aeeble

The Gunboat Rock is located in the mountainous area north of the Shih-Pai Veterans General Hospital, with an altitude of 185.6 meters. It is a famous mountain in the Dadsun Mountain range. The towering rock on the mountain stands among the layers of hills, and from a distance, it looks like a ship on the sea, hence the name "Gunboat Rock." During the Japanese colonial period, it was known together with Qili'an Mountain, Danfeng Mountain, and Wujianlian Mountain as the Wujianlian Peak. The rock field at the top is an ideal place for rock climbing and is also a popular hiking route. Gunboat Rock's Public Mountain Path Walking along the Gunboat Rock's Public Mountain Path, you can enjoy precious old trees and natural landscapes. The view from the top is open, and the Institute of Earth Sciences has set up a crustal movement benchmark on the summit for record-keeping and research purposes. Looking to the right from the summit, you can enjoy the ridgeline and landscape scenery from Shilin to Beitou. Looking to the left, you can enjoy the quiet and peaceful modern community of Wellington Villa, which is very open and pleasant to look at. Danfeng Mountain Danfeng Mountain has an altitude of 210 meters, with a relatively flat terrain, and the environment is very quiet, similar to Gunboat Rock. The sandstone terrain makes the soil layer thinner and the water retention lower, so the environment is drier, and thus the probability of fire is higher. Wujianlian Mountain Wujianlian Mountain has an altitude of 282 meters. During the Japanese colonial period, it was known together with Qili'an Mountain, Danfeng Mountain, and Gunboat Rock as the Wujianlian Peak. There is a wooden marker on the peak of Wujianlian Mountain, with a stone marker number NO:2363, allowing a distant view of Gunboat Rock, Qili'an Mountain, Beitou, and the Shilin area. You can reach Huangxi Mountain through Wujianlian Mountain, and by going down the road, you can reach the Fenghuang Valley Recreation Area. Walk Slowly, Climb the Rock Gunboat Rock has always been a popular destination for leisure on weekends. The path is short and easy to climb. Nearby, Danfeng Rock has the noticeable "Danfeng" red characters engraved on the rock wall. From the view of Beitou going up the mountain, it is very eye-catching, making people want to explore it. The path to Gunboat Rock is short, and because of the existence of foreign stone steps and the indigenous sandstone, it has a unique flavor. The hard and rough rocks are firmly placed on both sides, as if supporting the path with solid stones. Walking along the path is comfortable and safe. The newly built landscape pavilion on the way may be to echo the grandeur of the surrounding rocks. This pavilion looks particularly spacious. Stopping here, compared to the crowded cityscape of Beitou below, the Wellington Villa located on the slope in the front left seems particularly quiet. The white walls and red tiles stand out clearly against the mountain scenery. After the pavilion, continue climbing the steps, and the view gradually becomes open. Gunboat Rock is not far away. Looking back, the view along the way is also open, with the Guandu wetland plain and the winding Dajia River flowing into the Danshui River. Still not satisfied, Gunboat Rock is already in front of us, with the Huagang of Yangming Mountain and the Culture University nestled in the mountains as natural backdrops. The Joy of Riding the Wind Eager to climb Gunboat Rock, I enjoy the experience of the wind and admire the beautiful scenery around. The 360-degree view shows the Taipei Basin and the surrounding mountain landscapes. Not only can you see the nearby city areas of Shilin, Beitou, Shipai, and Tianshui, but also the Guandu plain, Guanyin Mountain, the Dadsun Mountain range, Saomao Mountain, and the Wuzhi Mountain, all of which are beautiful and breathtaking. Standing on the top of the rock, it's really like boarding the "Titanic of the Mountains" - the strong winds come in waves, and the open view is endless. After getting my fill, I go down to the large flat rock area near the top. Looking around, the smooth and white rock surface really looks like a clean and refreshing seashore. I can't help but take off my shoes and walk barefoot on the smooth rock. Looking closely at Gunboat Rock, it really resembles the weathered sandstone of the northeastern coast. This association is not just imagination, because this area was originally a coastal area. If you don't believe it, the white sandstone you can see anywhere is the best evidence. The geology of Gunboat Rock is the Moshan Formation, deposited more than 20 million years ago. After being washed by the sea for a long time, it became white sand grains. With the accumulation of time and cementation, it formed thick, hard sandstone. Finally, it was uplifted by the mountain-building movement. The Wildness of Nature Gunboat Rock has an altitude of less than 200 meters, so not only are the indicator plants of low altitude, such as ferns, everywhere, but some plants originally found at medium and high altitudes also have a foothold here. This is because it is located at the entrance of the northeast monsoon, and the ridge line is under wind pressure, which causes the temperature to be lower, resulting in the drastic lowering of the plant ecological zones. The plants seen on the mountain ridgeline are usually common in coastal areas, such as the bottlebrush and the carissa. Danfeng Mountain is not as steep as Gunboat Rock, but the natural environment is similar. Plants commonly found on Gunboat Rock, such as the bracken fern, carissa, and the small-leaf breadfruit, are also present here, and the area is even more extensive. However, because of the previous wildfires, most of the area along the trail is separated by ropes, marked as a "protected area" that is off-limits. Like the sandstone terrain of Gunboat Rock, the soil layer is thinner, making it difficult to retain water, so the environment is drier, and thus the probability of fire is higher. In addition, the pine trees that contain oil are prone to catching fire, further increasing the number of warnings. The Ryukyu pine is the dominant species on Danfeng Mountain. In the open ridgeline and slopes, you can often see pine trees standing alone or in small groups. Walking on the gentle path, you can sometimes smell the subtle fragrance of pine. On the road where the trail is about to end, three pavilions appear densely along the way. Some even stand in the middle of the path, giving a sense of "turning the guest into the host." The flat-top mushroom-like and traditional garden-style pavilions have different shapes, and you can choose according to your preference. They are also a fun part of the journey before it ends.