Sijiaoting Fort and Tunnels
I called this blog Hidden Taiwan, intending it to be a look at some of the lesser-known sites around the country. Sometimes, however, I feel like I stray a little from that purpose. So, here's a rather obscure entry.
Sijiaoting Village, seemingly named after a 'four-legged pavilion,' is only about an hour's drive from Taipei. It also sits on the mainline to Yilan. However these sites are a bit of a distance away from the station and the only buses that go near are the F801 and F803, which infrequently run between Ruifang and Sijiaoting.
The Tunnels
Banyans above the shorted tunnel
Since construction finished during the Japanese era (if we're to nitpick, all except the North and South Link Lines), Taiwan's main round-island railway has been rerouted quite a few times. The most extreme case is the part of the Mountain Line around Longteng, where the reroute to lower elevation tunnels cut off a number of stations. Most reroutes are less dramatic and involve straightening a curve or making a new double-track tunnel. Here at Sijiaoting the railway was straightened and double-tracked, cutting off two tunnels.
The mouth of the longer tunnel
This site is quite hidden away and doesn't even have a Google Maps pin, so it's best to search for the location on The Hidden Taiwan Map. The trail begins behind the small Wanxing Temple, and after walking for a just couple of minutes you'll find yourself in a valley between the two tunnels.
The longer tunnel is flooded
These were a cool find, reminding me of how enjoyable it is to discover these old sites hidden and forgotten in the forests. Both tunnels were completed in 1918 and have brick facades tangled with banyan roots. The left tunnel was fairly easy to walk through, though muddy, but the right tunnel was too flooded. A household blocks the far end of the left tunnel and the near mouth is partially filled in. There was an ominous echoing rumble of passing trains coming from the end of the right tunnel, so I guess the current mainline passes right by its other exit. The right tunnel is longer; apparently it's almost 300 meters long, and both tunnels have unusual rough rock keystones above their mouths.
Inside the shorted tunnel. Apologies for the picture quality, my old phone was showing it’s age
I wonder what this little alcove was for?
At some point in the future I expect these tunnels will be turned into bike paths or trails like the one at Sandiaoling. The trail up the valley ended in some small farms, though there were two guys constructing something so perhaps it will be extended.
The Fort
The entrance to the fort trail is about a 20 minute walk away. From Wanxing Temple follow the road south and around the bend and then turn left up a nameless lane. The junction is signposted with a cannon-shaped sign and you'll pass a model airplane field after a little walking. The road ends in a gate and the trail starts to the left of this. There is a ruined house up the slope, perhaps 50-100m before the gate. It is a historic sanheyuan farmhouse, but the bank was too overgrown to get through, and it looks as though it's been fenced off behind a tall green construction fence. From satellite imagery it looks as though the plantlife has recently been cleared so perhaps it is being restored.
Tung blossoms on the trail
Aerial view from Google of the old farmhouse. It looks as though the main part has a new roof
The trail up to the fort is relatively easy, probably about the same difficulty as Elephant Mountain, and it should take about thirty to forty minutes one way. It's a mix of steps and dirt trail. If you head up here in late April there may be a blanket of tung blossom flowers in some parts. At one point there is a good view of Mt Keelung and Jiufen over the Keelung River Valley.
Looking towards Mt Keelung
The fort was constructed during the late Qing dynasty and later reinforced during the Japanese colonial period. It's surprisingly large for a place that no one I know seems to have been to before. There are a few sites including barracks, ammunition storage, and gun platforms. If you've been to the forts immediately around Keelung or Tamsui then this one is pretty similar to those. The main difference is that unlike those you're likely to have this one to yourself. The site is pretty well-kept, though I don't remember there being much in the way of English signage. One building had what looked like the eggs of a couple of unknown creatures stuck to the walls and ceilings.
The fort bathroom
Some sort of eggs?
After I had a good look around I made my way back down the hill the way I'd come. If you've made it this far I'll share a little bonus here. Before starting the climb I chatted with a man who lives next to the trail entrance. He told me to come back at sundown and there'd be lots of fireflies. He was right! As I descended the last quarter of the trail I started to notice little lights flying around near the undergrowth. By the time the sun went down and I reached the lane they were everywhere!
This was the first and so far only time I've been so immersed in fireflies. I'm not even sure if it was a huge amount compared to some places, but it felt pretty magical. I walked the lane through them, and then scooted through them slowly with my lights off (don't worry, I could still see the lane). The video doesn’t really do it justice; it's something I think you have to experience. My visit was on April 26th; but a week or so either side of that would probably be okay too.
Fireflies in Sijiaoting
Have a look on The Hidden Taiwan Map for the location of these sites. This blog and map take a considerable amount of time to keep up to date. If you appreciate the content, any support via overthecityshop.com or by sharing my work is welcomed!