Hansen's Hikes
Reservoirs, Woodlands and Uplands
Less than 20 minutes is what it takes to get from the busy new town of Fan Ling to the tranquility and beauty of the Lau Shui
Heung reservoir. Once there, we embark on a pleasant walk through beautiful woodlands filled with singing birds and
fluttering butterflies. Who knows we might even spot a deer or a wild pig…
Following a circuitous route through woods and across open ridges – with plenty of look-out points along the way – we
eventually reach the Sha Lo Tung valley. The valley was originally excluded from Pat Sin Leng Country Park out of respect
for the farmers in the village. Now their absentee descendants would like to develop the area, but so far all proposals for
luxury housing has been turned down for environmental reasons. Ecologically valuable as one of Hong Kong’s few
unpolluted upland valleys, the valley 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.
Conditions permitting, we will visit 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.
From the reservoir, it is a short stroll down to Hok Tau Wai, where we catch a minibus to Fan Ling, before ending our outing
by joining parts of the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail. Lung Yeuk Tau has been the settlement of the Tang clan since the
Southern Song dynasty and the Trail links up 12 historical buildings, structures and sites that fully reflect the early history
and way of life of the earliest inhabitants in the New Territories.
Less than 20 minutes is what it takes to get from the busy new town of Fan Ling to the tranquility and beauty of the Lau Shui
Heung reservoir. Once there, we embark on a pleasant walk through beautiful woodlands filled with singing birds and
fluttering butterflies. Who knows we might even spot a deer or a wild pig…
Following a circuitous route through woods and across open ridges – with plenty of look-out points along the way – we
eventually reach the Sha Lo Tung valley. The valley was originally excluded from Pat Sin Leng Country Park out of respect
for the farmers in the village. Now their absentee descendants would like to develop the area, but so far all proposals for
luxury housing has been turned down for environmental reasons. Ecologically valuable as one of Hong Kong’s few
unpolluted upland valleys, the valley 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.
Conditions permitting, we will visit 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.
From the reservoir, it is a short stroll down to Hok Tau Wai, where we catch a minibus to Fan Ling, before ending our outing
by joining parts of the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail. Lung Yeuk Tau has been the settlement of the Tang clan since the
Southern Song dynasty and the Trail links up 12 historical buildings, structures and sites that fully reflect the early history
and way of life of the earliest inhabitants in the New Territories.
Download Reservation Form here or click here to request more information.
| ... exploring Hong Kong's other side... |
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