Plover Cove Country Trail (船灣郊野公園)

Duration: 

(19 kilometers)
7 hours

Difficulty: 7/10. For distance and terrain.

Appreciation: 9/10. You'll also have a bonus waterfall start (Bride's Pool and Mirror Pool)

Transportation: Tai Po MTR station, exit A1. Take bus 275R on a Sunday or public holiday (doesn't run any other day). Return to TaI Po MTR station via bus 75k at the end of the trail.

Why it's worth it:

Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/436322856
(Ignore the abnormal little turn and skip 12 minutes into the trail on my Garmin map.We took a wrong turn there. Rest is fine)

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You will get off 275R at the bus terminus @ Bride's Pool. Then cross the road and go down by the picnic areas, over the stream and towards the other picnic area. You'll get here. Head right and up. (If you have a few minutes, you can instead go left and spend some time at Mirror Pool, just 3 minutes away. It is quite pretty)

You'll reach an intersection, go left and up on a path that zig-zags up.

Right after the zig-zag climb, you'll get to this intersection.
Head left (as our model Anthony make obvious on this picture ;-) )

You'll then go by the big, obvious Plover Cover Reservoir Country Trail sign that you cannot miss. That's the trail head. Off you go on your 7 hours adventure... The trail is obvious and there's not really and side-paths so no chances of getting lost there.

About 4, 4.5 hours along the way, you'll get to this intersection. The only point really where you could wonder which way to turn. Turn right! The rest is obvious. Be careful as the terrain gets really slippery.
The bus terminus is just a few minutes walk after the last dam.

Wilson Trail Section 8-9-10 (Cloudy Hill, 九龍坑山, Pat Sin Leng, 八仙嶺, The 8 immortals)

(Updated 2020-02-23)

Duration: 

(23.4 kilometers) 8.5 hours

Difficulty: 9/10. For distance and elevation gain.
A shorter and more popular version of the Pat Sing Leng hike can be found here:
http://www.hongkonghikes.com/2020/02/pat-sin-leng-8-immortals.html

Appreciation: 10/10 on a non-smoggy day (was smoggy when I went). You'll also have a bonus view of the large statue of Guan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Get some background on the 8 immortals before going: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Sin_Leng

Cel phone coverage: Partial.

Water needs: 3 liters. 50% shaded

Exercise Area: No

Transportation: Tai Wo MTR station, exit A or B will do. Return via green minibus 55k to Sheung Shui MTR, or 78k bus to Fanling MTR.

Why it's worth it:

Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/424923922

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Strictly speaking, my route doesn't start at the beginning of Section 8 but it doesn't require taking the minibus or cab there. And it also skips a less appealing city walk. Follow the map above for the first 2k as there is virtually no signage.

Walk on Po Nga road by the MTR track. That's the road you'll be on when exiting at A or B.

Then, just before the large road crossing, there's a small road to the left, take it and go by the estate.

You'll arrive at a water catchment "river", head right and under the overpass.

Follow the "river" for about 100 meters. Then head right to the road, right before the river turns to the left.

Follow the sign towards Cloudy Hill (Wilson Trail)

Big apartment buildings will be on your left.

You will be back on Po Nga road. Take the pedestrian tunnel under the MTR track.

Right after the tunnel, head right.

You are now on the non-urban portion of the trail. Smooth sailing from this point on.

Just a word of caution as there are many trails branching out from the Wilson trail; at any intersection, look for the little hiking guy (left pic) and follow the arrows. There are also yellow signs from time to time; stay on the Wilson trail. And, as always, there are mileage posts every 500meters. If you stop seeing them, you went the wrong way! They will go upward from W098 to W137. Quite easy.

Getting in to the Pat Sin Leng country park!

As usual, follow the little hiking guy!

You'll be going over the dam.

Good spot for a lunch break, you're about halfway into the hike.

This one was a little bit confusing but you'll see a mileage post soon after.

Haunted?

Going towards Nam Chung. You can relay on my Garmin map at that point.
You will go through a little village towards the end of the trail.

Almost done. Turn left towards the main road to Fanling. There, head left to the bus stop where you can return to the MTR via bus 78k or green mini-bus 55k.