A nice ridge above Discovery Bay. You can add different paths within the North Lantau country park for a “challenging” trail run or hike.
- Beauty/fun: 4/10. Nice views but not much more.
- Difficulty (check this link if new here, this is not your standard HK hiking web): 2-3.5/10. Hiking on the main paths around. Tons of early exits. Some areas have sandy bit slippery surface. It can be long if you want to do it all.
- Map
You could start at different points. For the longest route starting point would be Sunny Bay MTR station. There is a bit more of the country park up North, but I haven’t seen yet there anything especially interesting. Instead, find your way through the concrete
and dirt path up to Tai Shan. Pretty ups and downs in the woods.
For the shortest easiest version, take bus or ferry to Discovery Bay. You can ascend to the ridge through different paths even the streams mentioned before. On the map one of the easiest: go North on Discovery Bay road to Greenbelt court. You will find a way up connecting with the winding path below.
From where you would be coming if you started at Sunny Bay. The path becomes steeper and bit sandy up till you arrive at the top of Lo Fu Tau itself. Pretty views and Tiger Head in front, the alternative main path up.
Moving forward a very photogenic flatish area which substantially changes throughout the year. Summer green.
Autumn brown.
And winter dry.
I like the early summer’s most.
In this area the path is easier. Less steep and with stairs.
There are interesting rock formations all over.
You will pass next to the Golf Club.
And connect with a concrete path. Here you could hike down to Mui Wo, passing next to the Silver Mine waterfall.
If you want to go way longer and challenging, take the path up to Ap Kuk Lek.
The path can be bit overgrown. The views of Mui Wo below.
And the hills to conquer.
Steep again.
Once on the top you could head to Lin Fa Shan. In our case we went directly to Tung Chung instead. For that you will pass next to the Celestial book. Quite some stairs,
some small bit slippery sections
and into the city.
MTR back home.
More pics from most recent visits.
November 4, 2021 at 2:39 pm
Thanks a lot for the post! I’m planning on doing DB to Tai O via Lin Fa Shan/Sunset Peak/Lantau Peak/Man Cheung Po next week and was wondering how overgrown it was between the west end of Lo Fu Tau trail near the pagoda up to Ap Kuk Lek. seems like the most challenging part of my planned hike and wanted to seek advice! Thank you!
November 4, 2021 at 3:16 pm
Hi Michael.
We were there more than three years ago and in February (mid of the dry season vs now just after the ending of the rainy one = still more bush around). It was not unpleasantly overgrown. Not thorny and relatively easy to navigate. But the conditions might have changed a lot since. In general, most paths have become easier to cross, with the increase of hiking traffic since Covid restrictions, even obscure ones. But by chance I have been hiking in the paths just North East of Lo Fu Tau recently and it was a pain to go through. Luckily I was fully covered with long sleeves, proper hiking trousers and gloves.
Good luck with it and let us know!