TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—At a press conference on Monday, Geotechnical Engineering Office of Taipei City Government encouraged people to hike on a newly marked 92 kilometer route that goes across all the ridges surrounding Taipei City, saying that anyone who finishes the hike and takes photos at 12 designated locations in one year will be awarded a sports towel.
According to the GEO, the new Grand Hike route integrates 135 existing trails and includes ridges, ancient trails, walking paths, mountain trails, and city streets, with the difference between the highest elevation and the lowest elevation being 1,120 meters.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who also attended the press conference, said there are marks, drinking fountains and directions for camping grounds along the way.
Ko said the abundant hiking trails surrounding the city not only provide citizens with good venues for recreation, but they can also become important tourism resources of Taipei. "We should not always tell foreigners to visit Lungshan Temple; they can go for a hike to the mountains, too,”he said.
According to the GEO's data, the Grand Hike across Taipei's ridges can be done in seven or eight days, and the total energy burned is estimated at 38,000 kilocalories. When going for the hike, just follow the logo for the Grand Hike across Taipei's ridges along the way, the GEO added.
The agency said that people who finish the hike and collect photos taken with the following Chinese characters at 12 designated locations within one year can come to the GEO to get a sports towel: “台、北、東、西、南、北、大、縱、走、壯、遊、趣. "
For more information, please refer to this website.
Follow the logo of the Grand Hike across Taipei's ridges (photo courtesy of the GEO)
The sports towel (photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)
(photo courtesy of the GEO)