Hike of the Year – From Nam Fung Sun Tsuen to Jardine’s Lookout and Back

This hike to Jardine’s Lookout would be the hike of the year.  In fact, it is probably the single most rigorous hike I have ever done.

Part A: The starting point was my friend’s place in Nam Fung Sun Tsuen, taking on Mount Parker Road to reach the Tai Tam Reservoir.

Part B: Then from Tai Tam Reservoir we took the Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, arrived at Hong Kong Parkview for a quick stop for water.  We passed by the Quarry Pass Pavilion.

Part C: Even at that point I had no clue how rigorous the upcoming trail would be.  The Jardine’s Lookout was a set of steps up nonstop for half an hour.

Part D: Then came the worst last trail: Siu Ma Shan was up and down and up and down for a good hour and more.

Well, that was our itinerary for the day.  Now comes the details.

The Beginning

The trail from Nam Fung Sun Tsuen had many steps up and many gradual inclines as well.  Since we just started, I did manage to walk side by side with my two other friends, who were in much better shape than I was.  The day was slightly overcast, but still during the winter so the weather was not a stress factor.  The stress factor, rather, was the people.  We went during the early onset of the epidemic, when many people felt that a walk in the countryside would be a safe activity to do.  As such, there were cohorts of all ages walking along with us.  Then came the difficult question: do we wear masks or not?  I did, for this part of the trail, because there were simply too many people in close distance.  But hiking with a mask was not nice.

On this part of the trail I was delighted to see war relics.  These were wartime stoves during WWII:

See below for explanation.

Tai Tam Reservoir and Its Strategic Past

When we arrived at the Tai Tam Reservoir, the whole hilly area opened up to a scenery of water.  The Tai Tam Group of Reservoirs was built between 1883 and 1917.  It supplied fresh water to the urban residents of Hong Kong East in the early 20th century.  According to the introduction onsite, the most challenging aspect of the Tai Tam Reservoir was the construction of the 6×7 ft pipeline tunnel, which runs through the hard granite of Wong Nai Chung Gap and 7,300 feet in length.

The Tai Tam Reservoir has enabled the development of Victoria City in the East.  In fact, it was of such strategic value that this whole area was the site of battle during WWII.[1]  Thus explains the wartime stoves that we saw above.

After the reservoirs we went on to stop by Hong Kong Parkview to replenish our water flasks.  The next section of the trail would take us up to the Jardine’s Lookout, which also served as an observation post during WWII.

Jardine’s Lookout and the Bravery of the Winnipeg Grenadiers of Canada

We passed by the memorial plaque for the Winnipeg Grenadiers of Canada, a tribute to the bravery of Major John Osborn.  On December 19, 1941, two companies of the Winnipeg Grenadiers of Canada fought against the Japanese Imperial Army, which launched a ferocious attack on the strategic high point of Mount Butler.  Company Sergeant Major John Osborn took charge of his company that was driven to Jardine’s Lookout.  They fended off the attacks by hurling back the grenades that the Japanese soldier threw at them.  Major Osborn did not pick up one in time.  After shouting a warning, he laid his own body over this grenade.  As a result of his heroic act, several soldiers were saved.

It was a good half-hour of stairs up.  I have long trailed behind my friends by now.  But I made it up there.  The fantastic view at that elevation of eastern Hong Kong made it all worthwhile for us.

Siu Ma Shan and the Stone Quarry

Soon enough it was time to head back.  This last part of the trail through Siu Ma Shan was steep steps down first and then through some rolling slopes up and down to reach the Mount Butler Viewing Point.

We passed by the stone quarry, and the view was exceptional.  There were steep stairs down right before me.  The quarry in open view was deep, as if the high mountain had a slice off.  My friend, who is a reporter, told me the police tested their newly-acquired tear gas at this very site.

When one reaches the Mount Butler Viewing Point, light is at the end of the tunnel.

This last part of the hike was very demanding for me, to say the least.  When I had dinner that evening, I dreaded even walking one flight of stairs up to the restroom.

Victory statistics

27,148 steps, 19.1 km walked, and 142 floors climbed.

[1] Discoverhongkong.com, Tai Tam Country Park to Quarry Bay.  See also Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Country & Marine Parks, Tai Tam.