British vlogger shares stories of getting outdoors in Taiwan

英國視訊部落客分享在台灣戶外活動的故事

Richard Hazeldine plans to climb Taiwan's 100 Peaks


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — British vlogger Richard Hazeldine is not only a big fan of Taiwanese cuisine, but he is also enamored of the nation’s mountains and has committed to climbing its "100 Peaks."

Hazeldine lived in Taiwan for 17 years, marrying into the nation, before reluctantly moving to Singapore, where he has been for five years, according to CNA.

In Britain, the vlogger laments that he was rarely able to see the mountains or the ocean due to his inland upbringing. When he first came to Taiwan to learn Mandarin in 1998, he grew enchanted with the green and mountainous nation.

Over the years, he would get involved in many activities he had been unable to partake in back home, such as mountaineering and riding motorcycles. Upon arrival, he quickly fell in love with the local cuisine.

Through his YouTube channel “Richard's Asia Hikelopedia,” the vlogger has been sharing his stories. The mountains and trails he has set foot on include Snow Mountain, Hehuan Mountain, Chilai Mountain, Caoling Historic Trail, Stegosaurus Ridge, and the three peaks of Xiaozi, Cimu, and Putuo in Pingxi, New Taipei City.

According to Hazeldine, the scariest trail in Taiwan is Taroko National Park's Zhuilu Old Road. The trail has a section where a mere 1.5-meter-wide pass is all that comes before a cliff face and a 500-meter deep river valley below.

The vlogger also described his two-day-one-night trip to climb the north peak of Chilai Mountain as a very special experience, praising the magnificent landscapes of vast clouds and alpine mists.

Hazeldine pointed out that as climbing Chilai Mountain and especially its north peak is quite a challenge for most people, mountaineering disasters have occurred along the trail. This has spawned ghost stories that circulate among hikers, though the Briton notes he never encountered any supernatural phenomena.

After living in Taiwan for so many years, Hazeldine regrets that he has been unable to leave Singapore during the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiwanese delicacies are constantly on his mind. While the only Taiwanese snacks in Singapore available to him have been braised pork rice and grass jelly, his father-in-law has also sent him Taiwanese high mountain tea.