Tai Mo Shan to Shing Mun Reservoir

Hong Kong is as rich in flora and fauna as it is in world-class skyscrapers, and this trail takes you into the heart of it all. Completed in 1937, Shing Mun Reservoir is a great source of fresh water and home to many species of butterflies and migratory birds. The village of Tai Wai in front of the reservoir is now gone, but its protective feng shui woods remain, which boast more than 70 species of trees. Click here to see the map.

This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the MacLehose Trail. To commemorate this, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department is organising a celebration programme with a series of activities from September to December 2019.

Starting Point

From Tsuen Wan MTR Station, Exit A, take bus 51 in the direction of Kam Sheung Road and alight at Country Park Station. Then head back the way you came for approximately 20 minutes until you reach the gate at Tai Mo Shan Road.

Did you know?

Watch out for the monkeys!
You read that right. Shing Mun has lots and lots of monkeys. They may look cute, but let them be the wild things they are by keeping your distance and not feeding them.

Many local trees were logged in Hong Kong during the Second World War and the post-war government kicked off large-scale reforestation. The Shing Mun Arboretum, situated north of the reservoir, was established in the 1970s and protects about 300 native or South China plant species, including plants discovered in Hong Kong and some endangered species.

Tai Mo Shan There’s nothing like starting on a high note and, at 957 metres tall, the hike begins at the highest mountain (and coldest place) in Hong Kong. During exceptionally chilly weather, many locals scale the mountain’s peak to catch a glimpse of the exotic phenomenon of frost. With the peak’s position almost in the very centre of Hong Kong, you can look over the whole territory on clear days (the night view is stunning, too). In the warmer months, however, the paths uphill are often swallowed up by fog.
Lead Mine Pass The name of Lead Mine Pass is a hint to its prosperous mining history. Deep in the woods nearby there are many abandoned mines, some as much as a century old. Mining in the area ceased decades ago and it now only features on maps as the intersection of the MacLehose Trail and the Wilson Trail.
Pineapple Dam The Pineapple Dam is a smaller dam of the Shing Mun Reservoir, noticeable by its country park sign that looks like an ancient city gate (‘Shing Mun’). Its name comes from the pineapples that many Hakka villagers grew here when they settled in the area. Nearby is the Pineapple Dam Nature Trail.
Shing Mun Country Park Visitor Centre Next to Pineapple Dam, the Shing Mun Country Park Visitor Centre provides information about the reservoir, the living habits of its native monkeys, close-by military ruins, and the abandoned mine, as well as some mining tools. Open on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. See details on the Shing Mun Country Park Visitor Centre website.

End point

The hike ends at Shing Mun Reservoir. From the Pineapple Dam minibus terminus take minibus 82 to Tsuen Wan Town. From here, public transport is available to other destinations.

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Info

Area:: Tsuen Wan, New Territories
Starting point:: Barrier gate at Tai Mo Shan
End point:: Shing Mun Reservoir
Average hiking time:: Approximately 6 hours
Distance:: Approximately 11 km
Replenishing stations:: There is no replenishing station on the trail, so stock up with food and water at a supermarket or convenience store in Tsuen Wan.

How to get there

To the starting point:
At Tsuen Wan MTR Station Exit A, take bus 51 (towards Kam Sheung Road) from Tsuen Wan Railway Station bus stop and get off at Country Park Station. Head back and walk up to Tai Mo Shan Road and continue for 20 minutes to the Tai Mo Shan Country Park Visitor Centre.

From the end point:
At Pineapple Dam minibus terminus, take minibus 82 to the Tsuen Wan town centre.

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