Kam Shan Country Park (Smuggler's Ridge)

KAM SHAN COUNTRY PARK (SMUGGLER’S RIDGE)

Returning to Kam Shan Country Park for our latest route which takes in the spectacular Smuggler’s Ridge, slap bang in the middle of the Hong Kong map. With dense city skyline to the south, we’re sandwiched between the recognisable skyline of Lion Rock Country Park to the east and Tai Mo Shan looming in the distance, to the west. Quite the backdrop for a morning trot.

THE RIDE 🔥

Direct access from all sides to this central location; again, plaudits due for the efficiency with which Hong Kong delivers us, by road, to the trails. Turning off Castle Peak Rd we gain 250m of elevation on the bikes by heading up Wah King Hill Road which deposits us at the highest entry point to the Kam Shan Country Park.

START/FINISH

Adjacent to the condo at the top of the hill is a gated public road that leads to the water treatment plant. We squeeze the scooters past the gate and join the make-shift bike park that forms an orderly line along the wall. Zero facilities but direct access to the hills.

THE RUN 🍺🍺

Heading into the country park we take a right along the hill side and down towards the reservoir. We veer left into the forest and stumble across a large shelter with spacious living quarters and kitchen – quite a set up for this location!

We reach the reservoir and skirting around the one side, join the picturesque and runnable Kam Shan Tree Walk. At Golden Hill Road we take a left up the hill, paying our respects to the local resident monkeys, on the way to joining the Wilson Trail.

Our first climb of the day is a steep section of steps that top out in dense forest before briefly re-joining Golden Hill Road and heading back into the forest for our second hill climb along the Wilson Trail (admittedly not the most fun part of this route 😜).

The journey pays off as we hit the peak, greeted with panoramic views across Shing Mun Reservoir and the distinct mountain ridge stretching from Needle Hill in the east to Tai Mo Shan in the west. A welcome downhill stretch sweeps us towards Shin Mun Gorge, the quiet of nature interrupted momentarily by the sound of the Shin Mun tunnels, that transport traffic from one side of the gorge to the other.

At the reservoir we join the Maclehose Trail in reverse, leading back along stage 6, renowned for containing some of Hong Kong’s most extensively preserved WWII remnants, that run alongside the trail. At the WWII redoubt we take a left up onto the Smuggler’s ridge for our most dramatic views of the day. Running along the ridge and over the peak, we drop back onto the Wilson Trail and retrace our route back to Golden Hill Road.

Crossing the road, we re-join the trail that leads us over undulating terrain and the top of Golden Hill, before dropping back down towards base.