Tianzhu Mountain

Tianzhushan, the heavenly pillar mountain, was designated one of the sacred mountains under the Han and was for centuries better known than Huangshan, which now overshadows it. Its geology is granite: a central spire rising to 1,489 metres, ridges of weathered domes and towers, and extensive systems of boulder caves formed where enormous blocks have piled and left passages beneath, some walked for hundreds of metres in darkness. Pines grow from the rock in the manner Huangshan is famous for, and cloud seas form on the ridges. It is a UNESCO geopark and receives a fraction of Huangshan's visitors.

What you actually see

• The granite spire - the central pillar rising to nearly fifteen hundred metres.
• The boulder caves - passages beneath piled granite blocks, walked in the dark.
• The rock pines - trees growing from cracks in the granite.
• The quiet - far fewer visitors than the neighbouring famous mountains.

When to go

April to June and September to November; azaleas flower in May, autumn brings clear air. Summer is hot and crowded with domestic holidays. Winter can bring ice, which closes some routes.

Honest expectations

Cable cars plus entry make it expensive. The boulder cave routes are dark, tight and slippery, unsuitable for claustrophobia. Ridge paths involve long stair climbs. Cloud can cover the peaks for days.

Nearby

Anqing and the Yangtze lie south; Hefei is northeast.