Saturday, July 30, 2016

Shatin walk: The Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre, and Lake Ad Excellentiam

Duration: 

2.5 hours

Difficulty: 4/10

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 0.5 liter

Appreciation: 6/10. The Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre is ok, not much of a view from there actually. The Chinese University of Hong Kong's grounds are very nice. Short walks. You can go straight to Chinese U if you want a relaxing hour in a nice setting. Maybe a picnic?

Transportation: Shatin MTR, Exit B for the Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre, and University MTR Exit C for Lake Ad Excellentiam

Why it's worth it:


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For the Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre
Make your way to Shatin MTR station, Exit B, turn left as you come out
Go to the end (basically, follow the crowd) and down the ramp, to the right
After the ramp, turn-left...

... and back in the same direction you came from, but next to the ramp

You'll arrive at a signpost, about 30 seconds later which points the direction to To Fung Shan. Climb up the stairs next to the white building on the picture

Right. Always go right basically


After about 15 minutes walk, you'll get to this roundabout. Head right on 'To Fung Shan Road'

Another 5-10 minutes farther, you'll see these stairs with a gate. Gate is open, climb the stairs, it is a shortcut.

Arrived

When you are done, just retrace your steps back to the MTR

Take the MTR to University station (2 stops away from Shatin), exit C

Just follow the path along the football field



There you go, Lake Ad Excellentiam. Velly pletty...

Saturday, July 23, 2016

(Upper section) Tin Mei Hang stream 田尾坑涧

Duration: 

3 hours

Difficulty: 7/10. Not too hard a climb but so narrow and full of branches at times that I had to crouch. 

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 2 liters

Appreciation: 3/10. For the upper section (up from the bridge). Really didn't like it. It is a minor stream, very few and small waterfalls. Ants bit me, grass cut me. Not a happy time

Transportation: Bus 94 from Saikung all the time, or 96R from Diamond Hill on Sundays and public holidays. Get off at Sheung Yui stop. Return the same way.

Why it's worth it:
Really, it isn't. Skip this one or keep to the lower section (but then again, why go all the way to Saikung for this). Will need to check out the lower part of the stream someday

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Stream portion in red

Sheung Yui bus stop. Keep walking in the same direction the bus was going for about 1 minute to the fork

Head right at the fork, towards the High Island Reservoir

At the pavilion, take the left road. That's about 20 minutes from the bus stop

Keep walking past the first bridge

The second bridge is around this corner (notice the tombstone)

That's where you enter the stream. About 40 minutes walk from the bus stop

15 minutes into the stream

The only fork in the stream. Take a left and prepare to be... underwhelmed

The upper stream is a lot of this... I don't like it. And spider-webs aplenty...

At one point, you'll think you are lost as the stream gets ever narrower and is basically just a trickle. You will arrive at the source of the stream. There will be a path on the left. Take it and it will take you to a 4-way path fork

The 4 way path fork. Take a left and climb up. Stay on the leftmost path pretty much all the time.

Some nice views but no need to go through the hassle of climbing the stream

More nice views. You'll eventually loop back to the pavilion


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Please, don't litter!

Hiking is about communion with nature. So please pickup after yourself. There's no excuse to leave plastic bags, water bottles or any rubbish on or around the trails; if you managed to bring it, you can manage to bring it back!