10 May 2026 – Special Mother’s Day Post
In Memory of my mother TSENG MayLan (1911-1965) who was from HongKong/HKG
The MacLehoseTrail 麥理浩徑 opened 26 Oct 1979, is a hiking trail starting PaTamChung 北潭涌/SaiKungE-CountryPark 西貢東郊野公園. 100km, marked by distance posts at 500m intervals along the path. It is named after CrawfordMurrayMacLehose, the longest-serving HKG-governor (1971-1982) who established the Country Parks and was himself an enthusiastic hiker. This Scotsman did what he thought was best for HKG at that time and he did much good for HKG too.
Starting@TuenMun屯門/TaiLamCountryPark大欖郊野公園 was by choice so as to end this hike@SaiKung in more cheerful&pleasant surroundings.
Acknowledgements
Gratitude with thanks to Grace for her companion&protection all the way. Appreciations for advices&help to HKG-friends Chanel,JohnC,Johnny,Harry,Henry,Henrietta&Francis,Richard and to all who contributed and crossing my path here, especially to CampersCorner/SIN friends,staff&management. Grateful for Mar2012 blog postings making this ~1,000+words posting possible.
References
2Mar2012 – Day1 Sections 10, 9 and parts of 8
Fri2Mar: overnight Thu1Mar@TinShuiWai to be nearer the trail. Caught the first LightRail, connecting to MTR to TuenMun and took us ~1+hr to find the trail head due to constructions in the area!! This section starts thru’ some poverty&slum, quite a sad sight. No, do not wish to go further or document this in pix but the sun was shinning and let that be the happy start of this 100km hike.
Continued to hard and concrete trails with views of TaiLamChungWaterCatchment area (interesting Marble cake looking rock formation), views of CastlePeak and WongNgaiTunReservoir. Got off track for quite a bit day-dreaming in the heat. Had to back-track and fortunately found the markings at a junction by the portable toilets. Thank goodness for excellent markings, posted nearly every 500meters/M001-M200. Hilo-pad sighted, in case of emergency, indeed very civilized way to hike.
The old abandoned house M179 (stated in Hiker’sGuide) is now a shrine and one can light candles or joss-sticks, but the matches and lighter there did not worked! Left the coins so as to lighten weight in daypack. A nice camping ground@RouteTwist. Heading to TaiMoShan 957m 3,140ft (HKG highest peak) on hard surface-road uphill and a side road to the SzeLokYuenYouthHostel. The sunset was one of the most beautiful ones experienced. That made up for the run-down hostel costing HK$65 per night for members. Such a pity, what a spectacular location.
Day 1 started 0600 from hotel. On the trail 0930hrs, in hostel 1830hrs
28.5km/18mi. Sections 10, 9 and parts of 8 M200-M143
3Mar 2012 – Day2 Sections 8, 7 and parts of 6
Sat3Mar: started later thinking that it was a 14km day, later to discover it should be 17km. Up up up to TaiMoShan 957m/3,140ft (BigHatMt). Mispronounced that slightly and it will be BigMistyMt! Some photographers were waiting for the weather to clear but unfortunately for them, no such luck. Showed them the sunset pix, best shots in this hike ie can say so now that the hike is completed
Continued on hard surface road. Met LokMan & his pal- both fit, handsome young men on their bicycles. Nice to chat and exchanged contacts. Above pix credits to him. Grace’s friend Ben joined us here.
Pass M143
Misty and treacherous ups & downs Grassy 647m/2,123ft & NeedleHills/532m/1,745ft M130. Knees are aching. Down to road where the WilsonTrail crosses@PineappleDam.
A monkey grabbed my ice-cream cone@ShingMunCountryPark M125
M123 Pilboxes and trenches from war days. Towards GoldenHillRd and down to TaiPoRd M115. Grace messaged to warn about the monkeys. Got her to pick me in a cab at that stretch. No other hikers – was totally alone and this human does not deal, get involved or near monkey business! 14km as originally calculated is correct for me. Cab 2-3km from MonkeyAlley to main road!
Took another cab from the main road connecting with the MTR for accommodations@NewPekingGuestHouse/TsimShaTsui. HK$210pp
Day 2: started 0800 from hostel. Trail 0815hrs. Cab 1700hrs
17km/10.6mi. Sections 8, 7 and parts of 6 M143-M115
4Mar 2012 – Day3 Sections 6, 5 and parts of 4
Sun 4 Mar: 0600hrs MTR to ShamShuiPo and cab back to TaiPoRd. Ascended from LionRockCountryPark M115 and this location was infested by monkeys. Graceful Grace took the lead and we were safely back on to the no-monkey-trail! Taking a short break in a wooden shelter.
Another misty day like yesterday with no view@BeaconHill. Nearly mid-point + high point! a cafe serving noodles and a pix of ChowYuenFatt@ShatinPass M101. A bowl of hot noodle hits the spot and continuing uphill to the mid-point M100.
Ups & downs muddy and slippery paths whole afternoon. Concentrating on every step. Planning to do 23km today, but hiking in these conditions and in the dark is too risky. Instead of hiking to KeiLingHa M069, decided to hike down from the deserted MauPingVillage M085 to PakKong. Got a cab HK$70 to LadyMacLehoseHolidayVillage/LMHV HK$20 per night for senior and HK$21 dinner with 5 dishes. A wise and good decision
Day 3: 0600 from TsimShaTsui . Trail 0700hrs. Cab 1700hrs
15km/9.3mi. Sections 6, 5 and parts of 4 M115-M085
5Mar 2012 – Day4 Sections 4 & 3
Mon5Mar: 0630hrs bus & cab to PakKong, hiked up back to the deserted MauPingVillage M085. Continued to MaOnShan 702m/2,303ft and down hard surface road to KeiLingHa where toilets and a welcoming vending machine are located. Muddy, misty, slippery and time-consuming hike.
More ups and downs in the mist, KaiKungShan 399m 1,309ft, LuiTaShek 379m 1,243ft, NgauYeeShe Shan. Due to time and conditions, did not stop or take pix as again did not wish to hike in the dark. Wanted to get in to a warm dinner and hot shower back at LMHV.
Even with all the climbing, today’s hike was yet another limited view day, but better misty than too hot. It was one of those days having to concentrate and focusing on every step. Well like everything in life, the ups and downs have to be experienced and that too shall pass.
Day 4: 0630hrs from LMHV. Trail 0700hrs. Cab 1800hrs.
15km/9.3mi. Sections 4 & 3 M085-M045
6Mar2012 – Day5 Sections 2 & 1
Tue6Mar: 0630hrs bus & cab to PakTamAu M049. Hiking thru’ urban jungle on ups and downs hard concrete. Rather welcoming after days of wet, slippery muddy paths!
Passing the empty village of ChekKeng, mysteriously beautiful in the mist. Stopping to make use of an avant garde designed toilet M043. Passed by two tents and a sleeping body in a sleeping bag outside the tent!
No views from the two pavilions M023 & M025, unlike the last hike with Harry, exposed and sunny! Pleasant along TaiLong and SaiWan enjoying a bowl of dau-fu-fa/soya bean curd with a Swiss fellow hiker. Continuing to LongKeWan, lovely picnic and camping area M020, by a drug rehab centre. Uphill towards the main dam.
The final Section 1 M020 is along the HighlandReservoir, a hard 10km on surface road taking us 2hrs. Must be tired and not focus. Fell on my face but thank goodness on soft grounds topped with dead leaf. Can understand why Harry wanted to take the cab last year thru’ this section to start our hike from Section 2. Was quite done with this section after a quick shot.
Ran (no joke) for the bus which brought us to SaiKung and from there another bus to the MTR. Noticed that other passengers did not sit next to us
Day 5: 0630hrs from LMHV. On Trail 0645hrs. Bus 1700hrs
24.5km/15.3mi. Sections 2 & 1. M048-M001
To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping – Chinese Proverb