Tai To Yan (大刀屻)

Duration: 

(~9 kilometers)
4 hours

Difficulty: 7/10.

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 2 liters. About 30% of the trail is shaded, so it will be more difficult in Summer.

Appreciation: 6.5/10

Transportation: Bus 64k from Tai Wo. Returning via Fanling MTR

Why it's worth it:

Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/599691849

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Take Exit 'A' (Tai Wo Plaza) out of the Tai Wo MTR station. Head left.

There will be a set of escalators on your right, leading to the bus stops.

The KMB 64k stop is on the other side of the first road lane. Don't go all the way on the other side because you'd take the 64k to Tai Po Market.

Yeah, that one...

Get off at Kadoorie Farm. Cross the street to the start of the trail.

Start of the trail

Follow the directions to Fanling station

Very sharp peaks gets you...

... nice views.

People actually maintaining the trail! Amazing Hong Kong!

Follow Wo Hop Sehk here... Then it's pretty straightforward to the Fanling MTR station

Stream Trekking in North Point. Sir Cecil's Ride stream (Upper only)

Duration: 

(~5 kilometers)
2.5 hours

Difficulty: 3/10. Easiest stream trek. Ignore the post stream-trek part of the trek as you could easily get lost and it is not all that pleasant; just retrace your steps. 

Cel phone coverage: Mostly everywhere

Water needs: 1 liter

Appreciation: 5/10. It is not a great stream but it is a very easy one. If you have not done stream-trekking before and you want to try, that one is a good choice.

Transportation: North Point MTR exit B1, return the same way.

Why it's worth it:

Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/586426770

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Right out of the NorthPoint MTR station exit B1, head left

Go up the stairs towards 'Aroma Walk' 

A few flight of stairs, nothing to kill anyone

At the top of the stairs, take a left

5 minutes in, you'll get here, head up!

Left

Flight of stairs at the end of the alley. Afterwards, pretty much just keep following the path...

... until you reach those stairs on the left. Take them, then immediately left at the top

Keep going until the bridge and the Tai Tam Country Park sign. You have arrived at the stream's entrance

Go in

Quite easy

This is probably the hardest part, which is much easier than it looks on the picture.
You can also bypass it on the right

The stream is about 1 km long. You'll reach a point where it is all flat and a few paths lead different ways. I suggest you just retrace your steps (you can take the path back down, along the stream). Easy enough? Now, you're ready for longer, slightly harder but nicer streams!

Stanley to Quarry Bay via Tai Tam and Mount Parker

Duration: 

(13 kilometers)
4 hours

Difficulty: 5/10. Quite easy and shaded throughout. Elevation gain is very progressive. A nice walk on a hot summer day or at anytime you want to go for a nice easy walk. Still 13k so if you never hiked, might be long-ish

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 1.5 liter

Appreciation: 7/10. Bring your swimming attire as there's a nice little detour to the Tai Tam mound waterfall (9/10 with the waterfall break).

Transportation: Get to Stanley Plaza via various buses (6, 6X, etc). Ends at Quarry Bay MTR

Why it's worth it:

Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/578413567

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Exit at the Stanley Plaza bus stop and trace back from where the bus came from (Carmel Road).

After about 250m, you'll have a path on the right through the woods. Take it.

Just out of the woods and at the junction, head left on Repulse Bay Road. Stay on the sidewalk on the left as there's no sidewalk on the right and it could be dangerous

Look for the bus stop on the right, a few hundred meters in. Cross the road and take the stairs.

Our fashionable model Anthony shows us the stairs. He sports a pre-33 degrees/85% humidity hike smile! At the top of the stairs, head left on the water catchment path (The Twins Catchwater).

After about 1.5/2 km on the catchwater, you'll get here, at the intersection of the Wilson trail. Cross the bridge and head left towards Tai Tam reservoir.

Junction at the reservoir, head left on Tai Tam Reservoir Road.

Walk on Tai Tam Reservoir Road until you reach a path on your right (Hong Kong Trail Section 6). That's the little refreshing detour.

Walk until you see a small wooden bridge. There's somewhat of a path on the right going down in the bushes (on the right side from where you came from, left side from the bridge). Go down that path. Be careful. Then at the bottom, the waterfall is on the left.

Clear water for a swim. Nice area for a picnic. Once you are done, trace your steps back to the road

At the road, head right. You can follow either MT Parker Road or Hong Kong trail Section 6, they get to the same place.

If you followed HK Trail Section 6, head right at the junction on the island

Top of Mt Parker. Head right. Go all the way down on Mt Parker Rd to King's Road in Quarry Bay. Turn left on King's Road and the Quarry Bay MTR is about 200m onto King's Road