Monkeys, Mountains and Mai Tais
Only 15 minutes from the bustling shopping malls and street markets of Mongkok, the Kowloon reservoirs provide a gate to quite a different
world. A world of serenity and scenic beauty. A world where birds are singing, cattle roam free and the only hustling is that being done by
monkeys. Rhesus Macaques have slowly recolonized this part of Hong Kong over the past 60 years or so...
From the main dam we follow a closed up that climbs gently along the shore of the Kowloon reservoir. Passing families of the
aforementioned macaques as well as some historical military installations, we eventually reach the bigger Shing Mun reservoir.
The hike till this point should be seen as a warm up for the challenges that now face us, i.e. Needle and Grassy Hills. While Needle Hill at 532
metres is the lower of the two, the climb up from the reservoir is made particularly challenging by the sheer number of steps to be overcome.
The reward is the absolutely spectacular panorama which awaits you at its distinctive peak. Not only do we overlook the reservoirs we just
left, but we can also see the Shing Mun and Shatin Valleys, Lion Rock and Tai Mo Shan, the Kowloon peninsula, and – on a clear day - all the
way to Hong Kong island.
The path down from Needle Hill is, if anything, steeper than the path up. The good thing is that we won't descend too far before joining a
closed road which will take us up the fertile green slopes of Grassy Hill. We rest at the top (647m) taking in the views over Tolo Harbour.
At first our descent is steep, involving a good number of reasonable regular steps, but as we approach Lead Mine Pass, we switch onto a
long, gentle and almost stepless descent through woodlands to the railway station at Tai Po Market.
While you could get straight on to the train for the urban centre, we suggest ending the outing with a well-deserved Thai meal at the air-
conditioned food court around the corner from the station...
Only 15 minutes from the bustling shopping malls and street markets of Mongkok, the Kowloon reservoirs provide a gate to quite a different
world. A world of serenity and scenic beauty. A world where birds are singing, cattle roam free and the only hustling is that being done by
monkeys. Rhesus Macaques have slowly recolonized this part of Hong Kong over the past 60 years or so...
From the main dam we follow a closed up that climbs gently along the shore of the Kowloon reservoir. Passing families of the
aforementioned macaques as well as some historical military installations, we eventually reach the bigger Shing Mun reservoir.
The hike till this point should be seen as a warm up for the challenges that now face us, i.e. Needle and Grassy Hills. While Needle Hill at 532
metres is the lower of the two, the climb up from the reservoir is made particularly challenging by the sheer number of steps to be overcome.
The reward is the absolutely spectacular panorama which awaits you at its distinctive peak. Not only do we overlook the reservoirs we just
left, but we can also see the Shing Mun and Shatin Valleys, Lion Rock and Tai Mo Shan, the Kowloon peninsula, and – on a clear day - all the
way to Hong Kong island.
The path down from Needle Hill is, if anything, steeper than the path up. The good thing is that we won't descend too far before joining a
closed road which will take us up the fertile green slopes of Grassy Hill. We rest at the top (647m) taking in the views over Tolo Harbour.
At first our descent is steep, involving a good number of reasonable regular steps, but as we approach Lead Mine Pass, we switch onto a
long, gentle and almost stepless descent through woodlands to the railway station at Tai Po Market.
While you could get straight on to the train for the urban centre, we suggest ending the outing with a well-deserved Thai meal at the air-
conditioned food court around the corner from the station...
Download Reservation Form here or click here to request more information.
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| ... exploring Hong Kong's other side... |
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