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Hiking in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Lantau, MacLehose and Wilson Trails and 21 day walks

ISBN

9781786310514

Availability

Published

17 Jan 2023

Edition

First

Pages

264

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.45cm

Weight

300g

Delivery & Returns

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.
More information...

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.

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

ISBN

9781786310514

Availability

Published

17 Jan 2023

Edition

First

Pages

264

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.45cm

Weight

300g

Delivery & Returns

Overview

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

Table of Contents

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

Updates

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.

Downloads

Hiking in Hong Kong - GPX File

By Simon Whitmarsh

Andrew Mok and Simon Whitmarsh are both keen walkers, covering over 2000km a year. They have walked extensively in Britain, doing (at least part) of all the major trails, have hiked across England twice, and have walked in most countries in Europe. More recently they have enjoyed mountain treks in the US (including many parts of the Appalachian trail), Australia, New Zealand, Andrew’s native Hong Kong, and Nepal (Everest Base Camp).

They are both doctors, a General Practitioner and a Consultant Paediatrician. When not travelling, they enjoy finding new routes near their village in Snowdonia.

View author profile

By Andrew Mok

Andrew Mok and Simon Whitmarsh are both keen walkers, covering over 2000km a year. They have walked extensively in Britain, doing (at least part) of all the major trails, have hiked across England twice, and have walked in most countries in Europe. More recently their addiction to mountains has increased, with treks in the US (including many parts of the Appalachian trail), Australia, New Zealand, Andrew’s native Hong Kong, and Nepal (Everest Base Camp).
They are both doctors, a General Practitioner and a Consultant Paediatrician, who decided to write this book after being delighted and astounded by the walking opportunities of Portugal.
When not travelling, they enjoy finding new routes near their village in Snowdonia.

View author profile