Saturday. Sunny (a bit hazy) and warm (high reached 20°C). At the south bus depot of Fuding 福鼎, I took a bus to the town of Qingyu 秦屿 (also called Taimu 太姥 ￥15), then another bus to Mt. Taimu scenic area (￥8). About 45km SW. (Detailed transportation) I arrived at the ticket office at ~10:10am. Paid entrance ￥100 + ￥15 park bus. A free map (not very to the scale) of the park can be picked up by the window. I stowed my luggage in the empty museum at the gate, because no where offers storage service for sizable luggage. The park bus drops you off at the starting point 迎仙台 (platform to welcome the gods). Well, there's just this one stop, where many shops and hotels are. Plenty of tourists, allowing me to listen to guides from various groups. Most people are concentrated in the lower half, one hour from the bus stop. 
Further away (to the left), near 九鲤湖 (lake of nine carps) and 香山寺 (temple fragrant hill - from the mountain orchids) I met total 3 students. There's some hotel being built next to the temple. Further up, to 白云禅 (under messy renovation) and the top at 917m 覆鼎峰 (peak of upturned urn. Not much a peak, just a flat mount without a view). From here, taking the back side (to the right) via 乌龙岗 (hill of black dragon) is my favorite. Very steep and narrow at times, seemingly endless steps. Excellent view of surrounding giant granite slabs, the tourists below at 迎仙台, the town farther below, the crisscross of waterways entering the sea. Too hazy today to see the ocean. 
This mountain is noted for its funny granite formations plenty stories have been conjured up by generations of tour guides). There're so-called caves (piled boulders leaving some narrow space) you can squeeze through. It's a fun place for skinny people. I had to take my backpack off at times, otherwise, the total width of me + backpack is too much. Quite fun. From what I read, on a really foggy day (1/3 of the time), there's a different beauty. For better colors, come in spring when azalea blooms. I got back at the gate before 3pm, with somewhat shaky legs. My suitcase was safe and sound in the museum. Still, this is low season. Had to wait for about 40 minutes, before my bus was satisfactorily filled so it would depart. Two different stops at the gate, one for the Taimu city center, one for the Taimu train station. I took the ~5pm train, arrived at Shanghai ~10:30pm. ￥208.
