Peak Experiences: Hiking in Hong Kong
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Tai Mo Shan, or “Big Hat Mountain,” at 958 meters (3,143 ft), is the highest peak in Hong Kong; if you can make it to the top you are rewarded with fabulous views. |
The highest peak is Tai Mo Shan, at 3,143 feet (958 m). With a population of 6.9 million people crammed into a space of only approximately 400 square miles (1,042 km²), Hong Kong has one of the highest population densities in the world.
For locals, a trip to the hills is a good way to get some relief from the constant hustle of life in the economic tiger. On top of Tai Mo Shan, with a gentle mountain breeze cooling your skin, you will feel free as a bird.
Apart from the breathtaking scenery, trekking in Hong Kong can be a great fitness activity, as well as a way of making friends. The day that I met with The Trampers, we were hiking Yung Shue O to Hoi Ha, near Sai Kung Tow, in the New Territories.
Our group was made up of 15 people, ranging in age from eight to 44. On this particular weekend, the regulars were discussing the Oxfam Trailwalker, a 62-mile (100 km) walking race that some of them had just completed. Others were training for the upcoming Hong Kong Marathon, while some of us had no hiking experience at all.
A group of friendly young women who worked in one of Hong Kong’s many banks confessed that this was their first time exercising in their entire lives. And, while they needed a bit of help and encouragement to complete the 7.4-mile (12 km) course, they all made it.
The trails in Hong Kong are well mapped and marked, with different degrees of difficulty readily available, so, it is easy to find a route and a distance that fits your level of physical fitness. Our trek began with a 40-minute climb up Jacob’s Ladder, a paved staircase built into the side of the mountain. It was extremely demanding, but hikers were free to stop, drink water or rest when needed.
Once the stairs were behind us, the way became much easier. At times the trail took us along a ridge, with a beautiful view of valleys below. Then we walked through the forest, under a canopy of green. We crossed streams, hopping from stone to stone, and waded through waist-high grass on top of some peaks.
When I got to the top, I was completely out of breath and emptied an entire water bottle down my parched throat. Francis, our leader, was probably the oldest and the fittest of group; he had already run to the top and back down several times, to check on stragglers. He assured me that, although I felt we had just climbed to the sun and would melt, in actuality, we had only ascended 1,640 feet (500 m).
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In addition to being a fitness activity, trekking in Hong Kong can be a great way to make friends. |
By the time we made our final descent, we had gotten quite some exercise, made some new friends, exchanged phone numbers and most importantly, we had seen a side of Hong Kong most visitors would never know.
If You Go
The Hong Kong Trampers
www.hktrampers.com
Hong Kong Tourism Board
www.discoverhongkong.com
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