Monday, December 18, 2017

Shek Uk Shan (石屋山)

Duration: 
9.4k, 4.5 hours

Difficulty: 
9/10. 526m elevation gain.
Bushwhacking in steep ascent on about 1km of the hike. Highly recommend not to do this trail unless you have a GPS and you can follow my map on it. Otherwise, the chances of getting lost in the bushes are high.

Cel phone coverage: Partial.

Water needs: 1.5 liters.

Appreciation: 8/10. 


Transportation: Green minibus 7 from Sai Kung. Get off at Pak Sha O Youth Hostel. Return via bus 96R or 94.

Why it's worth it: 
-----------------------------
At Sai Kung minibus terminus, take green minibus 7.

There will be no "official" stop there so stay close to the minibus driver and follow on the GPS map to let him know when you are getting close and need to be dropped off at Pak Sha O Youth Hostel. Then just follow the concrete path

Easy stuff at this point

Right of the houses

About 35minutes in, and 2.35km, you'll arrive at a junction. Turn left towards Sham Shung.
At this point, still easy and no chances of getting lost

About 1km further, you'll reach a 4-way junction. The path continues on to Sham Shung but you want to instead turn left and start bushwhacking. That's the tough part; it is overgrown, steep, and climbs for about about 2km until you reach the top of Shek Uk Shan.  

Looking back as you ascend

Yeah, pretty much overgrown like that all the way up...

That's your goal. The top of Shek Uk Shan. If you get lost, focus on getting there. Once you reached it, the trail is on the other side and well used. No chances of getting lost anymore. However, pictures would help much. Follow the map still

Eventually, you'll reach the small store by the campground were you can stop for some noodles and fishballs. Thenkeep going through the campground...

Just follow the signs to Pak Tam Au at this point...

You will be on Mac 3... easy peasy from this point on. Stairs going down to the road. You'll see the buses going by. Cross the road and then you will be taking 96R to Diamond Hill or 94 to Sai Kung

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Fotan to Pineapple dam

Duration: 
14k, 4 hours

Difficulty: 
6/10 
570m elevation gain

Cel phone coverage: Partial.

Water needs: 1.5 liters.

Appreciation: 7/10. Not very scenic but a nicely shaded hike through forests.


Transportation: Fotan MTR, Exit B. Return at Pineapple Dam via minibus 82M (one every 10 minutes roughly)

Why it's worth it: 

--------------------------------------
Exit B at Fotan MTR

A bridge will be 40m ahead, right out of the MTR station

Take the bridge and then head right

You will be walking along Fotan Road for about 800m


There's a very small "park" (Kwei Tei Street Garden) at the end of Fotan Rd that you will go through

Go around on the right of the building (which may be done building when you hike this path), then up the stairs

Atop the stairs, head right again...


About 2.5km and 35min walk from the MTR station, head right at the fork



Then stay on the left as a few paths will be going right


Careful not to miss this one. 3.3km, and about 50 minutes into your hike, there's going to be a small sign and a dirt path going up on your right which you must take. If you miss it, it is not too bad as you can take the next right. Not as fun though!

Long pants for some bushwhacking. Path is quite clear however...


You will join the main road, Tai Po Kau Forest Track where you will want to head left

Keep left (@ 4.4 km)

Still left (@ 4.9km)


Left

Left

Right towards Shing Mun reservoir (@ 8.7 km)

Arboretum @ 9.9km

Left

Right. You will then follow along the Shing Mun reservoir which is quite pretty

At about 13 km, you'll see a map, take the stairs going down next to it. Easy to miss from the road.
You are about 40 minutes away from the minibus stop

Here ya go; Minibus 82m stop which will bring you back in town (Tsuen Wan)

Monday, November 20, 2017

Dragon's Back Option 2: MTR and walk to trail. No bus on the way - 龍脊路線選擇2:地鐵,步行到行山徑。 (不乘巴士)

Duration/時間: About 2.5 hours of walking.約2.5小時的步行時間。

Difficulty/難度: About 250 steep steps for the first part which are going to be challenging if you are a beginner, quite easy afterwards.
難度:第一部分將會有大約250級陡峭的樓梯,這對初行山者比較難,稍後會易的。

Appreciation/欣賞: 8/10. First 1/3 of the trail is nothing to write home about. Second third is nice, shaded walk but without much of a view. Last third if breathtaking; amazing views from the Dragon's Back. Shek-O beach.
頭1/3的路程沒有什麼特別。 第二段是舒適,陰涼地散步,但沒有太多景觀。 最後的三分之一,是令人讚嘆的景色。 石澳海灘。

Transportation: http://ptes.td.gov.hk
Garminhttp://connect.garmin.com/activity/411703859

 Why it's worth it/值得你去嗎?:

 -------

Take the MTR to Chai Wan. Take Exit A. You will go through a mall for a few steps, stay on your right and exit at the first outdoor walkway on your right. Go straight at the first intersection on the catwalk.
乘坐地鐵前往柴灣。 出口A。你將通過一個商場,靠右邊走,到第一個到外面的出口(在右邊)。在天橋的第一個十字路口向前走。

You want to go down the catwalk to reach Wan Tsui Road. It is the road which will be to the left of the tall glass building (Youth Square) pictured below.
你要由天橋到下面的環翠道。環翠道是在玻璃建築(青年廣場)的左邊。照片如下。

Walk on Wan Tsui Road for about 200 meters until you reach Lin Shing Road (on your left). 
在環翠道約二百米後便到達連城道(左)。
Take Lin Shing Road :
跟着連城道行:


You will walk about 300 meters on Lin Shing Road until you reach a cross-road and see the Cape Collinson Catholic Cemetery entrance right in front of you. Go through the entrance and take the first set of stairs on your left.
在城道步行約300米,便到達一條十字路口,在面前便是歌連臣角天主教聖十字架墳場入口。 通過入口,在左邊的第一條樓梯向上走。



Walk up the road after this set of stairs...
在樓梯後再向上走

Yep, more stairs!
是的,更多的樓梯!


Quite a few set of stairs to climb-up, don't despair, the trail is worth it!
還有很多樓梯要爬啊! 別絕望,龍脊是值得的!

 
At the top of the stairs, you'll be facing a parking lot slightly on the right and a park on the left. Head right towards the sign post.
在樓梯的頂部,你會見到一個停車場在右邊,左邊是一個公園。 向右朝路牌走。

 Follow the small paved road in the direction of Tai Tam Gap. The rest is pretty easy, just follow the road to the trail (head left). The sign posts clearly show the way.
隨着路向大潭峽的方向走。 其餘的都很簡單,只需沿著路徑走去(靠左)。 標誌牌很清楚的。

 
The first half a the trail is tree shaded and quite nice, with little in terms of view however. Eventually, you will reach a sign post with clear indications for the Dragon's Back. After a little climb, the scenic part of the trail begins.
路線的前半部有樹蔭遮蔽,相當舒適,但視野不大。你將會到達一個標誌牌去龍脊的方向。 經過一小段的斜坡,風景秀麗的小徑便開始了。

At the end of the trail, you arrive right at a bus stop. You can take bus #9 to the Shau Kei Wan MTR station but I suggest you instead take #9 the other way and head to Shek-O for some food and a leisurely walk by the beach.
在山徑的盡頭,便是巴士站。 你可以乘坐9號巴士回筲箕灣地鐵站,但是我建議你乘坐反方向的9號巴士,去石澳吃些東西,在海灘悠閒散步。

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Please, don't litter!

Hiking is about communion with nature. So please pickup after yourself. There's no excuse to leave plastic bags, water bottles or any rubbish on or around the trails; if you managed to bring it, you can manage to bring it back!