The MacLehose Trail is an extensive hiking trail in Hong Kong, named after a former governor. It is divided into ten sections, each ranging from 5 to 16 kilometers in length, starting from Sai Kung in the west and ending in Tuen Mun in the east, spanning the entire New Territories of Hong Kong, with a total length of 100 kilometers, passing through the peaks of Hong Kong. The trail connects eight country parks, including Sai Kung East, Sai Kung West, Ma On Shan, Lion Rock, Gold Hill, Shing Mun, Tai Mo Shan, and Lantau Country Park.
Apart from some sections being flat concrete paths, most of the MacLehose Trail is built along the mountain contours, with only a few strenuous parts. Sections three, four, seven, and eight are continuous rugged and difficult mountain paths, with hundreds of meters of steep ascents and descents, while the rest are relatively easy to traverse. Section one: Take a bus to the Pak Tam Chung station, and upon disembarking, you will arrive at the MacLehose Trail. The entire hiking trail originates from here, and the starting point is relatively simple, mostly very flat with few slopes. There are no supplies along the first section, so it is advisable to replenish your water supply at the tea house in the Pak Tam Chung parking lot beforehand. Follow the Sai Kung Man Yee Road, passing the eastern and western dams of the High Island Reservoir, then arrive at Long Ke, completing the entire section in about three and a half hours. The High Island Reservoir is renowned for its vast capacity, sloping dams, and magnificent dam structure.
Section two: Starting from Long Ke, follow the boundary of the country park, ending at Pak Tam Road. This section takes about four and a half hours to complete. There are two supply stations, one in Sai Wan where you can buy water, have a meal, and camp, with a rudimentary campsite near the end. The other is at the end point where you can take a bus or walk to the Wong Shek Pier campsite, which is well-equipped and allows for self-barbecuing.
The trail generally takes about 5 hours to complete and is one of the more challenging sections. There are no supplies along the way, so it’s best to fill up on boiled tap water at the starting point. It crosses from Kei Ling over马鞍山郊野公园, heading straight towards the Kowloon hills. Passing the rugged eastern part of马鞍山, it circumvents the 702-meter peak of马鞍山, following the mountain ridge southward, passing by Tai Mo Shan and the undulating昂平高原, and continues southward along the rural ancient paths. After passing by Buffalo Hill, one can reach Tai Mo Shan. If you finish the fourth section in the evening, it is recommended to camp at昂平营地.
Section Five: From Tai Mo Shan to Tai Po Road, the distance is approximately 10 kilometers. It takes about 3 hours to complete. One can replenish energy with meals and water at Lion Pavilion. This section extends from the ridge north of the Kowloon Peninsula and is the part of the MacLehose Trail closest to the city. It crosses Lion Rock Country Park. Starting from Tai Mo Shan beside Fei Ngor Road and heading west, it traverses mountain paths or vehicle paths, climbing over Lion Rock at an elevation of 495 meters and Beacon Hill at 458 meters, and then descending past Eagle’s Nest Hill to reach Tai Po Road.
Section Six: From Tai Po Road to Sha Tin, the entire journey can be completed in an hour and a half. The entire section is about 4 kilometers long, making it one of the shorter sections of the MacLehose Trail. There are no supplies along the way, only the barbecue area at the end station where one can eat and replenish energy with direct drinking water. This path starts from Tai Po Road, follows the Kowloon Reservoir, and winds through several hills. After passing by Gold Hill, it heads northwest, following the valley below Mui Tsz Lam (Smuggler’s Ridge), then sharply descends past the wartime defense line, ending at Sha Tin Reservoir.
Section Seven: From Sha Tin to Lead Mine Pass, the distance is about 6 kilometers. It can be completed in two and a half hours, with no supplies along the way, except for the campsite with restrooms and tap water for replenishment at the end. This section is also the second shortest of the entire MacLehose Trail. Starting from the grand dam of Sha Tin Reservoir, after climbing several rugged and rocky hills, one reaches Needle Hill; then descending from the steep slope on the other side, following the forest path towards Grass Mountain at an elevation of 647 meters, where one can enjoy a panoramic view, and then descending from Grass Mountain to the end at Lead Mine Pass.
The most memorable part of this section is the scenery at the ridge, located within Sha Tin Country Park, where visitors can overlook the entire Sha Tin Valley, Sha Tin Pass, and Sha Tin Reservoir.Section Eight: Starting from Lead Mine Pass and ending at Tsuen Kam Road, the entire distance is about 9 kilometers. It takes about 4 hours to complete, with no campsites along the way. The end station has a store for food and water replenishment. This section crosses over Tai Mo Shan in Hong Kong, heading west through Tai Mo Shan Country Park, and if the weather is good, visitors can almost overlook the entire scenery of Hong Kong.
The section starts from Lead Mine Pass at an altitude of 400 meters and climbs up to Tai Mo Shan at an altitude of 975 meters. It passes through huge rocks and the ruins of terraced tea fields. The top of Tai Mo Shan is a restricted area, but nearby areas offer panoramic views. After this section, it starts to wind back to Route Twisk. Section 9: The route is from Route Twisk to Tin Fu Tsai, with a total distance of about 6 kilometers.
It takes about two and a half hours. At the end, there is a campsite and a store in Tin Fu Tsai where you can replenish water and have a meal. Starting from Route Twisk Au next to Route Twisk, heading towards the mountains in the southwest. Halfway, you can clearly see the Ho Pui Reservoir in the deep valley on the right. Continuing to walk westward, after passing through dense plantations, you reach Tin Fu Tsai Village, 2 kilometers from Tai Lam Chung Reservoir as the end point. Section 10: From Tin Fu Tsai to Tuen Mun, it is about 15 kilometers. It takes about five hours. The road surface is relatively flat. There are two or three restaurants in Tin Fu Tsai where you can have a meal and replenish water. It extends towards Tuen Mun along the northern part of Tai Lam Chung Reservoir and part of the aqueduct. Starting from Tin Fu Tsai, passing through a narrow valley to Tai Lam, and then winding along the northern part of Tai Lam Chung Reservoir. The small islands in the reservoir are clearly visible. Hikers can follow the flat aqueduct of the reservoir and mountain paths directly to Tuen Mun. When you have conquered these ten sections, remember to take a photo at a distance post at the end of Section 10 for remembrance. The opening hours are all year round and open all day. The specific business status is subject to the opening situation on the day. Must-see tips: 1. Items to bring: backpack, hiking shoes, rain gear (recommended outdoor raincoat), hat, towel, permit, Hong Kong dollars (about 600 HKD expected), Octopus card, headlamp/flashlight (there are no street lights on some sections from sunset to Chi Keng YHA), lighter, spare batteries, mobile phone, change of clothes, walkie-talkie. 2. Optional: whistle, watch, camera, toiletries, slippers. 3. Medicines: Prepare personal special medicines. For other medicines such as those for bruises, sprains, hemostasis, pain relief, and diarrhea prevention, prepare an appropriate amount of Band-Aids, adhesive tapes, and alcohol pads. 4. The MacLehose Trail is a long distance and not suitable for the elderly and children. Even young people should act according to their abilities and pay attention to safety during the hiking process. 5. Try to start hiking in groups so that you can take care of each other. Girls should not go alone. 6. There is no water source in Sections 1, 4, 6, and 7. Pay attention to storing sufficient water when passing through these sections.
