In the thick of summer in Hong Kong, one can’t quite get enough of stream trekking. The cool fresh water is the perfect antidote to the summer heat and humidity. On Friday 13 August, three of us met first for yumcha at Tsuen Wan (荃灣) MTR station. Our breakfast was the dimsum we stuffed ourselves with – a fitting way to fuel our bodies before we set off on our trek.
After our party of five gathered, we took green minibus 82 from Shui Wo Street (兆和街) which is about three minutes’ walk from Exit B of the MTR station. Take the bus to the last stop – Shing Mun Reservoir (城門水塘) – and that is the trail head.

You’ll see this sign at the bus stop. Enter the trail from here.


Head towards the Pineapple Dam Nature Trail.


Then look out for this sign and head in the direction to which it is pointing to.


Walk along the trail and you’ll soon be able to hear the sound of water flowing and then you’ll see small pools of water like that to entice you as to what awaits farther on.


Then look out for this barricade and sign that has been vandalised. Walk past the barricade and follow the stone trail. As you walk along the trail, look out for ribbons hanging from branches. Follow those ribbons as they will lead you to the stream.


Look out for this group of ribbons as it’s the point to turn off the main trail and down to the stream. To those who can understand Cantonese, the words ‘乐澗’ should rightfully be written as ‘落澗’, meaning to go down to the stream. 乐 means ‘happiness’ and 落 means to ‘descend’, but their spoken form is similar. The person who wrote the words probably forgot how to write 落!

Our playground!


Enjoying my dip in the one of the rock pools.


We scaled up the waterfall and this was a shot taken from half-way up the waterfall.


My friend Ivan even caught two prawns (this is the second one he caught) in the rock pools! Of course, we let it go after that. The fishes, though many, were a bit more difficult to catch.


Not only did we spot prawns and fishes, we even spotted a water snake hiding under a huge rock. I was beside myself once I spotted it!!!


On our way back, we traced back our route until where the vandalised sign was. Instead of turning right (which was to follow where we had come from), we turned left and followed the trail so that we could get to this spot to see these trees that are partially submerged in water.


And here’s me, the hiker filled with feelings of happiness and sadness. Happiness at being at that spot with a bunch of good friends who love nature and sadness at the thought of having to leave Hong Kong and all of that beauty behind. Writing this entry now fills me with many fond memories and also makes me wistful of all the adventures in Hong Kong. I just know that I HAVE to somehow engineer something so that I can live in Hong Kong again. Wish me luck.