Exploring the Shingmun Redoubt

[simonosborne]

These are the WW2 defences next door to the Shingmun reservoir in the New Territories. You often see the photos of the engravings inside the tunnels, reading, “Shaftesbury Avenue” and “Piccadilly”.

However, even though well photographed, the guidebooks are a bit coy on exactly where the tunnels are.

This is what you do.

Go to Tsuen Wan on the MTR.
Take minibus to Shingmun Reservoir.

Shingmun reservoir is the point between two stages of the Maclehose trail. You don’t want the trail going north up to Needle Hill, you want to find the Maclehose leg that emerges at the reservoir having come from Lion Rock and Beacon Hill. Go up the staircase here. Its about a 5-10 minute steep walk up. Then the terrain flattens out.

You’ll see two signs in Chinese about 10 yards apart, go to the second one. The sign says in Chinese “Danger keep out”…so of course we can ignore that as we are Explorers. The tunnels are 5 yards into the undergrowth, you can see the concrete walls from the trail itself.

At that precise spot, the concrete roof to the tunnel has been knocked in. You could drop down 8 feet, but don’t – its dangerous. Go uphill about 30 yards and there’s another entry point which is much safer.

Take a poweful flashlight with you to illuminate the way, because it is a bit dark and you are on a flight of stairs. Go down the flight of stairs, (I didn’t see any snakes or insects), Proceed down, past that broken roof opening you saw earlier. At the bottom of the stairs, perhaps a minute away from your original entrance are those historic wall carvings !

Don’t recommend you go any further down as its a bit damp and dingy.

[DocMartin]

Hi Simon:

Many thanks for the post – and welcome to Hong Kong Outdoors.

I put some info on the redoubt in article on Kam Shan Country Park – but when I visited, didn’t enter tunnels (beyond main command post), as too darn spooky!
Found booklet by AFCD, on war relics in country parks, very useful: has map inc tunnels etc of the redoubt.

For people interested in war relics, a recently opened trail at Wong Nai Chung Gap is worthwhile – has info boards, and passes old anti-aircraft battery position, pillboxes etc. I’ve walked it, and been meaning to do article for this site … sometime. (Walked it for new guide booklet coming out from HKTB.)

Martin

[Author]

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