Sai Kung - McLehose Trail Stage 1

It is now our seventh month in Hong Kong. We've pretty much settled down, established routines and found regular shopping and dining spots. We've experienced the change in seasons from summer to autumn to winter. With the cooler weather, we've had to get a new set of winter wardrobe as our existing winter travel wear was not necessarily approporiate or sufficient for daily use. I love that I get to wear knee high boots and trendy long jackets.

But a new wardrobe aside, the best part of the autumn/winter season in Hong Kong is the hiking! J and I have been exploring some of the trails on Hong Kong Island. I am continually amazed at how green Hong Kong is. Whilst most people associate Hong Kong with narrow tall buildings, large masses of people and pollution, there is a large part of Hong Kong (whether it is on Hong Kong Island, the surrounding islands of Lantau or Lamma, or the mainland of the New Territories) that is pristine and gorgeously rural! Last weekend, our friends organized a hike to the Sai Kung Peninsula, covering Stages 1 (10.6km) and 2 (13.5km) of the McLehose Trail. Benefitting from their experience last year, we taxied from Pak Tam Chung to the East Dam (about 20 minutes at a cost of HKD60+), saving us close to 2 hours hike on tarred road for Stage 1 of the trail.

Our hike started from the giant blue dolos monument, built to remember the construction workers who perished during the building of the dam. (Note: A dolos (plural dolosse) is a concrete block in a complex geometric shape weighing up to 20 tons, used in great numbers to protect harbour walls from the erosive force of ocean waves)


We made our way down to the dam, which is listed as part of the Hong Kong Global Geopark of China.

On the trail down to the dam, there are hexagonal rock columns, which resemble "petrified waterfall". These rock columns are formed by the cooling and contracting mixture of lava, rock debris and volcanic ash.

The start of many climbs to come began as we hiked up the rugged stone trail to the north towards Long Ke. This was the view that we saw at the end of the Stage 1 of the McLehose trail - the breathtaking Long Ke Wan (Long Ke Bay).


1 hour down, 6 more hours to go. Can't wait to begin Stage 2...