Wander here for a day
don’t get bored
A niche scenic spot hidden in Laogang Town, Pudong, has recently become a new check-in point for many people.
More and more people are using it as a weekend getaway destination, because the refurbished buildings are very impressive. Coupled with the rich outdoor activities such as camping and Frisbee, it has attracted a group of young people.
Last Sunday, I also caught up with this wave and came to this 53-year-old red kiln factory.
On the big lawn, there are people who come to walk the dog and take a walk, and there are also children flying kites and playing football. In front of the red brick building, there are people queuing up, punching in and taking pictures, and even a yoga teacher who is doing difficult movements.
At noon, sit in the one-foot garden to have a cup of coffee and a delicious meal. Then, by the way, go to the second floor, wander around and take pictures in the industrial-style space.
In the afternoon, play Frisbee, live cs, and go boating on the lake. Back at the campsite in the evening, have a bonfire barbecue with a small wine.
Or facing the warm autumn wind, it is worth taking a purely outing.
You will never get bored if you spend a day here.
01
Renovated red kiln
Become a popular check-in point
Pudong Hongyao is located at No. 88, Lane 33, Qiuhe Road, Laogang Town, Shanghai, close to Pudong Airport. It takes about an hour to drive from the city center. Not far away is the tripe village known to the locals as the “Hometown of Snow Vegetables”.
Its predecessor was a brick factory built in 1969, and the kiln was shut down in the early 1990s. From 1999 to 2016, the site, which had been abandoned for many years, was used as a golf course.
The renovated red kiln has become a historical and cultural relic protected building in Laogang. Although the brick-making process has long faded out of people’s sight, the caves and chimneys that have been completely preserved seem to still tell the story of the last century.
Around Christmas last year, it was transformed into a gathering place for outdoor camping enthusiasts.
Hongyao really became popular on social networks around August this year. Everyone’s desire for outdoor activities was unprecedentedly strong, and it was slowly discovered.
The brand new community consists of single-family red brick buildings, outdoor lawns and campsites. The main area is 1,200 square meters, with nearly 2,000 square meters of green lawns, plus 1,200 acres of outdoor camps.
The parking lot is not far from the entrance, and within a few steps, there is a spacious lawn and a court surrounded by fences.
Chasing and scrambling children in open spaces are often attracted to aircraft passing by at low altitudes. This is nothing new to them.
More people gathered in front of the only building in this area, the red brick house, and took turns to take pictures at the best shooting spots, leaving a group of retro “blockbusters”.
This very representative two-storey building has a traditional symmetrical beauty from a distance.
Against the backdrop of the blue sky and white clouds, the buildings covered in red and the towering chimney tops are particularly eye-catching.
On the façade, except for red bricks, no carvings are added. The arched door openings are arranged, and the sun shines down, creating a mottled light and shadow effect.
One step at a time, very suitable for filming.
02
Very hot one foot garden
Check-in and gourmet
The first floor of the building is the “One Foot Garden” restaurant.
Three years ago, it opened its first store in the Tao family house in Chuansha, Pudong. Since then, from the Songjiang Guangfulin site, to the camphor garden on Hengshan Road, to the newly opened Qingpu Cenbu Village, this pro-nature cafe can be seen in urban areas or in the countryside.
Songjiang Guangfulin Store
So far, Yichi Garden has opened 27 stores.
The Pudong Hongyao Store opened on July 26 this year, gradually bringing more people to this remote scenic spot. Many people learned about this old kiln that has been sealed for many years through the “one-foot garden”.
At 12:30 noon, the open-air tables and chairs outside the store were almost full of people waiting in line.
Quan Zhiying, who came from Lingang on purpose, has been standing at the door for more than half an hour. She had been to Yichi Garden Chuansha store before, and she came to join after learning about the newly opened store.
Walking into the room, you can see the main bar head-on, and the aroma of coffee fills the entire space.
Passing through the bar covered with green plants, it seems like entering a dark underground passage.
There are two main kiln tunnels, connecting various small arches. The first time you travel through it, you will inevitably get lost.
Above the vault is the “coal falling hole” used to burn bricks in the past, and now it has become the lighting of the restaurant. It used to be to facilitate the falling of coal blocks, to help burn the fire, and to burn the bricks.
The interior is furnished with wooden dining tables, brown leather sofas, and bookcases everywhere.
Most of the picture frames placed on the bookcase are dried flowers made from locally sourced plants.
There is a separate dining area and reading space in the corner where you pass by.
The design here largely retains the original appearance of the old kiln.
The most obvious change is the “plant corridor” interspersed with lush green plants. The transparent skylight on the ceiling allows sunlight to come in directly through the glass.
There are also hidden details that are not easy to find in the promenade, such as the explanation diagrams of the brick-making process hanging on the two walls. These illustrations were written by Master Ma, who had worked in the kiln for more than 20 years, based on his memories.
The store specializes in coffee and Western light meals.
I ordered “Lake Shore Coffee”, which combines Chinese medicinal materials such as orange peel and fat sea. It has a cool taste of mint. It is a veritable health drink.
German-style wheat beer has a short shelf life and should be kept refrigerated. Compared with barley beer, the alcohol content is slightly lower and the taste is sweeter.
In addition, there are also drinks such as scented tea, smoothies, and seasonal persimmon latte.
The first main dish to be served is “Sicilian Bolognese”.
The noodles are wrapped in a rich tomato sauce and cooked softer than normal pasta. This was the first dish cooked by the chef in the early days of the restaurant using an induction cooker.
Seven-ripe “slow-roasted ribeye steak” with a layer of rosemary underneath. Serve with a small bowl of coarse sea salt on the side, dip it in and take a bite, the coarse salt will slowly melt in your mouth along with the steak.
The “Mushroom Chicken Bread Bowl” is a bowl and lid of crispy toasted whole wheat bread, and it’s filled with creamy chicken and mushroom soup.
The bread is soaked in the thick soup, and then shoved into the mouth, leaving the delicious cream and cheese between the lips and teeth.
There are also many special snacks in Yichi Garden.
Like the cumin beef pizza with a thin crust and a crispy bottom.
Common french fries, larger than normal fries.
The day I went because the small baskets for regular platters ran out, I put plates on the table.
There are also secret grilled chicken wings that are tender on the outside and tender on the inside, and healthy salads that are soothing and refreshing.
After a full meal, I walked up the spiral staircase and came to the second floor.
The upstairs is divided into two parts: indoor and outdoor. The indoor exhibition space is temporarily closed to the public, but the outdoor retro simple red brick wall is no pressure to stand in every corner to take 360-degree photos.
The open arch windows are connected in series, and each window is an excellent viewing point.
The interior is a large space of 750 square meters with a height of 7 meters, without pillar support.
The transparent skylight on the top, corresponding to the glass belt on the ground, connects to the “plant corridor” on the first floor, allowing sunlight to naturally shine into the bottom of the cave.
This area is very suitable for weddings and various events.
03
camping frisbee rowing
Outdoor activities are available
In addition to the red kiln factory and the big lawn, there are all kinds of outdoor sports. Camping, Frisbee, and boating can all be found here.
From far away, the green grass is full of raised tents. There are both ins-style Japanese-style accounts and spacious American-style multi-person accounts.
Each tent has a name, named after more than 100 different birds.
Near the campsite, there is an integrated separate shower room and an open kitchen, dining room, and a mobile open-air projection screen.
There is a high probability of seeing a dog named “Er Gou” on the grass, who is recognized as the “mascot” in the camp.
Not far away, there is an 18-hole Frisbee golf course. Frisbee’s own social attributes make many people happy between throwing and catching.
There is a stone arch bridge prominently. The shape of the bridge body is ancient and clumsy, and it is separated from the large lawns on both sides. One side is the self-service camping area, and the other side is the bag check-in area.
Under the bridge hole is an unknown lake. There are a few strands of water grass floating on the green water, and you can still clearly see the fish swimming below. There is a high probability that this is a dock used to transport red bricks or dirt in the past.
Some people have set up paddleboards on the shore, ready to experience the fun of kayaking.
The staff of the camp talked about the isolation life a few months ago, rowing fishing, picking wild vegetables, grilling fish and barbecue every day. Self-sufficiency is also a joy.
At 5 o’clock in the evening, I sat under the sky and rested for a while.
Waiting for the sunset to slant to the west, I was healed by nature in an instant, and I couldn’t help thinking of a sentence in “Dream Hotel”: “Twilight brings the mask of night, and when it appears, it is like dawn, illuminating a road that I want to follow… …”
When daily life is full of busyness and hustle and bustle, you might as well press the pause button first, make an appointment with three or five friends, and have an outdoor experience away from the city.
Written and edited by Erika57
Image via photographer Miley, One Foot Garden, Nest Camp