Drum Mountain (Gu Shan), Fujian, China

5Steve G 5:00 PM Feb 28, 2015

My favorite hike in hometown
As a local Fuzhou guy, I love hiking Gushan growing up. Now on every vacation back home, I always hike Gushan two to three times a week to keep me in shape. I can give advices for those who want to hike the mountain for fun or exercise. There are three trails up to the same destination--west, center and east trails once entering the gate from the bus station. I only hiked up using the west trail once, so really can't say anything about it. The center trail is the historical one, thus not well-paved at some parts. Still, most people would hike up using this trail. It is a fun trail with moderate difficulty. Every 200 to 400 meters there are pavilions for lookout and resting. Food service is around the halfway marker of 1000m (every 200m there will be a distance marker) and also near the top around 2000m marker. Canopy trees are blocking the sun heat so it is much cooler than the ground. However, hiking during the summer time should leave you drenched in sweat anyway (I love it), so must bring water with you. As a regular hiker, I usually finish this trail in about 30 minutes without much gasping. And I'm 5'9, 180lbs and not super fit, so I think hiking the center trail is definitely feasible for many people. If you divert yourself 50 meters into the center trail, you will make into the east trail, or "the trail for the braves", which is a shorter but much more strenuous hike. It also takes me around 30 minutes to finish, but makes me feel much more tired. Your leg and heart can definitely feel it as you hike through several hundred consecutive steep steps. Still, the east trail is quiet, well-paved and you meet hardcore hikers along the trail. Again, bringing water is a must since there are less shades. And there is a big pavilion for rest at halfway. Anyway, hiking the east trail should be a good test for your fitness and tenacity and still within feasible range.

3mazhenping 5:00 PM Feb 22, 2006

Nice Temple
Gu Shan is easily accessed from downtown Fuzhou in around 15-20 mins. A taxi ride from the centre will cost around 20RMB or take a local bus from Hudong Lu for 2 RMB. You can walk the hill comfortably in around 1hr 15 mins, it's 1900m high. Along the way, souvenir and food vendors litter the path. Be sure to buy drinks and snacks in the city before you head there as they're twice or three times the price on the hill. There's a nice temple at the top, housing over 900 national relics, mainly scrolls written in the monk's blood. A superb vegetarian restaurant is next to the small pond with the statue of Ma Zhu, a locally revered goddess along the Fujian coast. It an be a really tough climb if it's hot and humid (April - October, but mainly June-Sep), so if you're not fit either don't attempt it or take a mian bao che (small van) to the top. Haggle for the best price. There's also a chair lift, which takes you to the first crown after which there's a gentle 15 minute walk to the temple. Gu Shan can get really crowded at the weekend at any time of year, so it's better to go during the week if you don't like crowds.