One local tourist brochure described my destination like this: I would feel my body floating above the clouds, and the moment I entered I'd forget to return. I would be refreshed, relaxed and happy, with "the moon as bright and clear as bathing water". Sounded like the People's Republic of Prozackia. The blurb became more graphic: "The region also abounds with crude drugs...." Was this some obscure oriental Glastonbury, a Shangri-la of spliffs? And would they sell extra-large rizlas?

Well, no, the drugs in question were medicinal mushrooms and ginseng, while the scenery was way beyond anything in southern England. Our bus swerved along a winding and treacherous road while several passengers were puking out the window. The clouds were low and drizzle misted the air. This, I thought contemplating another few cramped and whiffy hours, had better be worth it.

It was Wutai Shan, or 'Five Terrace Mountain', is one of the four holiest Buddhist mountains in China. Here in Shanxi Province, about 300km southwest of Beijing, pilgrims have been coming for around two thousand years. In its heyday more than two hundred monasteries and temples dotted Wutai's lush hills. Today around fifty survive, a few little more than caves or grottoes. I spent a couple of days wandering through some of their courtyards, pavilions and halls. Above all else, Wutai Shan's gorgeous setting provides almost unlimited opportunities for rambling in the encircling hills.

Most people stay in the one-street town of Taihuai, and just getting here is part of the allure. Whether coming from Datong in the north or Taiyuan to the south, you're in for a slow 8- or 9-hour bus trip. But the scenery is majestic, especially on the road from Datong which skirts Yedou (or Cloud and Fog) Peak. At 3058m, it's not only the highest of Wutai's five mountains but the loftiest part of northern China.

Numerous temples are clustered around the centre of town. Others lie in the nearby hills while a handful of massive complexes are up to 50km distant. For the casual non-pilgrim visitor, their relaxed atmosphere makes them extremely accessible. There are hardly any foreigners coming here; Chinese tourists dominate the scene. Far from displaying any great religious fervour most of them cruise from sight to sight in the mood of a long and cheerful picnic.

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