Tai Mo Shan (Tai Mo Mountain) is the highest mountain in Hong Kong at an altitude of 957 meters.  The Rotary Club Park Nature Trail cuts through the Tai Mo Shan Country Park.  It is a short walk up on an intermediate incline.  Yes, there are lots of steps up throughout the trail but a walk back and forth takes only one hour.  A rapid ascend on this trail is a very good exercise.

I picked this trail on a very hot day because fellow hikers described the trail as shaded throughout.  As it turned out, the shades on this trail were as much a blessing as they were a curse.  The area was of high humidity.  It felt as if vapor was trapped by the lush foliage all along the trail.  When I grabbed onto the trees for support, I got a mushy sensation.  It felt like overgrown moss on every tree that I touched.  Even beneath a scorching sun, this area was a climate of its own.  Surely it was cool throughout, but it felt like mold at the same time.

We parked on Route Twisk, by the side of the Chuen Lung BBQ Site 2.  The Rotary Club Park Nature Trail is on the right.  The trail leads one to the Rotary Club Campsite on Tai Mo Shan Road, where there is a viewing point with views of western Hong Kong.  The Tai Mo Shan Country Park Visitor Center is also in that area on Tai Mo Shan Road.

Perhaps the highlight of this hiking session was the wide open, sunny space up at the viewing point at the Rotary Club Park.  We enjoyed sunshine there, and shook off that slightly eerie, moldy feeling we got on the shaded trail.

I do recommend this trail for those who want to do a quick outdoor walk on an extremely hot day.  And the Chuen Lung Village down the hill offers good dim sum to satisfy your palate after a good exercise.

By public transport, take Bus 51 and get off at the Chuen Lung stop.

The day was bright.  I looked for a straightforward trail that does not require research, but comes with some climbing.  I decided to visit the Hok Tau Reservoir via the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail.

The last time that I visited the Lau Shui Heung Reservoir, it was dried up and the scenery was disappointing.  I therefore had no expectation on the Hok Tau Reservoir.  Being in the vicinity of Lau Shui Heung, the Hok Tau must have been dried up too, I thought.  I told myself that the point is the hiking, not so much the scenery.

Like the Lau Shui Heung Reservoir, the Hok Tau Reservoir serves as an irrigation reservoir for the fields in that part of the New Territories.

The Itinerary

The itinerary is straightforward.  At the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail loop, go on the first opening on the left.  It is the one that shows some serious stairs up.  Yes, it seems like hard work but that was my intention.

The upward stairs took about 15 minutes, then the trail eased into a nice stroll.  I went on for another 15 minutes to arrive at the sign post for Hok Tau Reservoir.

From this point on, it was all downhill until I reached the reservoir.  But I did not miss the scenery in between.  As I walked, I felt a clear sense that I was descending into a valley from a high ground.  Gentle breezes whirled around me.  About five, ten minutes further I felt a fresh humidity.  I even smelled water.  The sensory pleasure was distinctive.  I did wonder how I would make it back up on the same trail, however, as I would have to climb back up.

Left: The descent down to Hok Tau Reservoir.  Right: The view opens up with scenery of water.

Other hikers told me that the reservoir would be in sight in a few minutes.  I had high expectations.  The smell of water showed that there would be water at the reservoir.  The scenery should be good.

The views of the reservoir opened up as I continued the descent.  Surely, the reservoir was welled with water, plenty of water, true to its form.

I saw the ridges afar that envelop the reservoir.  The rolling summit reminds me of Pat Sin Leng (the Ridge of the Eight Immortals).  The view was beautiful.

From the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail to Hok Tau, it would take one hour, of which 15 minutes are stairs up.  To go back to Lau Shui Heung, it takes an hour, and again, about 15 to 20 minutes of climb up on a somewhat steep incline.

The Eagle’s Nest Nature Trail is an easy walk around Eagle’s Nest Hill (also known locally as Tsim Shan).  The Eagle’s Nest Hill is also where the Eagle’s Nest Tunnel is.  The 1.5-hour loop is a pleasant stroll, without rigorous uphill climbing but rapid steps on the trail will result in a good exercise.

We parked on Tai Po Road and headed up the overpass toward the Eagle’s Nest direction.  On the west is the Kam Shan Country Park, which I have visited on a previous occasion.  At the entrance of the trail, we went on the route on the left.  The trail is a loop and therefore you will exit at the same location.

The views on the trail are not exceptional, but they are pleasant.  There were quite a number of sections where we saw the tracks for streams, but all was dried up.  If there were water, it would have made much better scenery.  But then without the streams, the route was safer.

Most of the trail is covered with generous shades.  Therefore even though we went on a rather hot day, the heat was tempered throughout.

Along the latter part of the route, there are panoramic views of Kowloon (featured above).

Directions: we went by private car and parked on Tai Po Road.  If you go by public transport, take Bus 72 or 81 and get off at the Kowloon Reservoir stop.

Annoyances: monkeys!

Dangers: in terms of difficulty, this is a type of route suitable for solitude walks.  However, during the 2000’s, there were incidents of robbery on this route committed by illegal immigrants.  Therefore, perhaps it is better to go with someone.