Hansen's Hikes
Tai To Yan
The trails along the two volcanic ridges of Lam Tsuen Country Park are among the least hiked in Hong Kong. Both ridges
rise sharply from the plains and valleys below and the views are truly spectacular on a clear day.
The trail along the eastern ridge, crossing Tai To Yan (Big Knife Cliff, 566 m.), begins just outside Fan Ling station. Skirting a
Taoist temple the first part of the walk up Stables Hill is popular with morning walkers and passes through a number of
gardens and shelters 'illegally' dug out by locals, but the ridge itself is usually deserted.
The absence of fellow hikers can only be due to the amazing number of steps we have to climb to get to the top, because
the views from the top are nothing less than spectacular: To the north, we look towards the plains and urban sprawl of
Shenzhen in China. To the northwest, the Kai Lung Leng ridge only partly blocks the view of the Mai Po wetlands. To the
southeast, you look across the Lam Tsuen valley to Tai Po and Cloudy Hill and rising to the south is Hong Kong’s highest
point, Tai Mo Shan.
While the ridge isn’t all level, the ups and downs are fairly gradual and relatively short, so there is little stopping you from
enjoying the views and the rather impressive number of butter- and dragonflies we see along the trail.
Care and focus, however, are required at the end of the trail as we descent very steep and rather long flight of steps to
reach Lam Kam Road from where we will get on a bus for the first part of the journey back to the city.
It is a tough walk, but it will be worth all the sweat and even the tears...
An honest word of warning though:
If you do not like using the stairmaster at your gym, then this is not a hike for you.
The trails along the two volcanic ridges of Lam Tsuen Country Park are among the least hiked in Hong Kong. Both ridges
rise sharply from the plains and valleys below and the views are truly spectacular on a clear day.
The trail along the eastern ridge, crossing Tai To Yan (Big Knife Cliff, 566 m.), begins just outside Fan Ling station. Skirting a
Taoist temple the first part of the walk up Stables Hill is popular with morning walkers and passes through a number of
gardens and shelters 'illegally' dug out by locals, but the ridge itself is usually deserted.
The absence of fellow hikers can only be due to the amazing number of steps we have to climb to get to the top, because
the views from the top are nothing less than spectacular: To the north, we look towards the plains and urban sprawl of
Shenzhen in China. To the northwest, the Kai Lung Leng ridge only partly blocks the view of the Mai Po wetlands. To the
southeast, you look across the Lam Tsuen valley to Tai Po and Cloudy Hill and rising to the south is Hong Kong’s highest
point, Tai Mo Shan.
While the ridge isn’t all level, the ups and downs are fairly gradual and relatively short, so there is little stopping you from
enjoying the views and the rather impressive number of butter- and dragonflies we see along the trail.
Care and focus, however, are required at the end of the trail as we descent very steep and rather long flight of steps to
reach Lam Kam Road from where we will get on a bus for the first part of the journey back to the city.
It is a tough walk, but it will be worth all the sweat and even the tears...
An honest word of warning though:
If you do not like using the stairmaster at your gym, then this is not a hike for you.
Download Reservation Form here or click here to request more information.
| ... exploring Hong Kong's other side... |
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| 38 D, Tower 2, Sham Wan Towers 3, Ap Lei Chau Drive Ap Lei Chau Hong Kong Tel: (+852) 9552 0987 E-mail: info@hansens-hikes.com |
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