Photo credit: Wild Hong Kong
The hills of far Northwestern Hong Kong may not be so well known compared to other hiking areas, but Lam Tsuen Country Park and its surrounds are as dramatic as any other landscape and ought to receive more recognition.
The Country park is dominated by two primary peaks called Kai Kung Leng and Tai To Yan. Conquer this rugged range of hills and one will witness some of the territory’s finest views, gazing down upon Shek Kong on one side and absorbing the immense sprawl of Shenzhen on the other.
Meanwhile, clearer days atop the summits reveal a glimpse across Lantau Island and the expansive waters of the Pearl River Delta. Not only is arriving at these mountain tops exhilarating, but the hiking to be had either side of them is most enjoyable.
Read more: 10 best hikes in Kowloon
What you need to know
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[av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-sni77d’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-7glfkah’]3.6km[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-6yv4qmx’]2[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-6jl6n5l’]585m[/av_cell][/av_row]
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In my opinion Kai Kung Leng or “Rooster Ridge” is a more beautiful and attainable hiking trail. For those who are much more intrepid, her sister peak Tai To Yan is also spectacular and can be done instead of Kai Kung Leng or in conjunction to create a twin peaks route.
Lunchtime or early afternoons make for an ideal time to set off, if doing just the one hill in the cooler months, ensuring pleasant temperatures and sunset vistas from the summit. Leave first thing in the morning if you want to do both hills.
How to get there
MTR: Kam Sheung Road or Yuen Long MTR then taxi to Fung Kat Heung Road. The trailhead is located between a basketball court and the Miu Kwok Monastery.
Public transport: Take the 603 minibus from Yuen Long to the same starting point.
Taxi: Ask to go to Fung Kat Heung Road in Kam Tin to the same starting point.
Once at the trailhead, simply crack on and follow the ridgeline trail upwards. Something you’ll notice quite soon that sets this hill apart from most in Hong Kong is how grassy and windswept it is. It translates to very tough hiking in the heat, but for wintertime it is simply sublime with nonstop views and plenty of picnic spots.
Read more: How to hike Bride’s Pool
The hike
Having conquered this beast of a hill, take a perch and soak up the relaxing vibes. Few mountains in Hong Kong offer a 360-degree panorama of such variety; aside from the Tai Mo Shan massif, you’re the surveyor of all things in Western Hong Kong.
On clearer days, the views of Shenzhen are jaw dropping. The sheer size and scale of this city becomes clearly evident from this vantage point, as one can see all the way from Lo Wu in the east to Nanshan in the west. To think that 40 years ago there was next to no development almost defies logic.
If wishing to do twin peaks as mentioned before, then nip across Fan Kam Road and follow the trail which heads east up to the main ridgeline of Tai To Yan. From that ridge there are a multitude of different paths one can pursue to drop back down towards Fanling, Tai Po or Shek Kong. Kai Kung Leng and Tai To Yan are classic winter routes almost anyone can have a crack at, yet keep even the most seasoned of hikers honest.
The descent
Take care heading down afterwards as the path can be quite skiddy due to its exposure and lack of stairs. The return route down is otherwise fairly simple to navigate. Keep following the hiking trail directly along the ridgeline and you’ll be back to civilization in an hour or two.
Compared to the route up, the return trail is more direct in its descent. Once you reach Fan Kam Road, there is the 77K bus route and various minibuses that facilitate travel to the closest MTR stations of Sheung Shui and Yuen Long.
Although the Northwestern New Territories may not be especially well-known amongst many hikers, the area has a few nice surprises for those who venture out. It’s enchanted forests below and spectacular vistas above will no doubt leave one wanting to revisit for another go.
Read more: How to hike Shing Mun Reservoir
Rory Mackay runs adventure company Wild Hong Kong. For more details visit Wild Hong Kong.
