Luohu Greenway

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I came across Luohu Greenway online and it looked like a nice walk. There wasn't too much information online about it, but with the help of my map app, I was able to find the start. I made my way to Buxin subway station and then walked for about 20 minutes or so to the start of the trail. It was a nice sunny day as I made my way up the hill and along a very quiet road to the start of the trail. I was surprised at how quiet the area was, as there were a few communities of high rise apartment buildings. Maybe everyone was inside suffering from Covid as this was roughly when Shenzhen hit the peak. The entrance to the greenway surprised me as I had imagined it to be totally different judging by the pictures I had seen online, but there was a sign and a sun bleached map that was impossible to see marking the start. The trail is just over seven kilometres so a nice stretch of the legs.

The start was steps up, luckily there weren't too many, so I wasn't too out of breath as I got to the top. The steps continued but they were a lot more gradual. This first part of the trail wasn't spectacular scenery wise, just trees and high rise apartment buildings. I did wonder why people would want to live there as it did have a bit of a middle of nowhere feel to it. I love that I live in a city with a population of 12.5 million and parts of it still manage to feel empty. Speaking of empty, this part of the trail was quiet and I only passed a few other people. I came to a junction and was unsure which way to go. There really needed to be a signpost here telling you which way to go as I started on the Buxin Mountain trail before heading back and along what I hoped was the right path. I got some nice views of Wutongshan as I walked along the path. A bit further on, there was a viewing platform with more views of Wutongshan and the lake/reservoir below. I stayed there for a little while soaking in the views. Continuing on I headed downhill, I saw a trail leading uphill, but decided against it. That was the right move as the trail came out onto a (closed) road and I followed the road around. I feel like this was the start of the greenway proper as it looked more like the photos I had seen online.

A little way along I came to the first of many former guard posts. These were part of the Secondary Borderline. There were 163 entry posts built roughly every 500 metres along the distance of 84.6 kilometres that ran through the forest and mountains. These posts due to their height gave the sentry guards better visibility and guarding responsibility. The sentries carried guns, bullet pouches and walkie talkies, and were aided by searchlights, bicycles and patrol dogs. I really wished that I had been able to climb up to the platform of the guard post to see what they would have seen, but the stairs had been removed so there was no access. I walked on a little further and came to a signpost and map that showed the main points that I would pass on the route. I stood on the Tabebuia Platform and looked at the Tabebuia Valley below. That was really beautiful. It was so green and lush looking, even the spindly looking trees added to the scene rather than detract from it. Since it was winter (well by Shenzhen's standards) so the flowers weren't in bloom. I could also see Wutongshan again and closer to me there was what looked like some kind of resort/hotel on the hilltop nearby.

I walked along the trail and after about ten or fifteen minutes came to the Children's Park, which of course had quite a few families in it, so I kept going. There was another guard post near here and there was also a iron sculpture/piece of wall art that depicted a border guard, his guard post and the border. There was some writing on it, but it was only in Chinese. I tried to photograph it, but the sun was casting the trees' shadows across it. From here, it was a short walk to the Nostalgia Pavilion. To be honest, there wasn't much to see. I could see some tall office buildings in the distance, but the view was mainly trees. The path winded up the hill and I came to the Twilight Courier Station. This was the busiest place I had been so far on the trail. There were a few places to sit and a toilet block. At the back of the service centre there were some seats and a quite nice view of the are, the water and the green mountains. After a brief rest, I kept going. The next part was downhill and I loved the electricity box (I think that's what it was) that was covered in cartoon faces. Did it blend in with its surroundings? No. Did it look good? Yes!

Passing another guard post and the trail flattened out. It also got a lot busier. I think that there must be another entrance near here. I came to the Twin Bridge, which was just two bridges. There was also a small garden under the bridges. There was a dry creek too, which wasn't very interesting. Looking across, I could see the path winding up the hill. As I made my way along, I could see the valley floor below. There were a few buildings there and some small manmade pools of water. The path continued up and rounded the corner so I got different views now. The first one was of a construction site, not very interesting, but I could see the water and green hills in the background.

I passed the Crape Myrtle Pavilion and since the views weren't great I didn't stop there. I rounded the corner and a bit further along I came to Mountain-Lake View. This was the prettiest place in the whole of the greenway. This is also the biggest viewing deck along the greenway. There were quite a few people on it taking in the views. The views were of Wutongshan (mountain), Shenzhen Reservoir, and Fairy Lake Botanical Garden. I had seen the temple in the botanical garden earlier on in my walk, but my photos of it didn't come out too well. The sign at the platform said that the reservoir serves as the major source of drinking water in Shenzhen, I thought most people drank bottled water... The views were gorgeous and I spent a good while there taking photos of the scenery from different angles. The people that lived in the low rise apartment buildings that nestled on edge of the reservoir must get some lovely views. I followed the path round past my final guard post and made it to the entrance of the greenway. The road, while busy, seemed to have nothing around it. There was a bus stop about a five minute walk away, so I headed there and perfect timing as a bus emerged from the bus station to take me back to the subway.

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Comments

[Suzette Chan]

Exploring Luohu Greenway
Exploring Luohu Greenway seems like a great way to enjoy the outdoors and take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. It's always a wonderful experience to discover new places and enjoy some fresh air and exercise, especially after spending so much time indoors due to Covid. It's fascinating how quiet the area was despite being located in the heart of a bustling metropolis. Perhaps the pandemic had something to do with it. Walking along the greenway must have been an excellent opportunity to soak up some sunshine and appreciate the natural beauty of the surroundings. It's exciting to think about all the other hidden gems waiting to be discovered around the world, perhaps on your next asia trip.