Hiking from Tai Po Kau to Shing Mun (Photo-essay)

Have you ever looked at a map and wondered what certain sections of it actually looked like in real life -- then decided to go there just for because of that curiosity?  For me, that's the impetus behind quite a few hikes I've gone on in Hong Kong in the past few years -- including one that started at the northeastern entrance to the Tai Po Kau Special Area, a 440 hectare nature reserve located near Tai Po town, all the way across to the southern edge of Shing Mun Country Park.

And if you're wondering about the hike length: I'm not exactly sure -- but reckon that it was easily over 10 kilometers, and definitely know that my pedometer recorded my having taken over 28,500 steps when I finally got home later that day... ;b

It was overcast for much of that day but the liquid on the

flower and leaves is actually dew, not rain drops!

 

 Fallen leaves of different hues lay strewn on the path

I like seeing a variety of leave shapes and 

shades of green and brown in nature

During the rainy season, one comes across

many cascading hill streams in hilly Hong Kong

 

 I reckon these signs can confuse more easily 

than they can enlighten!

 

 I don't know about you but a concrete tepee is not

the kind of thing I'd expect to see in the middle of 

a Hong Kong country park! :D

 

 This flower may be on the small side but

its bright yellow color made it really eye-catching :)

The kind of landscape that is easily recognizable to me

as being that of the Shing Mun Reservoir area

favored by many filmmakers, including King Hu! :)