Before anything else: thanks to those of you who wrote encouraging and empathetic/sympathetic responses to my previous post about blog content theft. And in particular because of comments like those of fellow bloggers duriandave and sbk, I've decided to go on with the show.
So without further ado, here's going ahead and putting up another photo-essay to follow that which chronicled the first portion of a Lantau hike a friend and I went on last summer that has come to live in my memory as a hike during which we made a particularly large number of large spider sightings (and also spotted a fair number of other interesting bugs):-
Speaking of spiders, here's an unusualside view of one of those large arachnids!
I wanted a photo of this nest but didn't want to get too close to the flying insects whose home it was... :S
One of those bugs that look more like an alien creaturethan one who calls Earth (and Hong Kong in particular) home!
Proof that I did spend time admiring scenic vistasalong this hike (rather than just bug hunting!)
With so much budding and blooming though,small wonder that the bugs were out in force that day!
Looking inland along the summer hike,one caught views of mist-covered green mountains
In contrast, the view on the other side of the same trailwas that of populated coast and neighboring sea
One of those scenic vistas that makes me sigh and think that Hong Kong really can be very beautiful
To be continued one more time...!
13 comments:
Yay! I'm glad to see you back in good spirits, bearing photos of strange insects and stunning vistas. :)
hi ytsl,
Yeah. What wonderful pictures of what must be a great hike.
Glad you didn't get too close to the nest on the side of the tree-hornets?
The bug in the third photo looks like he's contacting his alien buddies...for an invasion or exploration... Hong Kong seems to have a lot of "different looking" bugs.
Hi duriandave --
I guess I couldn't resist sharing! But, more seriously, thanks to you and sbk for the encouraging words. :)
Hi sbk --
The hike was actually too easy (flat for the most part and then down hill) to be a great hike -- but definitely found it memorable because of the bug sightings.
And yeah, Hong Kong really does seem to have quite an amazing and interesting variety of bugs. :)
Glorious photos as usual YTSL, some incredible looking insects and gorgeous scenery!
Hi "A Hero Never Dies" --
Thanks for looking and appreciating. :)
Hi YTSL, the alien looking bug description made me smile. This looks like a beautiful hike. I love the mist covered mountains. I enjoy going on hikes with friends too. Its such a wonderful (at least for me) escape from the concrete freeways and tall buildings I face at work during the work week. Very relaxing.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Which is one of the best HK hikes that you would recommend to go on for someone who has never really hiked in HK before and is also accessible via public transport?
I came to know this blog through being a fellow HK film fan but also enjoy hiking a lot and am currently in HK, keen to leave the city for a day of hiking. You seem to be quite a HK hiking expert so thought I would ask, thanks!
Hi Tom --
Hope you're enjoying your time in Hong Kong.
Am not sure how familiar you are with the territory and its public transportation system, so will recommend two routes that are easy to get to without using minibuses:-
1) The easier of the two involves your getting up to the Peak (Gap) (by tram or bus number 15 from Central Pier). The Peak Trail includes the Peak Circuit and a downhill walk down to Pok Fu Lam.
Details can be found here:-
http://www.hkwalkers.net/eng/trail_list/nature_Trail/Peak_Trail/introduction.htm
(And if you're keen, you can add the hike up and back down High West to your day.)
2) The Hong Pak Country Trail:-
http://www.hkwalkers.net/eng/trail_list/country_trail/Hong_Pak_Country_Trail/Transport.htm
To get to it, go to Quarry Bay MTR station, get out at exit A and walk eastwards until you see a fake tree (you'll understand these instructions when you see it) pointing to the start of Mount Parker Road. Go up Mount Parker Road for some 45 minutes to the entrance of this trail. And if you miss it (as it's a bit hard to spot), then walk all the way up to Quarry Gap and then down the other side to the Tai Tam Reservoirs.
N.B. for the second hike especially but in general, I'd recommend that you get yourself a countryside series map.
http://www.landsd.gov.hk/mapping/en/paper_map/cm.htm
You can get these at shops like branches of Protrek -- and since both the hikes I recommended are on Hong Kong Island, you can start off by getting yourself a copy of the Hong Kong Island and Neighbouring Islands map -- and maybe get inspired after seeing it to try other hikes, including the one on Lamma that takes you from Sok Kwu Wan to Yung Shue Wan. :)
Hi again Tom --
A thought: for a more interesting hike alternative to option 1, start and end in the same place but follow Hong Kong Trail Stage 1 instead:-
http://www.hkwalkers.net/eng/longtrail/hktrail/hktrail/hktrail01.htm
Thanks very much for the details, they both sound good. I went up the Peak the 1st time I came to HK only to be greeted by a mist so thick you could barely see what was just in front of you, let alone the views of the city! So will try going to the peak again and going along the trail this time and will hopefully get a chance to do the 2nd one you recommended too. The only semi-hike I did was the last time I came to HK. I went to see an old village like complex which is along the road that winds up past the HK university and from there walked up into the hills for quite a nice unplanned walk around. Along one of the trails there was also a sign which read "foot massage" and a circle full of rocks pointing out at different directions for the said foot massage. Don't know if these are common on HK hiking trails but they do look like they could come in useful! :) Thanks again for the recommendations.
Hi Tom --
Ooh... sounds like you've been hiking around The Peak then -- particularly around Pok Fu Lam and also Lung Fu Shan -- the latter of which is home to the Lung Fu Shan Fitness Trail that has those foot massage options. If I'm not mistaken, there's also a trail in Aberdeen Country Park with that facility. :b
BTW, do feel free to check out my hiking photo-essays and I do tend to imbed links to official trail info in them when I've gone on one of those. :)
I'm glad you decided to continue. I don't visit much these days, but I love your hike posts.
Hi Dragonstar --
I'm continuing... though, I have to admit, not completely without reservations. But thanks to people like you, I am thinking the nice visitors I've met outnumber the annoying pests I've encountered by way of having this blog.
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