Tai Wai to Kowloon Tong via Wilson, a forested path, and Lung Yan Rd

Duration: 
9k, 2:45 hours

Difficulty: 

4/10. 369m elevation gain. 

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere.

Water needs: 1 liter.

Appreciation: 7/10. Nice & easy forested hike. 

Map & Details: http://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/2741628367/

Exercise Area: Yes. Chin up and parallel bars.

Transportation: MTR to Tai Wai, exit F. Return from Kowloon Tong MTR

Why it's worth it: 

-------------------------------

Get out at Tai Wai MTR station exit F, head right just out of the exit.
Get on the elevated walkway to cross Hung Mui Kuk road

Then go down onto Hung Mui Kuk road (sidewalk on the left), heading South

After about 15minutes walk from the MTR, you'll get to this point. Take the road that parallels Hung Mui Kuk and goes up.

End of the road finishes in a squatter village. Go through it on the path on the right.

Up the stairs that connect back to Hung Mui Kuk road, then head left.

Cross the road. Go by the bus stop, cross the road again, then walk under the bridge.

Take the stairs on your right, just after the bridge

Go through the BBQ site. There's just one path

About 35 minutes and 1.8km into the hike, the path will go up a few stairs, then cross Wilson Trail Section 5 / Hung Mui Kuk Nature trail. head right onto Wilson Trail

After another 20 minutes walk or so (about 1.1km), you'll reach a bridge with metal fence, and a smaller bridge on your left.
Take the bridge and right after, head right (don't take the path that goes up on the left) 

Go over these. They, right after, it seems like the path splits. On the left, you'll see a small metal structure which might have held a sign in the past, that's where you want to go!
You then follow that path which will have you climb a few steep steps but over just 20m or so. Then the path is nice and forested, taking you through some bamboo forest

About after another 50 minutes walk, you'll reach these steps on your left. Take them

After quite a bunch of concrete steps, you'll reach Lung Yan Road. There's a map at the top of the steps on Lung Yan rd. Head right on Lung Yan Road

You'll then be taking the first major road on your right

A few more hundred meters and you'll reach this convoluted highway roundabout thingee.
Just go to your right where you connect to the road (1st picture), then follow to the left.
Cross at the 2nd crossing. Head left and follow the hairpin turn clockwise and underneath the bridge...

... you will reach this bus stop. If you have a suitable bus to bring you home, you are done. However, if you want to keep going to Kowloon Tong, go around the fence by the stairs, then left...

... then take the stairs down while noticing how people are disgusting; throwing their garbage all over the place.
At the bottom of the stairs, head left. You will have to jump over the catchwater and you will see a dirt path in front of you that you must take. 

Then the path goes along the catchwater. You can walk down atop the concrete sides of the catchwater

A 100m of so farther and you'll reach Beacon Hill rd. Head right.

Head left when you reach Cornwall road. You'll see the red and white MTR sign showing the way to Kowloon Tong MTR station

Almost there!

Wilson Trail Section 6-7

Duration: 

(16 kilometers)
5 hours

Difficulty: 5/10. There is some mild elevation but mostly flat.

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 1.5 liter

Appreciation: 7/10. While the trail doesn't have the absolute best views, it has some nice ones. And there's an almost constant bubbling of water from a nearby stream during a large part of section 7 which is nice. You also go through the best wooded area of Hong Kong. Most of the trail is shaded so it it is a good one to do in the summer.

Transportation: Take bus 81 on Nathan road, exit 'E' at Prince Edward MTR. Get off at Kowloon Reservoir on Tai Po Road. Return via green minibus 23K or 23S which will bring you to the Tai Po Market MTR.

Why it's worth it:

---------------------------------------

PDF map of Section 6 (HK Gov)

PDF map of Section 7 (HK Gov)

Kowloon Reservoir stop. Tail is on your left (not across the road).

Hope you like monkeys!

Hope you really like monkeys...

Most of the trail is in the shades

The dam at the end of Section 6. Thou shall pass it!

Hang left right after the dam

The Shing Mun reservoir...

At about post W74, there are stairs on your right but don't take them. The Wilson trail proper continues on the left.

About at post W84. Trail is behind the toilets...

Almost at the minibus stop that will take you back to Tai Po Market MTR

Wilson Trail Section 4-5

Duration: 

(16 kilometers)
5 hours

Difficulty: 7.5/10 for section 4, 3/10 for section 5. 

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere

Water needs: 1 liter

Appreciation: 6/10. Section 4 has some nice views. Section 5 I suggest you skip.

Transportation: Take bus 91 at Diamond Hill. Get off at Denon Terrace. Return with bus 81 at Kowloon Reservoir on Tai Po road.

Why it's worth it:

---------------------------------------

Get off at Denon Terrace and walk in the same direction the bus was going

After about 200m walk, you'll see this fork on your left. The sign says "Tseng Lan SHue". Take that way.

Going through the village is a bit messy; the trail is not too well signed and often only in Chinese

Ok, at this point, you're pretty much ok for most of Wilson 4. That's the official trail head.

A bit confusing here. Don't go in front of the building but rather, just immediately to the side, on the right

View of Kowloon, with HK Island in the back. You won't climb Lion Rock as part of Wilson though

There you go; Shatin Pass. Have some Dao Fu Fa, replenish your water and when ready, go on to section 5. If you want to skip it, you can just go down here towards Wong Tai Sin

If you keep going for Section 5, just keep going in front of the restaurant, then head left at the fork. The rest is self explanatory... and boring...