2 Apr 2011 – 8 hrs Hike (edited 6 Apr)

Thu: arrived HKG in the evening to see the city lights and on Fri woke up bright & early to a lovely dawn.

East Dam, damming up High Island Reservoir which has very low water levels.

Trail to Long Ke Wan

Long Ke Wan

Strange tree!  There were 3 sky-gliders but camera was acting up and only captured one of them.  A dry MacLehose Trail and just as well, would not like their trails wet!!

Views from the top of Sai Wan Shan

A panorama view of the 4 beaches with Sharp Peak from Sai Wan Shan and what a refreshing swim at Sai Wan after the hot climb up and down Sai Wan Shan!

Need to find out the names of these lovely wild flowers…

Fri: no April’s Fool but did app 8hrs hike in the East Sai Kung/西貢 area. Started along the High Island Reservoir, HKG National Geo Park /East Dam to Long Ke Wan/浪茄灣, Sai Wan Shan/西灣山, crossing parts of MacLehose Trails/麥理浩徑 stages 1 & 2 and heading to Tai Long Wan/大浪灣 and taking the same track/positng 2 Mar 2011, except for the last stretch to the bus on the main road instead of to Wong Shek Pier/黃石碼頭.

Thanks to Harry CHAN for taking me on these trails and appreciate his delightful company on this beautiful day, hiking in such spectacular views. Pix credits to him for pix on the right and the larger size pix. Pleasure to meet Mee-Yeong & Julian CHAN for a drink later. You Look tired, Uncle Harry, commented Mee-Young. To the young couple- safe trip back to Canberra/Australia. Apologies for tiring out their uncle Harry 🙂

HKG longest hiking trail, MacLehose Trail opened 1979, crosses much of the New Territories, starting from Pak Tam Chung,/Sai Kung to Tuen Mun in the west in the New Territories. The whole trail is 100 kilometres long, marked by distance posts at 500m intervals along the path. It is named after Crawford Murry MacLehose, the longest-serving HKG governor, who established the Country Parks and was himself a hiker. The trail passes through a variety of natural and beautiful scenery. Only done bits and pieces of it to discover that it is difficult to do a thru’ hike for me here.

The New Territories, through which this trail runs, covers the majority of the SAR’s land area. In the HKG part is the most varied and finest countryside where the trail begins on the east coast is deeply indented and wild. The central mountains, which it crosses, include many of HKG highest pecks. The western part, where it winds to its end, has impressive valley reservoirs.

Today will rest to save energy for tomorrow’s hike in another area…

Above all, do not lose your desire to walk.  Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness.  I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it – Soren Kierkegaard