Ma On Shan and Tai Lo Shan (Tates Cairn)

For my last Sunday of freedom I planned another full-day hike.  Maclehose Trail Section 4 with a detour to the summit of Ma On Shan (map), and on to Tai Lo Shan (Tates Cairn).  Then down via Wilson Trail Section 4 to Clearwater Bay Road where I finished yesterday (map).

This was the best hike I've done in Hong Kong so far.   The weather as perfect including excellent visibility (40km+), and a route including two of the best viewing pouts in Hong Kong.  Unfortunately my IPhone camera was dirty and the batteries went flat, so the photos don't do it justice.

I started at 8:30 am at the saddle between Ma On Shan and Sai Kung.  The track approached up through forest with Ma On Shan mountain (702m) looming above.

The path ascended through forest mostly and the sky was initially overcast with temperature 28C and 75% humidity so the climb was quite pleasant.  I kept expecting the tough part to start but it never did and I reached the top of the  trail at 500m around 10am.

The Maclehose trail doesn't ascend Ma On Shan peak.  But behind a warning sign, there is a very steep and rough side-track going up the last 200m, which most hikers skip.   This is a view from that trail looking east.

The photo below from near the summit faces south and shows the main trail turning left where it meets the main ridge, and heading south towards Pyramid Hill.

The view from the summit of Ma On Shan was truly magnificent with 40km views in all directions and the clouds cleared-up while I was on the peak.   I could see all the way to the towers of Shenzen for the first time.

Video panorama 1:   panning NW to S to NW

Video panorama 2:  panning NW to South

Most of my photos were duds except these ones:

Looking north to Pat Sing Leng and Plover Cove

East across the entrance to Tolo Harbour

South to ClearwaterBay and Tai Lo Shan

South-west across Shatin and Tai Mo Shan

I had the peak to myself for almost an hour apart from a surprising number of dragonflies and butterflies.  So I had a light brunch and then played shakuhachi : some folk songs starting with 'Akatonbo' then 'Rokudan no Shirabe'.

Eventually a group of gweilos arrived and disturbed the 'wa', so I reluctantly (and very carefully) descended and rejoined the Maclehose trail.

The trail headed south along the MaOnShan massif which is very open and pleasant with terrific vistas east over Sai Kung and Clearwater Bay. south to Kowloon Hills and west to Shatin Valley and Tai Mo Shan etc.

Cross-roads:  MacLehose trail meets the trail from Heng On estate to Sai king.

Video panorama:  Sai Kung from Nong Ping

Sai Kung from Nong Ping

Video:  Maclehose trail from Nong Ping to Tai Lo Shan

I was running out of batteries after the plateau at Nong Ping, so I didn't get many photos.  (Tip for next time: switch to airplane mode to stop the phone running down its batteries trying to get a signal).  But after a long walk through the forest to Buffalo Hill, I got to the part of the track that I walked last Saturday (photos in this post).   The temperature climbed to 32C but the humidity stayed low and it was very pleasant in the shade or breeze.

Since the visibility was so much better today, the views of Hong Kong harbor from Tai Lo Shan (583m) was absolutely stunning

Then my batteries expired so there are no photos of the 8km descent through section 4 of the Wilson Trail, which was mainly steep steps through forest paths.

I finished at Clearwater Bay Road at 5:15pm, having hiked 22km in about 8:15 hours actual hiking.   Combined with Saturdays hike from Yau Tong to Clearwater Bay Road, I have hiked the full distance  from Hong Kong Harbout to Ma On Shan this weekend.

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