Prisons, Reservoirs and Fresh Milk
As the title indicates, this walk in the central part of the New Territories has something for everyone…
Getting off the bus at Castle Peak Road, we get a chance to see the inmates going about their daily routine as we walk straight through one of
Tai Lam’s correctional institutions. (Please remember to bring your HK ID-card or passport as we are required to register at the prison gate. )
It might be an unusual start to a hike, but it will undoubtedly make us appreciate even more the wide open spaces we will soon encounter.
We will have to work a little for it, though, as we follow the restricted road up to and above the rim of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir. However,
once we have passed the dam, there will be nothing but birds, cicadas and frogs to disturb the peace as we follow the contours of this
reservoir, the largest and last of Hong Kong’s valley reservoirs.
As the valley narrows, we follow the Tai Lam stream and suddenly find ourselves looking down at a 6-lane highway as it emerges from a
tunnel to enter the wide Pat Heung plain. At this point our path dips somewhat around the pig and chicken farms of Ho Pui before skirting the
village itself. However, the efforts you put into the inevitable ensuing climb – the hardest, but also the last real ascent of the day – are
handsomely rewarded when we reach the perfect spot to consume our lunch boxes – the dam of the Ho Pui reservoir.
Afterwards we follow a winding catchwater looking across the sprawling villages of Kam Tin and Shek Kong towards the volcanic reaches of
the Lam Tsuen Country Park. One of Hong Kong’s more beautiful sceneries awaits us as we cross the dam of the very quiet upper Tsing Tam
Reservoir. Just before the end of today’s walk, we pass a small independent dairy, where we will stop long enough for those who so desire to
sample their delicious mango pudding or a glass of very fresh milk…
The walk might end at the PLA barracks just outside Shek Kong village, but the adventure is not over yet. The bus ride along Route Twisk to
the MTR station in Tsuen Wan is as much a feature in this outing as the prisons were at the beginning.
At 18 km this hike is a little longer than most, but it is also relatively flat. There are only 3 real hills to overcome and the highest point of the
day is a mere 170 metres above sea level. Furthermore the path is well shaded and all on tarmac and concrete. Better still, there is not a
single step to negotiate…
As the title indicates, this walk in the central part of the New Territories has something for everyone…
Getting off the bus at Castle Peak Road, we get a chance to see the inmates going about their daily routine as we walk straight through one of
Tai Lam’s correctional institutions. (Please remember to bring your HK ID-card or passport as we are required to register at the prison gate. )
It might be an unusual start to a hike, but it will undoubtedly make us appreciate even more the wide open spaces we will soon encounter.
We will have to work a little for it, though, as we follow the restricted road up to and above the rim of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir. However,
once we have passed the dam, there will be nothing but birds, cicadas and frogs to disturb the peace as we follow the contours of this
reservoir, the largest and last of Hong Kong’s valley reservoirs.
As the valley narrows, we follow the Tai Lam stream and suddenly find ourselves looking down at a 6-lane highway as it emerges from a
tunnel to enter the wide Pat Heung plain. At this point our path dips somewhat around the pig and chicken farms of Ho Pui before skirting the
village itself. However, the efforts you put into the inevitable ensuing climb – the hardest, but also the last real ascent of the day – are
handsomely rewarded when we reach the perfect spot to consume our lunch boxes – the dam of the Ho Pui reservoir.
Afterwards we follow a winding catchwater looking across the sprawling villages of Kam Tin and Shek Kong towards the volcanic reaches of
the Lam Tsuen Country Park. One of Hong Kong’s more beautiful sceneries awaits us as we cross the dam of the very quiet upper Tsing Tam
Reservoir. Just before the end of today’s walk, we pass a small independent dairy, where we will stop long enough for those who so desire to
sample their delicious mango pudding or a glass of very fresh milk…
The walk might end at the PLA barracks just outside Shek Kong village, but the adventure is not over yet. The bus ride along Route Twisk to
the MTR station in Tsuen Wan is as much a feature in this outing as the prisons were at the beginning.
At 18 km this hike is a little longer than most, but it is also relatively flat. There are only 3 real hills to overcome and the highest point of the
day is a mere 170 metres above sea level. Furthermore the path is well shaded and all on tarmac and concrete. Better still, there is not a
single step to negotiate…
Download Reservation Form here or click here to request more information.
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