tai mo shan

Tai Mo Shan

Submitted by DocMartin on 16 August 2004 - 1:57pm

ViewfromTaiMoShan,atdusk Hong Kong's highest mountain, Tai Mo Shan (大帽山), dominates the central New Territories north of Kowloon. Its name means "Big Hat Mountain" or "Big Misty Mountain", after the low cloud and mist that often swirls around the summit. Though just 957 metres high, it deserves to be called a mountain, not a hill - as it's such an imposing presence in the landscape.

Though seasoned hikers once liked to accompany newbies to the summit, then enjoy the sight of them tumbling into a concealed hollow, Tai Mo Shan is no longer a major peak to climb, as there's a service road to a communications facility and other paraphernalia perched on top. But this service road is closed to most vehicles, and makes for pleasant strolling on the upper reaches of Tai Mo Shan - especially on a clear day when Hong Kong's summer heat is on, and the temperature here can be just a tad cooler.

Ng Tung Chai

Submitted by DocMartin on 14 August 2004 - 1:08pm

I'd been in Hong Kong a few years before I "discovered" one of the best wild places here, Ng Tung Chai (吳桐寨). A friend had told me of a great valley with waterfalls on the north slopes of Tai Mo Shan (大帽山); I'd read an account of hikers who, early last century, visited surely the same valley, using a rope to negotiate a particularly steep section.

Searching the Countryside Series map, Central New Territories, I figured the place marked as Ng Tung Chai Waterfall was maybe the same location; the map showed there were trails here, so one day, I set off to explore.

That first visit, I hiked up and past the summit of Tai Mo Shan, then down to the east, and north - into the ravine. But I've since visited by the rather simpler route, from Ng Tung Chai (village), near the head of the Lam Tsuen Valley, and just east of Kadoorie Farm.

My most recent visit was just a week ago, when the waterfalls were a little disappointing - as this summer has been dry - but Ng Tung Chai was still magical; like a secret place you can glimpse from outside, but must enter to really experience.

At first, you walk up a concrete footpath from the village, passing stands of trees, and fields on the left, with the main tributary of the Lam Tsuen River below. The concrete path ends at a temple complex (where I believe you can sometimes buy soft drinks); the route to the falls now becomes a forest trail.

The trail is well maintained, with occasional signposts - one of which points uphill to the high, Scattered Fall, the other showing it's straight on to the other falls. Head straight on, to the lower reaches of the ravine.

Victoria Peak to Tai Mo Shan

Submitted by DocMartin on 14 June 2004 - 5:50am

Just took a Thai television crew for a day focused on hiking in Hong Kong. They're making a series on extreme sports - told me that for Thais, hiking is something of an extreme sport. I'd been phoned about it a couple of days before; and we had one day for shooting. Happily, the weather was decent.

We started on the Peak, Hong Kong Island - for views over the city and harbour, and some introductory guff. The air was unusually polluted for a summer's day - an easterly wind had brought in murk more typical of winter, shrouding distant hills in grey.

But, we still managed some fine scenery during a jaunt through Hong Kong's hills and valleys, with stops at an old village, and a great waterfall.

Kadoorie Farm

Submitted by DocMartin on 23 March 2004 - 6:29am

If you like scenery, wildlife, and plants, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (嘉道理農場暨植物園) should be high on your list of places to visit in Hong Kong.

The word "farm" in the name seems almost misleading nowadays - there are some crops grown, pigs and chickens reared, but the farm is dominated by forested hills, with botanic gardens and greenhouses, cages, aviaries and enclosures holding captive animals, and wild birds and other animals that have been rescued and are being cared for.