lot of photos and videos. I went to bed early. The next morning, I could go to the Bailushi Peak Observation Deck to watch the sunrise or the sea of clouds. You can see a lot of stars here at night. At first, you can only see one or two bright ones, but after staring at the sky for a while, you will find that there are many stars. It's a pity that we didn't take any photos.
White Deer Lion Peak Observation Deck
The next day, at around 3 a.m., the two woke up and couldn't fall asleep. They stayed up and said they would go watch the sunrise later. They could watch the real-time situation of the White Deer and Lion Peak Observation Deck through the [Pure Deer Pavilion] online camera.
I forgot why we didn’t go to see the sunrise in the end, but we just stayed up until after 7 o’clock, had breakfast in the hotel restaurant, and then set off.
I kept checking the cameras on the observation deck, but there was no one there. The day before, there were already five or six people around 7 a.m., but today, it was almost 9 a.m. and still no one. Peng said he saw a dog, but I thought he was kidding. It took 18 minutes to drive there. The observation deck is located at the top of Shifeng Peak in Bailu Village, over 500 meters above sea level. Although it's in the village, the signs are clear. We parked the car in the parking lot and started walking along the path. It arrived in a few minutes. We actually saw a small black dog. It wasn't afraid of people and didn't chase them, so it wouldn't pose a threat to someone who's afraid of dogs.
There is also a high-altitude viewing platform on the viewing platform. When you stand on the viewing platform and look into the distance, you can see the mountains in the distance, one after another, stretching endlessly.
After we arrived, several groups of people came one after another, some of them brought their pets, which was super cute.
The transparent glass plank road protrudes out, and it is a bit challenging for people who are afraid of heights to go over and take pictures. The first time I walked up it, I held on to the railing and moved step by step. After walking a few times, I was not so scared anymore.
It was another sunny day, the sun was glaring, but there were no seas of clouds. Only after frequent cold fronts, rain, and snow, can a large, beautiful sea of clouds appear, especially a spectacular sunrise over a sea of clouds. The days we visited were all sunny, so if you want to see a sea of clouds, you should check the weather forecast carefully.
After I came down, I took a photo and thought it was pretty good. It was a different scenery. When you go out to play and travel, in addition to checking in at scenic spots and taking photos as beautiful as others, you can also discover different beauty with your own eyes.
In fact, if you walk into the mountains from the Bailushifeng Observation Deck, you will reach Lutingzhong Village, an ancient village with mountains and water, in less than 20 minutes. However, I didn’t make it because I had something to do in Shanghai in the afternoon, which was a bit of a pity.
Bacao Siming Mountain Observation Deck
It looks scary on the navigation, but actually the mountain road is not that scary when you walk on it. Just drive slowly and be careful.
We walked back the way we came and of course passed by the Siming Mountain Observation Deck again. This time there were fewer cars and people, so we went up to take another look. The sunlight was not glaring, so we took out the drone to see if we could capture the 180-degree hairpin bend.
I don't know if it's the location where we took off, or my own technique, but I couldn't capture the grandeur of the winding mountain road. It looked like a plane was flying over here. We set a height limit of 120 meters, so that might be the reason. You can still see the sharp curves, though. It looks steep, but from the car, it wasn't noticeable. Peng Ge said he's a good driver, hahaha, but I'll trust him for now, after all, I can't drive.
Baishuichong Waterfall
We continued down the mountain. The scenery was also quite pleasant, the kind that makes you feel happy: blue skies, white clouds, green mountains and clear waters. Yesterday, when I was here, I passed a place and saw a parking lot nearby with a few cars parked. I checked on my phone and saw that it was a scenic spot. Since I had already passed it and couldn't turn around, I decided to come back the next day. The road to the parking lot is gravel. There is a sign at the entrance to the scenic area, saying that the scenic area is not yet completed. I recommend wearing flat shoes, as the gravel road is difficult to walk on. There is also a set of steps from the entrance to the waterfall.
There is a legend about Baishuichong Waterfall.
Shortly after entering the scenic area, I could hear the mighty sound of rushing water. Further in, I first encountered a small waterfall, but the sound clearly didn't match the scenery. Such a loud sound didn't seem to come from this small waterfall. Looking up, I saw a larger waterfall above. As I got closer, I realized the waterfall dropped over 50 meters, which is no wonder it was so loud. Before entering the scenic area, I thought it was like some check-in spots that claim to have waterfalls, but it's actually a very small stream, and it varies depending on the season. If I went at the wrong time, there wouldn't be any water, so I didn't have high hopes. But once I got in, it was much better than I expected.
There are many bamboos in the scenic area, which look beautiful in photos and give people a very cool feeling. You can also play in the water in the summer.
There are stone steps extending inwards next to the waterfall. Is this also a hiking trail? We didn't continue forward and started the real return journey.
About the route
Day 1: Depart from Shanghai at 9:00 AM → Siming Lake Metasequoia → Siming Mountain Observation Deck → Lijiakeng Village (If you're not too tired, you can continue to Maohuo Village)
Day 2: Arrive at Shanghai Bailushifeng Observation Deck at 3 pm → (Lutingzhongcun is also nice, but we didn’t go there and went back directly) → Simingshan Observation Deck → Baishuichong Waterfall → Shanghai Our itinerary was very relaxed. We took a lot of photos at each attraction until we didn’t want to take any more photos or play anymore, and then we went to the next stop. This time, we didn’t go to Lutingzhongcun and Maohuo Village. I hope to drive to Simingshan again in the summer to make up for the regret.
Accommodation
We originally thought of staying in the mountains, as it would be cold and mosquito-free, but after looking around, we couldn't find anything suitable. Ultimately, we decided that since we weren't going to Simingshan Forest Park or Danshan Chishui, there was no need to stay in the mountains. We found a hotel near the main road, not far from the Bailushi Peak Observation Deck. Simingshan has a wide selection of B&Bs and hotels, so choose your accommodation based on your itinerary. If you have a mountain trip the next day, avoid staying at the foot of the mountain; the time saved from going up and down the mountain allows for more fun.
About the fees
Fuel cost: 420 yuan
Toll: 246 yuan (round trip)
Meal cost: 288 yuan
Accommodation fee: 371 yuan
Conclusion
The super relaxing two-day self-driving tour is over. There was no fatigue, only joy. Finally, I don't have to face steel and concrete. I came to this natural oxygen bar. How beautiful it is. There are many hiking trails here, such as the Yang'e Ancient Road and the Qixiakeng Ancient Road. There are also hiking trails in the scenic area. Friends who like hiking can come here. This place is surrounded by mountains. It is said that where there are mountains, there must be water. I personally think that many niche beautiful views can only be seen on foot. Although driving is more convenient, you will miss many beautiful views. Of course, if you like both self-driving and hiking, Siming Mountain is simply perfect.
