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.