Becky's Bikes & Birds
...or a bicycle ride through the wetlands, villages and new towns of Hong Kong's northwestern New Territories.
Unavoidably, the ride starts with a 20-minute crossing of Yuen Long’s housing and industrial estates, most of which will be
on bicycle paths. Soon, however, we emerge into the open as we make our way along a series of fish pond dikes. The road
is rough, but we will be bringing a puncture repair kit… While you should look out for pot holes, you mustn’t forget to check
out the bird life. Recent sightings include the Black-capped Kingfisher, Cormorants, White Wagtails and Crested Mynas.
Beyond the ponds we reach the Boarder Fence. While it should keep out illegal immigrants, it will also prevent us from
crashing into the mangroves along the Shan Pui River. Sadly, it also kind of spoils the view a little, but we can always look
to the other side, where egrets, herons and other wetland birds hang out.
Turning away from the fence, we come to the only hill of the day as we join Deep Bay Road. This will eventually lead us to
our lunch stop at Lau Fau Shan, but first we pause for those who so desire to visit the Tsim Bei Tsui lookout. The view over
the wetlands and into Shenzhen is magnificent – and well worth the effort needed to climb the 256 steps.
From the lookout, it is generally downhill to Lau Fau Shan, famous for its seafood restaurants and thriving oyster industry.
Before we get that far, however, we will turn off to visit a couple of old villages where new buildings mix effortlessly with
really ancient ones.
Our lunch stop is also the furthest point on today’s route. However, though we begin our return journey here, the day is far
from over. Having negotiated the maze of bicycle paths around the giant new dormitory town of Tin Shui Wai, we suddenly
find ourselves on a different sort of trail – The Ping Shan Heritage Trail. This trail links a number of traditional Chinese
structures providing the curious with an opportunity to recapture aspects of life in the New Territories in the old days.
Unique monuments along the trail include the Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda (Hong Kong's only ancient pagoda), the Tang Ancestral
Hall (one of the largest ancestral halls in the territory), and Sheung Cheung Wai (a walled village).
Our day ends with a brief ride along bicycle paths into the centre of Yuen Long from where comfortable busses depart
every few minutes to Kowloon and Hong Kong island.
...or a bicycle ride through the wetlands, villages and new towns of Hong Kong's northwestern New Territories.
Unavoidably, the ride starts with a 20-minute crossing of Yuen Long’s housing and industrial estates, most of which will be
on bicycle paths. Soon, however, we emerge into the open as we make our way along a series of fish pond dikes. The road
is rough, but we will be bringing a puncture repair kit… While you should look out for pot holes, you mustn’t forget to check
out the bird life. Recent sightings include the Black-capped Kingfisher, Cormorants, White Wagtails and Crested Mynas.
Beyond the ponds we reach the Boarder Fence. While it should keep out illegal immigrants, it will also prevent us from
crashing into the mangroves along the Shan Pui River. Sadly, it also kind of spoils the view a little, but we can always look
to the other side, where egrets, herons and other wetland birds hang out.
Turning away from the fence, we come to the only hill of the day as we join Deep Bay Road. This will eventually lead us to
our lunch stop at Lau Fau Shan, but first we pause for those who so desire to visit the Tsim Bei Tsui lookout. The view over
the wetlands and into Shenzhen is magnificent – and well worth the effort needed to climb the 256 steps.
From the lookout, it is generally downhill to Lau Fau Shan, famous for its seafood restaurants and thriving oyster industry.
Before we get that far, however, we will turn off to visit a couple of old villages where new buildings mix effortlessly with
really ancient ones.
Our lunch stop is also the furthest point on today’s route. However, though we begin our return journey here, the day is far
from over. Having negotiated the maze of bicycle paths around the giant new dormitory town of Tin Shui Wai, we suddenly
find ourselves on a different sort of trail – The Ping Shan Heritage Trail. This trail links a number of traditional Chinese
structures providing the curious with an opportunity to recapture aspects of life in the New Territories in the old days.
Unique monuments along the trail include the Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda (Hong Kong's only ancient pagoda), the Tang Ancestral
Hall (one of the largest ancestral halls in the territory), and Sheung Cheung Wai (a walled village).
Our day ends with a brief ride along bicycle paths into the centre of Yuen Long from where comfortable busses depart
every few minutes to Kowloon and Hong Kong island.
Download Reservation Form here or click here to request more information.
| ... exploring Hong Kong's other side... |
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