Monday, January 25, 2021

Wanchai to Stanley via Black's Link, HK Trail Section 4, Violet Hill, and the Twins

Duration:  11km (4h30)

Difficulty: 8/10. Lots of steps and for distance.

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 2 liter. 70% shaded. 

Appreciation: 9/10. First kilometer is very very nice (look behind you!), but the rest is a bit boring.

Exercise Area: Yes

Transportation:  Wan Chai MTR exit 'A3'. Return to Admiralty/Central right at the end of the trail, across Stanley Gap Road via bus 6, 6A, or 6X. Or, go to Stanley for a bite with any bus (right on your left on Stanley Gap Road, at end of the trail)

Why it's worth it:


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Right off Wan Chai Exit A3, cross and head right on Johnston road. 

After about 30m on Johnston road, head left onto Lee Tung street

Cross Queen's road and go up Spring Garden Lane.
You will see stairs in front of you

Take the stairs all the way up and head left onto Kennedy road


Cross Kennedy road at the pedestrian crossing. 

There will be a flight of stairs on your right with a signpost.
Get up the stairs. You will be going up on the stairs then path, for about 300m 

You will then cross the Bowen Road Fitness Trail at Orchid Valley (there are toilets there). Keep going straight and up, on  Wan Chai Green Trail

You will eventually reach Stubbs Road (about 350m), cross the road, and go up on Black's Link. 

Black's Link

Blac's Link will eventually merge into HK Trail Section4.
Just follow the path straight for a total of about 50-55 minutes and you will get to Wong Nai Chung Gap. 

Cross Wong Nai Chung Gap road and just follow the road around and under the bridge.

Immediately on the other side of the bridge, you'll see the petrol station with stairs just before it, which you must take.

Then head left at Tai Tam Reservoir Road after you climbed the stairs.
The brown-red buildings you see at a distance is Hong Kong Parkview Estate

After the pond on the right and just before you get to Parkview, there will be a trail map and stairs on the right. Take the stairs. The path will get you all the way up Violet hill. Take a look behind at intervals for views of the city. (BTW, there are toilets at the pond)

Only major fork that you should pay attention to at this point.
Head left towards Tsin Shui Wan Au 

Down from Violet Hill, with Repulse Bay on your right and the Tai Tam Intermediate Reservoir visible on your left

The last fork before the Twins. Cross the small bridge (Tze Kong Bridge) and head right and up the stairs on the right towards Stanley. The Tze Kong Bridge stone marker is encircled on the picture above. From that point on, you cannot get lost; it is a straight path with no forks. You will go up 950 steps, then down a bit, then back up to the second twin. Then finally down towards Stanley, which you will not reach as the trail stops at Stanley Gap road. There, you will have many bus options back to the city or to Stanley.


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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!