From Braemar Hill to Quarry Bay via Siu Ma Shan and Mount Butler (Photo-essay)

Years ago when I was living in the US, I'd go visit some friends who lived in Pasadena over Christmas.  Over the years, it became a tradition of sorts for us to go on at least one hike on each of my trips.  I remember our driving up to a trailhead located in the mountains near Santa Barbara one time, into the Mojave Desert on another occasion, and to go hiking around the Devil's Punchbowl on yet another.  I also remember that pretty much every place we went hiking required at least a couple of hours driving to get to.

In Hong Kong, in contrast, one can take public transportation to within walking distances of many hike trailheads.  Often times, it's a green minibus.  Some other times, it's a regular-sized bus.  And there actually are instances where the public transportation of choice is an MTR train.  

For instance: for the hike I went on with a friend one afternoon that took us from Braemar Hill to Quarry Bay via Siu Ma Shan and Mount Butler, we met at Tin Hau MTR station -- but actually took a green minibus from there to the trailhead -- and took the MTR home from Quarry Bay.  And even though those two stations are only four stops apart on the MTR's Island Line, my pedometer registered my having taken more than 23,000 steps that day; and my strong feeling is that as many as 21,000 of those were taken over the course of that afternoon's hike on a super humid and cloudy -- but happily thunderstorm-less -- day! ;b  

Tall skyscraper and large spider within the same frame!

 

This was one of those hikes where it was nice to pause for a bit

every once in a while and look back to take in some scenic vistas

 

 A deceptive shot that makes it look like Hong Kong Island

is not as built up as Kowloon ;)

 

On a gray day, pretty yellow flowers like these

can considerably brighten up the scene 

 

The junction where the Hong Kong Trail

and Wilson Trail part ways

 

The Hong Kong Trail is generally the best maintained

of Hong Kong's hiking trails -- but not this section! ;S

 

It always makes me happy to catch sight of a 

trigonometric station, like this one on Mount Butler :)

 

Not far from hike's end from here -- really! ;b