Edging our way around the deep overhang behind the waterfall, we reach the far end, directly behind the slim column of falling water, only to be greeted with an astonishing sight: the other people sitting gazing out into the gorge are packing up their sleeping bags – they've just spent the night camping behind the waterfall!

With such evocative place names as Full Moon Mountain, Cloud Heart Falls and North Piercing Heaven Mountain, the area south of Sansia (三峽) near Taipei County's western border promises lots for the hiker, and it doesn't disappoint, with some excellent walking opportunities to waterfalls, 2,000-year-old trees, and several challenging mountain summits.

When Taiwan was not Taiwan, but a lonely island in the Pacific Ocean, when there was no Han population in this land and we can imagine the idyllic aboriginal paradise, living in several valleys and plains of this almost empty region, the Tang (唐) Dynasty ruled in the huge, heavily populated Chinese empire.

As the summer heat picks up, hiking in the steep little mountains around Taipei is rapidly becoming a less than tempting proposition, so it's great to discover that rarest of hikes in Taiwan: the long, scenically stunning, yet mostly level walk.

Standing for a group shot in front of the simply named Ancient Tree no. 1, there's ample room for ten of us to pose, lined up in a row and leaning on the tree's prodigiously broad, curving trunk.

The countryside around Pinglin (坪林), best-known as one of Taiwan's best tea growing areas, is also among Taipei County's best-kept secrets.

A special four-day mountain bike tour organized by a private adventure organizer; In Motion Asia, will be held to coincide with the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival long weekend, allowing experienced limited riders the opportunity to enjoy some of the best mountain biking trails in Taiwan and experience first-hand the stunning beauty and world-class riding on offer in Taiwan.

Standing at the mouth of a great overhanging cave, with a tiny rill of water trickling, half overgrown by thick foliage, down the rocky hillside past its mouth, is a good reminder that even the biggest things often start from small beginnings.

The National Revolutionary Martyrs Shrine(忠烈祠) isn't near the top of any list of Taipei's finest tourist attractions. Indeed, some Taiwanese people dislike this place for the same reason many shun Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.

Zhulin ('bamboo forest') Trail (竹林步道), Jingxue Brook Path (青礐溪步道), and Gouyingchin Old Trail (狗殷勤古道). These three names all refer to a favorite short walk of mine in the southern foothills of Yangmingshan, connecting the valley of the Waishuangsi (外雙溪) and the farming community of Pingdeng Li (平等里) high above.