The best of the MacLehose Trail, East Asia’s only National Geographic Dream Trail

Which bits of the 100km trail through the New Territories reward you with the best ridge walks, coastlines and scenery? Which are the best side trips? How to get to them, and toughness ratings, included

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Ham Tin Village, Sai Kung. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 1:00pm, 6 May 2016Updated: 1:51pm, 26 Jan 2017

Some may have been surprised reading National Geographic’s newly announced list of “20 Dream Trails” - chosen by “outdoor luminaries”. Not because nine of the trails are in the United States, certainly not for Everest Base Camp Trek or a circuit of Mont Blanc in Europe, but because one of the trails, and the only one selected in East Asia, is in a place best known as a metropolis: Hong Kong.

But anyone who knows hiking in Hong Kong will agree the Maclehose Trail deserves the accolade. Indeed, it may even feature in recurring dreams of anyone who has tackled the annual Trailwalker event along the full 100km route - complete with “gruelling 1,000-plus-foot descents followed immediately by ascents along the fingers of ridgetops” as luminary M. John Fahyee describes on the National Geographic website.

The trail, which opened in 1979, remains superbly signposted and well maintained (though purists may dislike stretches with concrete steps rather than rough paths and rocks). From its start near Sai Kung, the trail runs across the New Territories, ending just above Tuen Mun. Happily, you can hike it in sections, perhaps arriving or leaving via side trails.

So if you want to hike at least some of the trail, here’s a sample of some of the best of the ridges, coastlines and scenery en route. But even though these outings are short, all can be tough in hot weather: so unless you’re an adept at steamy summer hiking, take it easy and ensure you drink lots of water, maybe along with electrolytes.

A cow crosses the High Island East Reservoir dam. Photo: Martin Williams.

Stage 2 (including Long Ke Wan)

Unless you’re fond of plodding along roads with little change in scenery, maybe under a blazing sun, skip Stage 1 of the trail, and start a hike where it ends - at the east dam of High Island Reservoir.