The Heart-Shaped Kwu Tung Reservoir

The first walk at the Kwu Tung Reservoir turned out to be a spooky experience.  My grandfather was buried in the hillside graveyard across from the reservoir.  When I got there, I was saying in my heart, “hi Grandpa, I am here.”  The hillside graveyard was always overgrown with very stubborn vegetation.  As such my intention was not to visit his grave. It was impossible to find my way to it without my father.  I just said hi, and then I turned left onto the path that led me to the reservoir.

Photo: A walk on the Kwu Tung Reservoir’s dam.

The hill ahead will enable an aerial view of the reservoir’s heart shape.

Literally after taking two photographs under bright sunlight, I saw dark clouds rolling from afar.  Within five minutes, the wind started blowing and the gray sky rained down droplets.  Dead leaves swirled around, and the whole area turned from bright and sunny to pre-storm eeriness in the matter of a few minutes.

Being my determined self, I was unwilling to leave. When it started lightning and thundering, however, I knew that I had to leave.  I thought to my heart, “maybe Grandpa did not want me to stay that day.”

The Kwu Tung Reservoir is a small water preservation facility in Sheung Shui.  According to some bloggers, it was first an irrigation reservoir.  Since there is not much use for its intended purpose now, the water is preserved for use by the Fire Department.

Photos: panoramic view of the reservoir on ground

Although it is not of common interest now, the Kwu Tung Reservoir was once a favorite hangout spot for the local children.  Both my paternal and maternal families grew up in the vicinity of the Kwu Tung Reservoir.  My parents, uncles and aunties remember playing there when they were children.

In recent years, the Kwu Tung Reservoir has also become somewhat of interest to light hikers.  The Reservoir is not big, but it is in a beautiful heart shape.  That has attracted many photo-taking in the nearby Ki Lun Shan, where you can see beautiful aerial view of the reservoir and the Kwu Tung area.

About two weeks after my first visit at Kwu Tung Reservoir, a woman who was hiking alone there went missing.  Six days later, searchers found her body in Ki Lun Shan Au.

Maybe my grandpa really did not want me to stay that day.

But on a sunny day yet another two weeks later, I did visit the Kwu Tung Reservoir for the second time.  There are only a few points to tour on that site.  The first is the dam, which is a narrow pathway.  After passing the dam, one will come across the path up the hill.  About 2/3 of the way up, you will be able to capture the Kwu Tung Reservoir’s aerial view.  The heart shape is clear.

I only climbed 2/3 of the way up because going further up would entail a very difficult climb down.  Although the pathway is visible, it is very steep.  It will be extremely dangerous on rainy days.  I climbed back down on all fours in the same way that I climbed up, meaning, I faced the ground climbing down.

Once you are down on the dam level, there is another pathway on your left, which will lead you to a view across the dam.

It takes only about half-hour to tour this site.  Although it is possible to get to Ki Lun Shan from the Kwu Tung Reservoir, it is not an easy hike and one should never do that alone.

There are haunted stories at Kwu Tung Reservoir because there have been many accidents here from hiking.  Safety must come first.

How to Get There

Take Bus Route 76K from Sheung Shui toward the Yuen Long direction (the bus does not stop in Kwu Tung South from Yuen Long to Sheung Shui) and get off at Kwu Tung Market.  Alternatively, green top minibus route 51A also takes you from Sheung Shui MTR Station to Kwu Tung South.  Enter Kwu Tung South Road and walk all the way for about 15 minutes, you will pass by the public toilet half-way.  The Kwu Tung Reservoir is on the left of Kwu Tung South Road.

Reminder

As discussed above, there is a reason why the Kwu Tung Reservoir is haunted.  There are some danger points.  For example, the dam itself is very narrow and one is prone to slip on a rainy day.  The climb up the hill next to the reservoir is very steep, and going down on that path is especially dangerous.  Do not go on rainy days.