Taipei City Government

Taipei folk love to raise pets, but finding good places to take them out for a walk or a run can be a headache. For some pets, an outdoor outing means competing with cars for space. This scene is obviously dangerous. For pet owners in Tianmu, however, the difficulty of finding friendly open spaces is never a question, for the roads are wide here, the pathways many, small neighbourhood parks abundant. This is a veritable paradise for dog owners, especially those with large breeds.

When the spring sun comes out to spread its carpet of warmth over Tianmu, Labrador owners one by one emerge with their precious friends and gather in Tianhe Park No. 1 , at the intersection of Sec. 2, Zhongcheng Rd. (at the end of Sec. 2) and Lane 69, Tianmu E. Rd. Says Ms. Xu , who regularly meets with friends who also love dogs.“The slope here is not steep, perfect for dogs to exercise.”On most weekends and holidays you'll find people leading their beloved leashed dogs here, walking from the park all the way to the entrance of the Tianmu Trail. If the weather is good they'll sometimes tackle the trail's 1,000-plus stone steps together. The parks, big and small, at which one can stop off along the way to the trail entrance include Tianhe Park , Donghe Park , and small neighborhood parks. Dogs can ramble freely, and some parks even have special drinking-water facilities for them. These parks all also feature swings, seesaws, and other kid-friendly facilities, making them great choices for a day in the park for the whole family.

Tianmu Trail we've mentioned above is also called the Water Pipe Road Trail . You'll almost always see hiking-lovers getting their exercise here, especially on the initial section, which sports 1,400 stone steps, perfect for tempering mind and body. Many athletes come here to work on their footwork. After you pass the first pavilion on the trail you find yourself on a comparatively flat section, which heads off in the direction of Chinese Culture University. “The stone steps take about one hour to complete, but the pathway is tree-lined and very shady, so dogs won't overheat.”Above the pavilion is an adjustment well, and on the hillside there is a water pipe out of which comes sweet, fresh, free-flowing mountain-spring water. Your dog will appreciate the breather and the cool, crisp refreshment just as much as you do. Those in very good physical condition will head all the way up to Chinese Culture University and back down again.

There's also another choice you might consider, a route the Tianmu locals call the“Huang Creek Embankment Fitness Walking Trail”. The pathway is straight as an arrow, is wide and comfortable, and is a paradise for you to walk your dogs.“Local people refer to the Huang Creek embankment as Tianmu's ultimate green belt. Here you can see many rare varieties of bird life and abundant native flora and fauna.”Huang Creek flows through Tianmu and then Shilin; it flows out of the Datun Volcanic Mountain Group and contains hot-spring mineral waters rich in iron oxides that have dyed the surface of the creek's rocks a distinctive reddish-brown, creating an unusual and compelling natural landscape.

The Tianmu section of Huang Creek can be said to start at Tianmu Park , from which it flows all the way to the Keelung River. Each night as dusk approaches this section fills with area folk out to walk their dogs and have a chat. Many like to walk their pets along the embankment trail between Tianmu W. Rd. and the area of Sec. 6 of Zhongshan N. Rd. and Ronghua Rd. Below the embankment Huang Creek murmurs and gurgles on its way by. On its right side you can see Cheng Hsin General Hospital , and on the left opposite are the embassy buildings of more than 10 countries. This special embassy district is located along Lane 50 of Tianmu W. Rd. and Lane 405 of Zhongshan N. Rd. Along the creek you'll often see the family members of the ambassadors stationed here walking their dogs, in addition to the wellknown local celebrities that live in the district.

Tianmu, as you've seen, offers much in addition to the zest of international cultural imports. This enclave is one of the greenest neighborhoods in this busy metropolis, and your dog will let you know just what happiness you have brought to the day with a healthy jaunt into this area's bursting trove of emerald-rich natural exercise spots.