Maclehose Trail Section 5: Tate's Cairn to Beacon Hill

Saturday was another lovely day.  Since I was free I decided to do a short hike up from Shatin to Tai Lo Shan (Tate's Cairn) an imposing hill of 583m which is prominent from both Shatin and ICC.

I set off around 2pm and as before took a taxi to the village of  Siu Lek Yuen on the other side of the valley and then hiked straight up the side of Buffalo Hill.  

Tai Lo Shan from the Buffalo Hill track.

After 2 km the track reached a pass and joined the Maclehose Trail section 4.  I did the last 1.2km up to start of Section 5 at the Gilwell Campsite (map), and carried on Section 5 up Tai Lo Shan.  

Buffalo Hill looking like a Buffalo when viewed from Tai Lo Shan (looking north-west)

Shatin and Tolo Harbour from Tai Lo Shan (looking north-west)

Kowloon City from Tai Lo Shan with the old airport on the right.

I was feeling quite fresh, so decided to exit by completing Section 5 along the Kowloon Hills to Lion Rock and Beacon Hill.    The views across Kowloon in the afternoon sun were really nice.

Kowloon from Beacon Hill.

I finished at the Tai Po Road just before 7pm, having hiked 13.8km in 5 hours.   To cross the road I had to walk through a large troupe of monkeys who were sunning themselves on the foot-bridge.

Tai Chi Charity Event

I had to return from Japan early on Friday night to do my tai chi class and then join my classmates in a large all-day charity event on Sunday at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

I still don't know much about the event but it seems that many Tai Chi schools raised money for charity and then could do a demonstration at the the event.   A month or so ago I'd mysteriously been asked to make a donation so I had without knowing why.

not our school

Our school had many demonstrations in the morning and evening.  I was part of an 80-person group doing Yang 24-form and a 30-person group doing Chen 56-form around 11 am.

not our school either

KaBo from our school.

but not our school in the arena 

Other classmates from our school.

Sifu leading the mexican wave.

One of my classmates who has excellent form.