Hiking in Hong Kong
Hong Kong, Lantau, MacLehose and Wilson Trails and 21 day walks
Hiking in Hong Kong
Hong Kong, Lantau, MacLehose and Wilson Trails and 21 day walks
The multi-day Wilson, MacLehose, Hong Kong and Lantau Trails and 25 day walks (from easy to challenging) on the fascinatingly diverse Hong Kong archipelago, including Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories and the islands. With notes on plants, wildlife and geology (including the UNESCO-listed geopark) and public transport information.A guidebook to 4 short multi-day treks and 21 day walks in Hong Kong. Included are the Hong Kong Trail, the Lantau Trail, the MacLehose Trail and the Wilson Trail, along with day walks covering Hong Kong, Kowloon, the New Territories and the islands. The hiking is graded from easy to challenging, with the walks offering options at all grades and the trek stages mostly categorised as difficult or challenging.
With the exception of the 3-day Hong Kong Trail, each trek is presented in 5 days. The day walks range from 5 to 23km (3–14 miles) and can be enjoyed in 2–7 hours.
- 1:50,000 mapping included for each trek stage and day walk
- GPX files available for download
- Elevation profiles for each of the treks
- Detailed information on accessing the routes via Hong Kong’s excellent public transport network
- Geology, history, culture, plants and wildlife
Printed book
A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps - everything you need on the trail.
ISBN
9781786310514
Availability
Published
Published
17 Jan 2023
Edition
First
Pages
264
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.45cm
Weight
300g
eBook
The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device.
CONTENTS
Map key
Overview map
Route summary tables
Preface
Introduction
About Hong Kong
Geology
Wildlife
Plants and flowers
History
Religion
Getting there
Getting around
Weather and when to go
Accommodation
Language
Money
Mobile phones and internet
Tips on walking in Hong Kong
What to take
Water
Waymarking
Maps and GPS
Health and safety
Emergencies
Using this guide
Long-distance trails
Trek 1 Hong Kong Trail
Trek 2 Lantau Trail
Trek 3 MacLehose Trail
Trek 4 Wilson Trail
Day walks
Walk 1 Big Knife Mountain
Walk 2 Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Circuit
Walk 3 Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail
Walk 4 Ben Nevis
Walk 5 Tung Ping Chau
Walk 6 Hanging Lantern and the ghost villages
Walk 7 Wong Leng and Bride’s Pool
Walk 8 Plover Cove Reservoir Country Trail
Walk 9 Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve
Walk 10 Lion Rock and the walk of many hills
Walk 11 Tai Tan and Cheung Sheung Country Trails
Walk 12 Ma On Shan Country Park
Walk 13 Ko Lau Wan to Sharp Peak
Walk 14 High Junk Peak
Walk 15 Chi Ma Wan Country Trail (extended version)
Walk 16 Cheung Chau
Walk 17 Violet Hill
Walk 18 Tung Lung Chau
Walk 19 Mount Stenhouse, Lamma Island
Walk 20 From pier to pier, Lamma Island
Walk 21 Po Toi Island
Appendix A Useful contacts
Appendix B Language and glossary
Seasons
Hong Kong has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and hot sticky summers. The best conditions for hiking can be found from October to December, with breezes and plenty of sunshine and little rain or humidity. January and February also offer favourable temperatures, and wildflowers bloom in March and April, although the weather is more humid during these months. From May to September, it is likely to be too hot for walking unless you choose a well-shaded route.
Centres
Routes cover Hong Kong, Kowloon, the New Territories, Lantau Island and the smaller islands
Difficulty
Walks are graded by difficulty and range from Easy (walks on good paths with limited ascent and no navigational difficulty) to Challenging (long walks with considerable ascent that may include more difficult navigation, pathless terrain and some easy scrambling). Day walks are spread fairly evenly between the four grades but each of the treks involves stages graded Difficult or Challenging.
Must See
The award-winning Dragon's Back and MacLehose Trail; Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong's highest peak; Lion Rock; Tian Tan Big Buddha; Pat Sin Leng ridge; Victoria Peak; fine beaches; wildlife-spotting opportunities
March 2025
Maclehose stage 1
There are two updates re Maclehose stage 1 because the bus timetable has changed and a path has been blocked.
1. The bus for 'to finish at the stage 1/2 junction': green minibus 9A. The new timetable is every 20 minutes Saturday, Sunday and public holidays
2. optional extra
The optional extra should read:
Optional extra to explore the geology.
There is a new, well signed and well-made path to the Po Pin Chau observation point 50m before the dam. Follow it to the viewpoint, then retrace steps to the dam and cross it. Turn right at the end of East Dam. Walk down 400m to the secondary coffer dam built to prevent typhoons from hitting the main dam, then turn right (W) to follow the path to a sea cave, passing very close to many hexagonal columns. Retrace steps to East Dam. Total 4km, 1.5hr.
The GPX file has been updated
February 2024
Countryside Series Maps
The map office at the Map Publications Centre has now moved to the sixth floor and we believe that many of the regional offices are now closed. A further update will be available in April.
February 2023
Walk 15 Chi Ma Wan Country Trail update January 2023
The version in this book is the revised trail which was supposed to be completed in 2021; however, for various reasons this updated version is not officially open. We know that it is possible to walk the revised trail as we have done so, but all the signs on the route and local maps show the original version of the country trail.
The transport information, distance and ascent/descent are approximately the same, and the route is the same as that in the book up to Shap Long Irrigation Reservoir; however, thereafter the original trail diverges from our description. On the Cicerone website the GPX file for the original version of the trail (which we have also walked) is provided, as well as the GPX file for the new revised trail.
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
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