Tsuen Wan to Sham Tseng via Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail (元荃古道), Shek Lung Kung (石龍拱) and Tsing Fai Tong

Duration: 

8.7km (3 hours)

Difficulty: 

6.510. Elevation gain is 391m

Cel phone coverage: Full.

Water needs: 1 liter. 50% shaded

Appreciation: 7.5/10

Map & Details: https://www.mapmyhike.com/workout/3920097694/

Exercise Area: No

Transportation: GMB 95 from Tsuen Wan West MTR, 39A from Tsuen Wan MTR. There's a variety of other buses getting you to the trail-head. Similarly, the trail ends right at the bus stop with numerous buses and minibuses getting you anywhere you want, including Central.

Why it's worth it: 

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If you are taking the MTR to Tsuen Wan West, exit at 'E2'

Find green minibus 95 at the minibus terminus right outside of Tsuen Wan West station Exit E2

Minibus terminus is Tsuen Wan Centre

Just keep going on the same road.

Head left on On Yin Street, following the signage to Hong Kong Adventist Hospital

Then right onto Tsuen King Circuit road. Hospital will be on your right.

Bus top for 30, 30x, 39A, 39M, 934A. A few meters after, you will turn left into the path and up the stairs.

Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail

Go towards Ha Fa Shan 

Go straight, don't take the path to the right

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View!

Go straight

Left

Nice and easy trail...

The Shek Lung Kung pavilion, about 2.75km, and 1 hour into your hike. Keep going on the paved path.

Still on the Yuen Tsuen Anciant Trail's paved path.

Stay on the main path

Roughly 1.5 hours and 5.65km into the hike, you will arrive here where you branch to the left
and it gets a little bush-wackier...

Left

Right, around the hill

Left

Finally, a civilized path! Head left towards Sham Tseng.

Sham Tseng in sight

Sham Tseng

Left on Sham Hong street. The bus stop will be on the left on Castle Peak Road, at the end of the street. But, why not have a little bite at the famous Yue Kee Roast Goose Restaurant? (first on your right on Sham Hong Street

Taikoo to Mount Parker's peak (柏架山), then loop back (old man, and ancient stoves)

Duration: 

8km (3 hours). 

Difficulty: 

8/10. 525m elevation gain. Some steep climbs and slippery descents.

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere.

Water needs: 1 liter.

Appreciation: 8/10. Nice views from the top of Mount Parker

Map & Details: https://www.mapmyhike.com/workout/3242644246

Exercise Area: Yes. 3 areas along the way.

Transportation: Tai Koo MTR, Exit 'B'

Why it's worth it: 

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Exit 'B' (Kornhill) from Taikoo MTR station

Head left (West) on King's Road as you come out of the station.
You will be walking on King's Road for about 120m until you reach Greig Road

Turn left on Greig road.

Keep going straight on Greig Road, for about 400m...

Until you reach the colorful 'Buddhist Chung Wah Kornhill Primary School' on your left. You will sign signage on your right for Wilson Trail and for Quarry Bay Tree Walk. Follow the signs and head right. The path goes around and down a bit...

.. going under this small tunnel.

Go up the stairs and just follow the main path

Just a few minutes after having passed the Tao Tam Country Park sign. You'll get to this fork. Head left.
(Note that you will be looping back here later, arriving from the path on the right)

Stay on the main path for 15-20 minutes, until you reach this point where there's a Mount Parker Sign, a path going up, one going up then left, and the main path continuing on the right. There's also a sign warning about taking the path that goes straight up. Taker the path that goes left. 

You'll know just a few seconds later that you are on the right path when you see a fence on your left and an opening with a view over Taikoo. Keep going

A few minutes walk later, another fork, take a right.

About 10-15 minutes walk from the last fork, you'll reach this point (you'll pass stairs on your right which you won't take) where there's white ribbons. The path goes up. Take that path.
(Thanks to Mario for the update)

This section, climbing all the way to Mount Parker Road, is the steepest ascent.
The path is quite clearly demarcated, with a lot of ribbons. The climb to the road is 30-45 minutes long.

Interesting rock formations. One of them is supposed to look like an old man...

You are getting closer. Mount Parker Road goes along the two radar stations.

Take a left at the road.

Arriving at the West-most station, you'll see stairs on the left, take them.

Go all the way around the station and you'll see a ribbon with the number 46 and a path beyond it. That's where you need to climb over the fence and follow the path. Mount Parker's peak is about 10-15 minutes away.

Mount Parker's peak at a distance

There you go, you made it! That's Mount Parker's peak. It is all downhill from this point-on.
However, it is slippery

Follow the ribbon with number 46 on it

Another 15-25 minutes after the peak, you will re-connect with Mount Parker Road. Head left.

You will reach the Quarry Gap Pavillion  a couple of minutes later. Head right, following Mount Parker Road for about 15-20 minutes

Head right onto Hong Pak Country Trail

You will reach this place which has remains of war-time stoves. Go straight, through the stove field, then down the path.
For more info: https://gwulo.com/Wartime-Stoves-above-Quarry-Bay

Path does not have a fork until this point where you go left.

And finally, you end-up back here, having completed the loop. Head left. The rest is just retracing your steps on the path you have covered earlier, all the way to the Taikoo MTR station.