Su Causeway

Su Causeway is a 2.8-kilometer earthen causeway crossing the western half of West Lake in Hangzhou's Xihu District, built in the 1090s under the supervision of the poet-official Su Dongpo (Su Shi) using silt dredged from the lake during a major clearing project. The causeway carries a paved path lined with willow, peach, and plum trees and crosses the water via six arched stone bridges, dividing the western portion of West Lake into the Outer Lake and smaller connected pools. Walking the full length end to end takes about 1 to 1.5 hours at an easy pace, passing views of Xiaoyingzhou island, Huagang Park, and the surrounding hills. The causeway is one of the traditional Ten Scenes of West Lake, known as Su Causeway in Spring Dawn, and is at its most photogenic in early spring when the willows leaf out and the peach trees bloom in pink against the green water. Bicycles can be rented at either end for those who prefer to cover the distance faster; walkers typically stop at each of the six bridges for a different framing of the lake and hills. The causeway sees the heaviest foot and bicycle traffic on weekend mornings and during the spring blossom season, when it becomes one of the most visited stretches of shoreline in Hangzhou; a walk in the very early morning or on a weekday avoids the largest crowds.