D-6

Cloudy panoramic view from Jardine's Lookout

Two months of training covered 95% of the actual MacLehose Trail, sections of Wilson Trail, 99% of Hong Kong Trail. This is the most hiking I've ever done in a season, and the grand daddy of it all is still coming... in 4 days.



So, on D-6 (Nov 1), we did the 2nd half of Hong Kong Trail, picking up from where we left off more than a month ago, from Parkview, through Jardine's Lookout, Mount Bulter, Tai Tam Reservoir, To Di Wan, Dragon's Back, and diverted to Siu Sai Wan through Pottinger Gap and Pottinger Peak and Cape Collinson.

These make up Stages 5 to 8 of Hong Kong Trail. I've done the first two sections alot. The last one was quite memorable, as AM, MM, H, and I stumbled upon a new explosives depot at the base of the Jardine's Lookout Quarry... well, the rest is, let's just say, history. Another time I did it with a whole bunch of people, gosh there must be over 10 people. I do remember one guy (whom I don't know so well) walked from Parkview to the tip of Jardine's Lookout, only to turn back to Parkview when we began the descend down to the quarry... you ask me why? He said he's afraid of heights.

The hike between Tai Tam Reservoir and To Di Wan (土地灣) was very boring as you walk along this catchwater for about 7km (like... 2 hours?). You do get a little bit of a view overlooking Tai Tam Bay and Redhill (紅山半島). There's a Hobie Club there and from operator, it seems a popular spot for ex-pats.

土地灣, end of Stage 7 of Hong Kong Trail,

藍記士多 selling drinks and noodles open on weekends

Dragon's Back (龍脊) along mountain ridges

Stage 8 of HK Trail features a very well-known section called "Dragon's Back". I remember it was last year when AM decided to lead a group hike there... about 8 of us again. Then we hiked up from the bus stop above 土地灣, walked across the hill half way up, and about an hour later, we ended up at the same spot where we began... Clearly somebody didn't do their homework, hahaha. Anyway, this time I finally got to this section which Time Magazine declared in 2004 the Best Urban Hike in Asia. It was a bit drizzly and windy on Saturday, but the view towards both sides of the Dragon's Back is quite amazing. One the right you have the ultra-exclusive Shek O Road/Big Wave Bay Road (石澳道/大浪灣道) houses as well as an enclave of villas at Shek O Headland (石澳山仔); and on the left you have the highrises of Tai Tam, clusters of houses on Redhill and Tai Tam Road as well as a distant view of Stanley and Tung Tau Wan Road (赤柱/東頭灣道). Lots of top properties here on this side of the Island. It's not a difficult hike at all, and compared to the "3 star" rating on MacLehose Trail, thses trails on Hong Kong Island really pales in comparison.

Shek O and Shek O Headland

So anyway, this would be our last preparation for our monumental hike on Friday. Wish me luck, and hopefully I will be able to take some pictures along the way and capture the spirit and excitement of the event.

Picture taken at the Pottinger's Peak Lookout Point looking back at Shek O/Big Wave Bay. This is almost the easternmost point of Hong Kong Island.