Date: Feb 6th 2022

TAI TAM RESERVOIR (SHEK O & TAI TAM)

A new location on the border of Tai Tam and Shek O country parks, setting up our first intra-park R+R route. The ride is basically ‘half a Dragon’s Back’, parking up in a secluded spot just shy of Tai Tam Reservoir. The run is a mix of fast running concrete trail and two decent sized hills, one with a particularly technical descent (GPS at the ready). Not one for the trail running purists but with a little more refinement I think we could chalk it up as a Full Beans HK Island route.

THE RIDE 🔥🔥

Take the road along the south of the Island past Stanley, turning off right just before Tai Tam Reservoir, down past HKIS school before taking a left along a flat road that skirts the edge of the lower reservoir. A popular spot for water enthusiasts it’s an otherwise hidden gem and ideal R+R location, combining relative seclusion + direct access to trails.

START / FINISH POINT 🅿️

No official parking but plenty of mud roads and locations to leave the bike. It’s a low-key area so unlikely to get congested during the day. No amenities here but more than compensated by the serenity of the location. Take a moment to lap up views across the water and when you pass the foot of the main reservoir pause for dramatic vista + insta pose.

THE RUN 🍺🍺🍺

Run alongside that imposing reservoir wall and join some steps that take you to road level. A short distance along the road (mindful of oncoming traffic), we dip back into the forest and join the start of Stage 7 of the Hong Kong Trail.

From here’s it’s a good 7km of flat catchwater; not our ideal trail type but it does serve as an ideal warm up surface for this route. Initially tree-shaded, we’re met with the sound of rushing water and morning birdsong - interspersed with the engine blasts and strained rev counters of HK’s fast & furious collective. Shek O Road runs above and parallel to our catchwater so settle in for a mixed bag of background acoustics.

As a hiker this is unlikely to be your favourite section of the HK Trail but it suits our purposes well as a fast-running start to this lengthy route (nothing more deflating than a glance of your watch after starting with a steep, lung-busting 30mins hill climb, to find you’ve covered only 0.3km of trail😟).

The path begins to lose tree cover and you’re treated to views back across the harbour and reservoir that looms in the distance. You pass above the village of Lan Nai Wan to the right with its bright yellow temple, one of the last remaining cultivated places on the Island.

The catchwater eventually gives way to mud track, past a few more old/mostly abandoned villages, until we take a sharp left up a steep stretch of (gulp) stairs, to Shek O Road. Pause to take in some of the boy/girl-racer action before (carefully) crossing the road into some steep rocky trail and route up to the Dragon’s Back. There’s an option halfway up to take a left along flatter trail around the hillside but we take on the climb in exchange for views.

Dropping down the other side we continue along the HK Trail via a sheltered clay-trail section before taking the road left down to Shek O Road. Heading along said road (wary of traffic), take a right at the round-a-bout and cross over to scale the steps leading up the opposite hill side. This is where things get a little less conventional😬

Head up over the hill, weaving through tall trees and carefully following the trail until you meet with a broader mud road. Head left and along until joining a tarmac road. A short downhill stretch, keep an eye out for a sharp left turn back into the forest (GPS essential from here). Our slightly “off-piste” route up and over Boa Vista is semi-overgrown and involves a steep descent that eventually leads down a river-bed (not one to be tackled post typhoon), to meet the HK Trail. It’s a tricky section but worthy effort for the unique viewpoint of Boa Vista Peak.

Heading along HK Trail in reverse direction we pass picturesque Tai Tam Mound Fall before joining Tai Tam Reservoir Road for the downhill/flat home stretch, passing the Tai Tam reservoir lakes and back to base, alongside Tai Tam Reservoir.