Hansen's Hikes
Cloudy Hill
Cloudy Hill is by no means the highest peak in Hong Kong, nor is it generally covered in clouds. At 440 metres though, it is
nevertheless a bit of a challenge and a beautiful one, at that.
It is a fairly long, relatively steep, but virtually "stepless" climb from the picturesque hidden Lau Shui Heung Reservoir to the
peak of Cloudy Hill. However, the views from the top are well worth the effort. Here we enjoy spectacular panoramas over
Tai Mo Shan and the Lam Tsuen Valley to the east, the Tolo Harbour to the south and over the flatlands around Fan Ling and
Sheung Shui into China towards the north.
Descending from Cloudy Hill, we enter into woodlands and pay a visit to the Sha Lo Tung valley. The valley is ecologically
valuable because it is one of the few unpolluted upland valleys in Hong Kong, and for this reason is home to a good
proportion of the species that are dependent on fresh water to be found in the territory.
The head of the valley is an open area of disused rice fields with three almost abandoned villages on the perimeter. Our trail
leads us past the old schoolhouse and into Cheung Uk, which is the best preserved of the three. The exteriors of the
houses here are mostly intact and no new houses have been built for more than 30 years. The fung shui wood is growing
healthily behind the village, making Cheung Uk one of the best places to get an impression of what a Hakka village looked
like 30-50 years ago.
From the village, we proceed into woodland and, making our way through fields and groves of with lychee trees, eventually
reach the small Hok Tau Reservoir, set deep in the valley with the Pat Sin Leng range rising steeply upwards to the east.
Following the contours of the reservoir, we reach a small road and shortly afterwards the turn off to Hok Tau Wai village,
where we catch a minibus back to Fan Ling.
Cloudy Hill is by no means the highest peak in Hong Kong, nor is it generally covered in clouds. At 440 metres though, it is
nevertheless a bit of a challenge and a beautiful one, at that.
It is a fairly long, relatively steep, but virtually "stepless" climb from the picturesque hidden Lau Shui Heung Reservoir to the
peak of Cloudy Hill. However, the views from the top are well worth the effort. Here we enjoy spectacular panoramas over
Tai Mo Shan and the Lam Tsuen Valley to the east, the Tolo Harbour to the south and over the flatlands around Fan Ling and
Sheung Shui into China towards the north.
Descending from Cloudy Hill, we enter into woodlands and pay a visit to the Sha Lo Tung valley. The valley is ecologically
valuable because it is one of the few unpolluted upland valleys in Hong Kong, and for this reason is home to a good
proportion of the species that are dependent on fresh water to be found in the territory.
The head of the valley is an open area of disused rice fields with three almost abandoned villages on the perimeter. Our trail
leads us past the old schoolhouse and into Cheung Uk, which is the best preserved of the three. The exteriors of the
houses here are mostly intact and no new houses have been built for more than 30 years. The fung shui wood is growing
healthily behind the village, making Cheung Uk one of the best places to get an impression of what a Hakka village looked
like 30-50 years ago.
From the village, we proceed into woodland and, making our way through fields and groves of with lychee trees, eventually
reach the small Hok Tau Reservoir, set deep in the valley with the Pat Sin Leng range rising steeply upwards to the east.
Following the contours of the reservoir, we reach a small road and shortly afterwards the turn off to Hok Tau Wai village,
where we catch a minibus back to Fan Ling.
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| ... exploring Hong Kong's other side... |
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