Tortoise Hill, on the Hanyang side of the Yangtze, is the lower of the two paired hills that frame the river at the heart of the city — Snake Hill in Wuchang, Tortoise Hill in Hanyang. The name refers to the rounded shape of the ridge, said to resemble a tortoise drinking at the river.
A landscaped park covers the slopes, with the Qingchuan Pavilion at the eastern tip and a small TV tower at the summit. Walking up the hill takes about 20 minutes; the views across the Yangtze to the Yellow Crane Tower are excellent and the park itself is a popular morning exercise spot — tai chi practitioners, dancers, fan-twirlers — that gives a flavour of urban life away from the tourist sights.