Chapel Hill

Climbing Chapel Hill in the rain.【Location】: Shengtang Mountain Scenic Area, Jinxiu County, Guangxi 【Ticket】: The ticket is 65 yuan, and it costs 30 yuan to take a shuttle bus from the foot of the mountain to the mountain waist entrance and back, with a parking fee of 15 yuan. 【Transportation】: Navigate to Shengtang Mountain Scenic Area. There are many bends and ups and downs on the national road from Jinxiu County to the scenic area, so control your speed. Try to go early for a visit to the scenic area, because there is no shuttle bus down the mountain after 18:00 (it may be delayed to 19:00 on weekends and holidays), and it costs extra for a special car to go down the mountain, which is said to be not cheap. 【Hiking Strategy】: The peak of Shengtang Mountain is 1979 meters above sea level. The hiking trail is made of large stones, and it is not very even with varying lengths, heights, and steepness. There are handrails on most parts, and the difficulty of climbing is moderate. At two-thirds of the climb, there is a fork in the road; to the left is the path leading directly to the top of the mountain after reaching the Yunhai Hotel, which is a shorter distance but steeper, and there is not much scenery to see; to the right is also a path to the top of the mountain, which is gentler, like walking in the crevices of the mountains, with cliffs on the outside and beautiful scenery, including clouds entwined around the peaks and green pines, as if you are in the midst of the clouds. Many people choose this path for both ascent and descent. There is a three-story pavilion on the top of the mountain for viewing the sea of clouds, sunrise, and sunset. The distance from the entrance to the top is about 6 kilometers, taking about 2.5 hours, and the total round trip is nearly 11 kilometers, taking about 4.5 hours. 【Dining】There are farm restaurants and noodle shops at the parking lot at the foot of the mountain. There are food stalls near the mountain waist entrance, with small zongzi for 6 yuan, tea eggs for 3 yuan, and porridge available. There are also food stalls a quarter of the way up the mountain, but the prices are a bit expensive. There is a water stall on the top of the mountain, selling a bottle of purified water for 10 yuan. 【Summary】The hiking trail is long and steep, with frequent weather changes, and the weather forecast is not very accurate. This hike encountered rain, and many people chose to descend halfway. The road is wet and slippery when it is foggy and rainy, so bring a walking stick, raincoat, and wear anti-slip hiking shoes. The scenic area also sells bamboo sticks and raincoats for 2 yuan each; bring water and a small amount of food. It is not very suitable for children below primary school age to hike. Hill and Mist Enveloping a Heavenly Wonderland Trekking Among Mountains and Waters