Baojia Old Trail Introduction
Exploring ancient trails has always been a great way to understand local history. The Baojia Ancient Trail, with a history of over 200 years, reveals its origins from the Qing Dynasty through the characters "Baojia." The trail, formerly known as the "Duli Ancient Trail," was a vital route for porters traveling between Hsinchu's Xinpu and Taoyuan's Daxi, particularly before the region had external roads. This path was primarily used to transport agricultural products such as persimmons, citrus fruits, tea leaves, and bitter tea oil. Originally, the ancient trail spanned 20 kilometers but was neglected for many years due to disrepair. In 2014, residents of Yongning Village took six months to restore 750 meters of the Baojia Ancient Trail using traditional methods passed down from their ancestors. The round pebbles along the trail were sourced locally from Laokeng Creek, and the residents employed techniques such as placing large stones in the center and smaller stones on the sides to stabilize the path, with a slope of less than 5%, to recreate the historical scene of freight transport and to preserve local memories. Although the construction of this ancient path using traditional Hakka methods is more time-consuming and labor-intensive than using concrete pouring, it has higher permeability, does not destroy the habitat of native species, and better achieves soil and water conservation, demonstrating the residents' care for the land. The journey begins at the colorful mural wall along Laozhuang Road, equipped with a guide map, tea service pavilion, interpretation pavilion, and decorative stone sculptures along the way, allowing travelers to experience Hakka culture. The flat ancient trail is quite suitable for family outings; visiting this quiet path, one can feel the lush greenery of tea gardens and bitter tea oil trees, uplifting the mood. With the arrival of the tung flower season in May, many flower enthusiasts are attracted to witness the beautiful scenery of tung flowers blooming at the treetops. The rest area at a higher point on the trail offers excellent views, allowing visitors to overlook the Yangsheng Golf Course and enjoy the pure white romance of the mountains and woods.
