Expert recommendation: Appreciate flowers in Wuyuan—compare off-the-beaten-path routes vs. classic experiences (with route details...)

Spring, when rapeseed flowers are in full bloom, is the most beautiful season in Wuyuan. But many people don’t know that aside from being a flower viewing destination, Wuyuan is also a paradise for hiking enthusiasts. While most tourists flock to the commercially developed scenic areas, you can also explore the following hiking routes recommended by outdoor expert@Keyboard. These routes will take you through rural ancient paths, where you can experience the undisturbed, authentic Huizhou-style countryside scenery.

The hike along the Five Ridges starts at a roadside pavilion called Xin Keng Bridge in Jiangwan. First, you climb over Tan Gong Ridge to Mingtan Village, where the ancient path weaves through the village. Then you ascend the second ridge, Dui Jing Ridge, to Pailoudi Village. After passing Yang Dou Ridge, you go through Liguanting and Waiguanting. As a simple road has been built here, parts of the ancient path are faint or intermittent, occasionally weaving back into villages. Later, you pass through Pai Ridge to Tapeng, and finally reach Huangmao.

Expert review:

This is one of the most classic hiking routes in Wuyuan. The entire trail is relatively flat, with villages along the way where you can resupply or ask for directions. Except for Tan Gong Ridge, the other ridges are not high. Each of the five ridges features well-paved flagstone steps, while the rest are mostly dirt paths. The whole route can be completed in one day.

Reference route map from Lüzújiǎo user@Xin’an. Download LüzújiǎoAPP, search845784, and you can view the trail track

Exit Guankeng village and turn left onto the old bridge. Follow the path through the fields, climb a small ridge, descend to the road, and then enter Yicun. Yicun is divided into upper and lower sections, with typical Huizhou-style residences. The ancient path cuts through the village, winds up alongside a stream, and after turning left across the stream, you’ll pass Lingjiaoting and Banlingting to reach Huiling Cave. Hui Ridge sits at an elevation of 742 meters, and at the mountain pass there is an arched stone gate inscribed with the characters “Valley Embracing” (Xiayi). \Past Hui Ridge, there’s a fork in the path: going straight down leads to a full flagstone path that takes you to Xiuning Huixi Village, while turning right takes you on a slightly longer mountain path to Xiuning Lizhuang.

Expert review:

This route follows the ancient post road from Yicun to Xiuning. The flagstones are well preserved, but the path sees little maintenance and is overgrown with bamboo and palm leaves, giving it a rather desolate feel.

Reference route map from Lüzújiǎo user @Zuozǐ. Download LüzújiǎoAPP, search67355, and you can view the trail track

Starting from the Bashi Bridge in Guankeng, the ancient path begins to climb, offering views of picturesque farmland. The path passes Xi’aoting, with the only fork along the way: going straight ahead, turning left leads to Lukeng (marked by red-painted arrows on the ground), and turning right goes to Qingshan An’tang. Then, after passing Shang’aoting and descending all the way via Lengshuiting, you’ll arrive at Lingjiao Village. This is an ancient village with a simple, unspoiled local culture, and the ancient post road runs through it, connecting seamlessly with the Huizhou-Raozhou Ancient Road.

Expert review: This is a relatively well-developed hiking route. In the season when rapeseed flowers are in bloom, the scenery along the way is particularly pleasant. The path includes eight ascents and seven descents (eight Chinese miles uphill, seven downhill), and the entire route is paved with flagstones.

Reference route map from Lüzújiǎo user @B688. Download LüzújiǎoAPP, search147243, and you can view the trail track

Starting from behind Lingjiao Village, the winding bluestone path still exists. After reaching the highway, walk 5 meters forward to find the entrance to the ancient mountain trail. The ancient path appears intermittently, intertwined with the highway, so you’ll need to search carefully. Climb to Zhe Ridge at an altitude of 1116 meters, where you’ll find an ancient pavilion and stele at the ridge top. The pavilion is called “Tongchun Pavilion,” and beside it stands a stone stele inscribed with the four large characters “Wu Chu Fen Yuan” (Boundary Between Wu and Chu). This stele is a replica—the original is housed in the Wuyuan Museum. Descend a short section of the highway to locate the entrance to the ancient path again. This section of the ancient post road is well-preserved. Along the way, you’ll encounter a pavilion called “Jizhi Pavilion,” built from neat bluestones. Follow the bluestone path as it winds down alongside a stream, cross an ancient bridge onto the highway, and arrive at Ziwu Village. Continue on to Zhangqian.

Expert Review:

This is part of the Huirao Ancient Road. Nowadays, asphalt roads have been built, and the ancient path is fragmented, so you’ll need to search carefully for the entrance. One highlight is climbing to the highest point of the Huirao Ancient Road—Zhe Ridge.

The reference map is provided by Lüzújiǎo user @Meizi@qq. Download LüzújiǎoAPP, search383596, and you can view the route track

Enter from the mountain valley opposite Xiaqi Shangtan, follow a winding ancient path. Most of the ancient road along the way is made of irregular stone blocks, with some sections featuring stone railings—all of it is a gentle uphill climb that requires quite a bit of effort. There are post stations along the way, and near Shanhou Village, the path turns onto a newly built highway. The ancient path turns left at Shanhou Village, and the latter section is relatively flat until you reach the head of Qingyuan Village. Walk through Qingyuan Village, and upon exiting, the ancient path is replaced by a cement road. Walk uphill for a while, then turn left at the ridge top—the ancient path reappears here. Follow the ancient path straight down to Duanxin Reservoir. There are scheduled boats from the reservoir to Guankengkou, but they run on an irregular schedule and require a phone reservation. A viaduct has now been built over the reservoir, so boats can only stop midway. The disembarkation point is three kilometers from Guankeng, with direct buses available or you can walk there.

Expert Review:

The ancient path is rich in vegetation. In spring, the alpine azaleas on both sides bloom competitively, and the rapeseed flowers in the distant terraced fields also present a spectacular sight. The ancient path is fairly intact with few forks. Shanhou Village is primitive and rustic, and there’s a farmhouse where you can get meals—if you need to, contact them in advance. Qingyuan is a well-developed scenic spot, and during the peak tourist season, an entrance fee is charged.

The reference map is provided by Lüzújiǎo user@Zhuji Elderly. Download LüzújiǎoAPP, search22308, and you can view the route track (this route map is for a reverse hike, i.e., Guankeng--Xiaqi)

Eastern Route:“China's No. 1 County-Level Museum”Wuyuan Museum→ Moon Bay on the lake → Little Bridge and Flowing Water Village Likeng → Ancient Wharf and Famous Ancestral Hall Wangkou Yu Family Ancestral Hall → Ancient Cultural Ecological Village Xiaqi → Hometown of a Great Man Jiangwan → Sun-Drying Autumn Homes Huangling → High Mountain and Flat Lake Jiangling;

Western Route:County Town → Wenfeng Mountain Scenic Area → Ancient City → Jinshan Tea Plantation → Asia’s Largest Mandarin Duck Habitat Yuanyang Lake → Paradise-like Changxi;

Northern Route:County Town → Congxi Drifting → Ancient Huizhou Merchants’ Village Sixi Yancun → Song Dynasty Covered Bridge Caihong Bridge → Officials’ Village Maikeng → National Forest Park Lingyan Cave → Dazhangshan Wolong Valley → Maple Leaf Kingdom Shicheng → The Number One Maple Cave in the South of the Yangtze River → Yan Tian Ancient Camphor Folk Custom Garden → Millennium Ancient Post Road Jialu.

Air:Wuyuan County currently has no airport, but nearby cities such as Jingdezhen, Huangshan, Quzhou, and Nanchang all have airports. Jingdezhen Luojia Airport is about80kilometers from Wuyuan County Town and is the closest airport to Wuyuan.Jingdezhen Airport and Huangshan Airport are relatively close to Wuyuan, making travel from these two places more time-efficient. Flying to Nanchang or Quzhou and then traveling to Wuyuan is a bit farther, but Nanchang, being the provincial capital, generally has more incoming flights from various regions.

Train:Wuyuan County currently has no train station. Travelers can take a train to Jingdezhen, Jiujiang, Nanchang, Shangrao, Huangshan, or Quzhou first, then transfer to a bus to Wuyuan. The closest is Jingdezhen Railway Station, which has frequent buses to Wuyuan, taking less than two hours to arrive, making it the preferred rail entry point to Wuyuan. Travelers from Beijing or Nanjing can disembark at Huangshan Station on the Wan-Gan Line and transfer to a bus; those from Fujian can take a train to Jingdezhen and then transfer to a bus; travelers from Shanghai can take the Zhe-Gan Line to Quzhou, Zhejiang, and then transfer to a bus.

Long-distance Bus:Wuyuan Bus Station is located at the entrance to Wuyuan from the Jingdezhen direction, locally known as Qiliting, in the Wuyuan Development Zone (Chaxiang West Road), near the Wuyuan highway exit. Currently, there are mainly buses to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Hefei, Huangshan, Wuhan, Shangrao, Dexing, Jingdezhen, Nanchang, Jiujiang, and Quzhou.

Wuyuan has many scenic spots that are relatively scattered. Travelers can take minibuses between the various sites, usually costing around6RMB, with the furthest being no more than10RMB.
Minibuses in Wuyuan County generally depart6:30~7:30from each township to the county town, then return to their departure points around noon. Therefore, the most suitable time to take a bus from the county town to some remote scenic spots in Wuyuan, such as Likeng, Hongguan, Qingyuan, and Dazhangshan, is between9:00~14:00, with the highest concentration of departures between10:00~13:00between.

The central townships serve as a bridge between the county seat and remote scenic spots. There are many daily buses between the county seat and these townships, and there are also frequent farm vehicles from these townships to the remote attractions. So if you can’t find transportation in the county seat, consider transferring in these areas. These townships are:
1, Central North Line Qīnghuá: Every day6:30to17:40, there is a bus to and from the county seat every twenty minutes. It can cover areas such as Dàzhàngshān, Gǔtǎn Língyán Cave, Tuóchuān Lǐkēng, and Zhèyuán Hónɡɡuān.
2, Eastern Line Jiāngwān: The transportation between here and the county seat is very convenient, and it connects to the Eastern Line destinations of Xiǎoqǐ, Xītóu, Dàfàn, and Duànxīn.
3, Western Line Fùchūn: Transportation with the county seat is convenient and it connects to the Western Line destinations of Xǔcūn, Zhèntóu, and Jiǎlù.

Bicycle:The scenic spots in Wuyuan are scattered along the route, so traveling by bicycle is quite suitable and offers freedom and convenience. The rental fee varies depending on the type of bike, generally around10-20yuan/per hour. However, Wuyuan has many mountain roads, so be mindful of your physical strength. Some hostels in Wuyuan and Qīnghuá Town offer bicycle rental services.

Car Rental/Chartered Car:Chartering a car is the most comfortable way to travel, especially suitable for groups. However, during Golden Week, chartered cars are in high demand, prices go up30%~50%, and availability may be limited. The typical price for a chartered car is about200yuan/per day, with vehicle options including Geely and Xiali sedans, and Changhe6-seater minibuses. If no cars are available, you can charter a farm vehicle, which can accommodate around4people. However, the price isn’t much cheaper than a minibus, and most such vehicles are Beijing Foton models.