Baojia Ancient Trail Introduction
Visiting ancient trails has always been a great way to learn about local history. The Baojia Ancient Trail, with a history of two hundred years, reveals through its name that it was developed during the Qing Dynasty. The trail, formerly known as the "Porter’s Ancient Trail," was a crucial route for porters before the area of Laokeng in Yangmei had any connecting roads to the outside world, primarily used for transporting agricultural products such as persimmons, citrus fruits, tea leaves, and camellia oil. The ancient trail spans originally 20 kilometers, but it fell into disrepair and remained abandoned for many years. In 2014, residents of Yongning Village took half a year to restore 750 meters of the Baojia Ancient Trail by hand, following traditional methods passed down from their ancestors. The rounded pebbles used for the trail were sourced on-site from Laokeng Creek, and the residents specially used large stones to pave the center and smaller stones on the sides while ensuring the slope remained below 5%, recreating the scenes of past transportation activities and hoping to sustain local memories. The ancient trail, constructed using traditional Hakka techniques, though more time-consuming and labor-intensive than concrete pouring, offers higher permeability, preserving the habitat of original species and contributing to soil and water conservation, showcasing the local residents' dedication to caring for the land. Starting from the entrance wall mural along Laozhuang Road, there are facilities such as guided maps, tea-serving pavilions, interpretation pavilions, and decorative stone sculptures along the way, allowing travelers to experience Hakka culture. The flat ancient trail is quite suitable for family outings, where visitors can enjoy the lush greenery of tea gardens and tea trees, uplifting their spirits. With the arrival of the May tung tree blossom season, many flower enthusiasts are attracted to witness the beautiful scenery of flowering tung trees. The rest pavilion atop the ancient trail offers excellent views, allowing visitors to overlook the Yangsheng Golf Course and enjoy the pure white romance of the mountains and forests.
