Trails that used to connect old villages, now abandoned, or even main areas in today’s Hong Kong crisscross our hills. Some are on the verge to disappear, overtaken by vegetation. Greatly appreciated if you hike on them 🙂

This, like the aforementioned villages article, is an open post that I’ll continue updating the more trails we hike and decide that are worthwhile adding to.

When there is no clear transliteration that I know of, I will use the literally translated names. Funny quite some of them.

Map (how to download to your phone offline maps).

See full screen

Blue lines mean mixed terrain. Green really easy. Red probably overgrown or more complex navigation route.

I will add them just in West to East order.

· Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail (元荃古道). The path to connect Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan areas. That is the reason for its name. Completely civilized. Going West to East there are several sections with nonsteep stairs,

concrete, compact dirt paths within the woods,

before starting the long concrete stairs up section.

Eventually, you will arrive at the viewpoints around Shek Lung Kung. You could visit the abandoned Lin Fa Shan school taking a short detour too. Otherwise, take the stone and concrete path down to Tsuen Wan.

A short video of an initiation trail running outing with friends. They hated me a bit on the aforementioned stairs…

· Kap Lung Ancient Trail (甲龍古道). Short uphill path up almost till Route Twisk. Everything within the woods and crossing a small stream.

· Yin Ngam (燕岩). Parallel to the same-named stream you have an ancient path connecting several abandoned houses and other constructions up to the top of MacLehose trail. Best known for its bamboo passageways.

Tons of constructions around, but they can be hidden deeply by vegetation.

· Mui Fa Ancient Trail (梅花古道). West part concrete. Later within villages and older rock pathway.

The standard path towards the Penis Rock. Here the entry to the small uphill dirt path.

· Mau Ping Ancient Trail (茅坪古道): Just next to the previous. Very civilized and well maintained.

· Yellow Bamboo Ancient Trail (黃竹山古道): it was badly affected by the 2018 typhoon with quite some trees falling onto the path.

Still relatively easy to pass (4Q19).

Quite

interesting

route.

· Big brain ancient path (大腦古道): Connecting MacLehose trail stage 4 around West Buffalo hill,

Tsang’s ancestral hall (little temple)

with an old mill around

and Wang Che (橫輋). Several old walls and interesting trees around.

It could be part of the Wong Chung stream route, going through the mossy path

down connecting with the stream itself or the road.

· Business wall ancient path (企壁山古道 ). Well hiked and open. Upper entry on MacLehose here.

Ending at the Cemetery.

· Connection of the previous two marked with the red line was very overgrown (4Q19)

· Shek Lung Chai ancient trail (石壟仔古道), one of the various ways up to Luk Chau rock forest.

Just above Mui Tsz Lam Rd find the entry.

In little time you will find the rock path

connecting with

an abandoned village

and the Ng’s Ancestral Hall.

Enjoy the old ways!