Spring has arrived, bringing the perfect opportunity for a leisurely family outing to Liangquan Xianggu for some refreshing nature walks

Beijing's spring has finally come, and this weekend I went with my family to the long-planned Liangquan Xianggu. We aimed to check out the famous 'Xiao Zhan-style' cave, which we had planned to visit last autumn by taking a hiking trip. Unfortunately, the mountainous scenic areas in Huairou were closed from November to March, so we had to wait until they reopened on April 1st this year. After reading many recommendations from friends, it seems that if you set out directly from the city center to Liangquan Xianggu on the day, the journey and potential traffic jams not only waste time but also mean you'll encounter crowds when climbing the mountain, and you might even have to queue for photos. Therefore, it's more relaxed to find a nearby homestay and stay overnight in advance. I searched for the closest homestays and found one called 'Sishi Homestay' within a 10-minute drive. Located on Fanqi Road, it opened last year with fresh decor and facilities. There are two courtyards of different sizes available for rent. After consulting online, the owner was very patient and detailed in their introduction. Since we had a large group, we chose the larger courtyard with four bedrooms that can accommodate over a dozen people. It has karaoke and a chess room to meet the needs of family members of different ages, and the kitchenware is also quite complete. Before we set off, we bought a lot of semi-finished products from the supermarket to cook together, which is both reassuring and lively when eating in a group. In the morning, we left the homestay for Liangquan Xianggu without any rush, finishing breakfast before 9 am. The tourists who started from the city hadn't arrived yet, and there were only a few cars in the parking lot. Our group calmly followed the stream uphill, taking photos at the 'Xiao Zhan-style' cave on the mountaintop at will. For those with the energy, you can follow the path to the source of Yanqi or even take on several dozen kilometers of hiking trails. Since we were accompanying the elderly and children, we took the simplest loop down the mountain. This route is only 3.5 kilometers long, and even with the elderly and children, it took us just two and a half hours to complete, making it a not-too-difficult hiking trail. On the way back to the homestay, we encountered several motorcycle groups and road cycling teams running on the mountain. The routes near the homestay are quite suitable for long-distance mountain biking training. Following the road signs along Fanqi Road, you'll reach Liuli Temple and Sihai, which are also classic cycling routes. Next time, I might join my cycling friends for a ride here.