To continue uploading all the information of Tai Yuen stream here the Westernmost tributaries. Impressive with perfect conditions.
- Beauty/fun: 6/10 One big waterfall, and tons of smaller ones, the tiny infinity pool almost atop, with just a few thorny sections. The pics are at its very best, most of the times the flow is significantly smaller and it is rare to have such nice visibility. But when there is, it is spectacular.
- Difficulty (check this link if new here, this is not your standard HK hiking web): 6.5/10 if trying to climb in or very close to the waterfalls all the time but in the main one. One potential early exit
- The map (how to download to your phone offline maps)
See full screen & the Garmin track of the day me checking both tributaries, second day with friends just in Left Left + Rock forests.
The first sections are exactly the same as what I explained in the previous posts. So, copy paste of the start: You can walk up from Tai Wo Hau MTR station or, if you want to avoid the extra concrete km, take taxi or minibus to Yuen Yuen Institute. You can skip the first section or head directly to the stream.
Fork to the Left tributary is not specially clear. I have marked two possible entries. The upper red one was the original marked on Openstreetmap. Doable, with at least a ribbon, but very thorny. I think it is better here, just before the water channeling structure. The ladies getting into it.
Soon it opens and you have tons of small waterfalls.
As I mentioned, we went there with perfect conditions. August, after three consecutive heavy rain days and sunny when hiking in the stream.
The flow can be significantly smaller other days.
Here the main fork. Right for Clown stream and Left for the proper Tai Yuen Left itself. Clown looks more open and with more water, but not really. Explained on the bottom.
The ladies wanted to climb as many waterfalls as possible. Fun challenge with the strong flow.
Here a double waterfall, first climbed within, second just next to it. Both have an easier side path.
But we were in “all route within stream” mode.
If you do so, avoid what Jone was doing in the pic above. It is a lot more slippery just on the side than the stream itself. Either go dry (in this case on the left of the pic) or completely in.
Finally we arrived at the main waterfall. I had checked it before. So I knew that the initial section is climbable but high, almost 7m. I set up the rope and they were able to climb almost without using it. But mentally helps. There is one step that is not intuitive and without the rope you might think you are f@^ked. You need to find a handhold to pass from right to left side, more or less where James is.
The “easy” side dry scramble is on the right. Be careful. Tons of loose rocks that you could throw to your team members below.
We definitely did not try to climb the second part of the waterfall. Higher and almost completely vertical. View from below and the right side.
First time there I climbed on the right side. Highly not recommended. Steep, muddy and then high tricky scramble within the vegetation to connect back. Instead the side path on the left side is a lot clearer and what most of the hikers use. High but with clear handholds. And then you arrive at the first real spectacular view point.
With perfect conditions this is what you get for the next meters ascent.
And just atop, connecting with a faint but easy to follow path, the mini man made pool. You can continue on the stream a bit more but there is nothing special upper. Once you cross another hiking path it becomes even bushier. So I gave up and exit.
If you are trying to make it as easy as possible head West and down the green line to Tsuen Wan station. Or directly to Route Twisk to take bus down. If you are willing for more fun, the rock forests are perfect continuation on a good visibility day. You could also try the next stream down.
Clown stream is similar, but the main waterfall is within the jungle and at lower altitude. This double fall.
The first 3m in the shade are perpendicular and with dubious quality rock, easily passable on its left, then you can go back in and climb the next 5m within. Good handholds and less steep.
The rest of the stream is OKla. With some concatenated small falls and the rock that gives the name to the stream on top.
Just a few meters apart on Acacia path.
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