From So Kwun Wat to Tin Fu Tsai via the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Mountain Bike Trail
I suffered from a pretty significant injury at the hike at Kai Kung Leng. I walked this trail in order to re-train my knees. The first part of this trail consist of the main part of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Mountain Bike Trail. I then went on MacLehose Trail Section 10 to reach Tin Fu Tsai.
From the San Hui Market in Tuen Mun, I took green top minibus Route 43 to the So Kwun Wat Tsuen Village. I spent twenty minutes within the village to reach the entrance to the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir area. Ten minutes after, I reached the entrance to the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Mountain Bike Trail.
The Views
The Tai Lam Chung Reservoir is also known as Reservoir Islands. The making of the reservoir resulted in exceptional views of many islands. However, this mountain bike trail does not offer this view of Reservoir Islands, as the trail lies on the ground level. The path lies along the meandering shore of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir. If you would like to see island views, you should visit the Reservoir Islands View Point, which is also accessible from So Kwun Wat.
Photos: views of the trail on the way.
Even on the ground, however, the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir is quite beautiful. There are many points to reach the shore for views along this trail, and I do encourage you to take your time for these views.
Photos: views of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir at the shore.
According to Google Map, I should have reached Tin Fu Tsai on this path in 2 hours and 15 minutes. It took me 3.hours 15 minutes because I took my time at a few shore stops.
Photo: at this point, I took the path on the right.
At the last exit to the shore on this trail, I came upon a pleasant surprise. I saw a large field of reeds growing as tall as a human being across the shore. Also in this last section, you will be walking through a significant section of bamboo groves. The way to the reeds is at the end of the bamboo.
Photos above: the views of human-height reeds at the end of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Bike Trail.
The Kat Hing Bridge
At the end of the trail, you will reach a large rest area. The Kat Hing Bridge lies on the eastern end.
During the 1920s, before Castle Peak Road was constructed, this area of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir was where people traveled between Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan. The Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail is also part of the roadway. The safe crossing of Tsat To Ho, which was named to denote the seven crossing points for the several streams that converge at this location, required a footbridge. So the residents collected funds to build this bridge. The very first Kat Hing Bridge completed in 1868. The current bridge that we see now was a reconstruction in the 1950s, when the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir was built.
No Exit at Tin Fu Tsai
At the large rest area, you will see these signs:
I followed the signs to get on MacLehose Trail Section 10 to reach Tin Fu Tsai in a little more than half hour. However, because there is no exit at Tin Fu Tsai (see following), perhaps this is rather the point to exit, and I did via the sweet gum woods to Tai Tong Road Bus Stop. Follow this sign to the Tai Tong Road Bus Stop.
When I arrived at Tin Fu Tsai, a mountain biker struck up a conversation. He told me there is no exit at Tin Fu Tsai. I then realized that I have made a grave mistake in reading the map. What seemed to be roads to civilization at Tin Fu Tsai on Google Map was actually a tunnel, below the mountains.
The biker told me I would have to walk a lot more in order to reach the next exit in Tsuen Kam Au. That did not sound too appealing to me. He then suggested that the easiest way was to turn back and exit at Tai Tong via the sweet gum woods.
Another hiker told me that there was a way to Sham Tseng from that point as well, but because it was already 4pm, it had been raining for two hours, and it was getting dark and very cold, I chose to walk back to the large rest area and to exit via the sweet gum woods of Tai Tong. This was simply because I was much more familiar with that area. Also, many, many visitors would still be there because it was peak season for viewing red leaves.
Long story short, I made it back on the Tai Tong bus to Yuen Long at 6pm. It was total of full six hours from the time I started at So Kwun Wat Tsuen Village.
Therefore, I should have ended the walk at the large rest area outside of the end of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Mountain Bike Trail, and either walk the same way back to So Kwun Wat, or to head up the sweet gum woods area to exit at Tai Tong. It did take about an hour and a half to take the sweet gum woods trail back to the bus stop at Tai Tong.
The part of MacLehose Trail Section 10 (on gentle incline) to Tin Fu Tsai was a good walk, however, for the mere sake of clocking in more training and exercise.
Reminders
I chose to walk this trail because it was for mountain biking. That means there would not be much climbing and I could train my knees with a long-distanced walk without placing too much strain. But there were many bikers on this trail so watch out when you hear from biking by.
Getting There
From Tuen Mun’s San Hui Market, take green top minibus 43 to So Kwun Wat Tsuen Village. The entrance to the trail lies on your left.
By private car, you would be parking here (perhaps illegally).
On this path, you will walk twenty minutes to these signs. Follow the sign for Wong Nai Tun Reservoir. The same way will also eventually lead you to the Reservoir Islands Viewpoint.
Still ten minutes after a gentle incline, you will reach the entrance to the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Mountain Bike Trail at these signs. Take these steps down to begin the trail.
Sources
The historical descriptiosn on-site.