Maclehose Trail, HK

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Very late but better than never: my Hiking day on the Maclehose Trail in Hong Kong. 100 km long which of course we did not do. But 25km in the burning sun was definitely an accomplishment. My calf muscles still seemed to complain three days later.

I am writing in English since I had some requests from people here in China so they could understand the meaning of my pictures. Something new to try. So here it goes.

This hiking trip was definitely one of my favorite experiences here in China. Not only were we out in the nature and did some workout but we could not believe our luck when we saw that not only the sun was shining but we were able to see a clear blue sky just 30 minutes away from Shenzhen. Yes, this is indeed a very refreshing surprise since in Shenzhen all the Smog blocks any views further than two builidings away from your own.
So since we - my roommate and some friends - were out in the nature and by the coast, our hard work hiking up- and down-hill was rewarded with a wonderful view of vacant bays and white neverending beaches inbetween every mountain we climbed. Our T-Shirts - special hiking shirts which we ridiculed in the beginning of the hike - might have been soaked and we were greatful for every drop of water in our bottles, but it was all worth it! The pictures speak for themselves.

Here is a little information from Wikipedia about this special trail for anyone ever wanting to try it:

"The MacLehose Trail (traditional Chinese: 麥理浩徑; pinyin: Mailihao Jing), opened on 26 October 1979, is a hiking trail that crosses much of the New Territories, starting from Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung, in the east to Tuen Mun in the west in the territory of Hong Kong. The whole trail is 100 kilometres long, marked by distance posts at 500m intervals along the path. It is named after Crawford Murray MacLehose, the longest serving governor of Hong Kong, who established the Country Parks and was himself an enthusiastic hiker. The trail passes through a variety of natural and beautiful scenery."

As you can see, Hong Kong is not only a vibrant city but also has beautiful surroundings to offer away from the craziness. Enjoy!

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Photos

Bus station
Early in the morning, waiting for our bus...