This is the largest park managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and features expansive gardens, shrubberies and flower beds, paths shaded by banyans and other trees. Have a look around, before heading to one of the cycle hire kiosks by the waterfront, just below the spiral lookout tower.

There is a cycle track by these kiosks, and you can set off eastward along the waterfront. It is a pleasant ride through the park. But while the cycle track looks all set to continue round the coast, it comes to an abrupt end at the eastern boundary of the park. So, you will need to find another way towards Tai Mei Tuk – which means first heading to Ting Kok Road, a kilometre (0.6 miles) to the north.

The most direct way passes through Tai Po Industrial Estate, which you might reach via a park exit just east of Tai Po Waterfront Park Viewing Point. Then travel straight along Dai Kwai Street and you arrive at a cycle track alongside Ting Kok Road.

A hike around Sha Lo Tung, rural gem saved from developers

A couple of minutes' ride to the east, you pass the edge of the industrial estate, and there is greenery north and south of the highway and cycle track. Trees afford some shade, and – by Hong Kong standards at least –this is pleasant, rural cycling.

There's a short stretch beside Tolo Harbour, then you arrive at a junction with Sam Mun Tsai Road, which leads down by The Beverly Hills, on the right. This allows for a short side trip, but don’t be fooled by the name: there are no Hollywood stars here, just a grandiose private housing estate.

The road drops gently down, and there is another right turn, to Sam Mun Tsai New Village. This was established in the 1960s, as the original Sam Mun Tsai – accessible by three sea channels (sam mun) – was relocated here to make way for Plover Cove Reservoir. It's a fishing village, with a row of two-storey houses facing a harbour that hosts a few vessels, especially speedboats.

At Sam Mun Tsai, stroll onto the pier for more harbour views and to buy some refreshments before setting off again.

Rather than heading straight back to Ting Kok Road, turn onto a small road leading north, to Sha Lan Village. While the village is little more than a jumble of Spanish-villa-type houses, the coastal scenery is pretty here, with views across a bay backed by green hills including the Pat Sin Leng Range. There is a small beach of silt and shingle, with a sign warning against swimming because of “uneven seabed and reefs”.

Now, back to Ting Kok Road and the cycle track. If there's a way through the village, it's not obvious, so the easiest way is to return along Sam Mun Tsai Road.

The route to Tai Mei Tuk passes villages including Ting Kok, each with more of the Spanish-style houses that provide maximum area within the regulations for building New Territories small houses, and are typically home to commuting city folk rather than local villagers.

Tai Mei Tuk feels more like a suburb than a classic rustic village. The shoreline by the west of the village – known as Lung Mei – was formerly home to marine life, including seahorses. But in 2012, persuaded by some local people, the government decided to create a bathing beach here, and now there is a construction site that looks far from becoming a beach anyone will want to visit.

Ting Kok Road continues east, then northeast – soon becoming Bride’s Pool Road as it winds alongside Plover Cove Reservoir, then climbs to near the Bride's Pool and Mirror Pool waterfalls. This is a magnificent area, but there is no cycle track, so take special care regarding cars here.

A safer option is to follow the cycle track across the road to the east of the village, then alongside the narrow Tai Mei Tuk Road. Just before Tai Mei Tuk Water Sport Centre, there is a turn to the left, and you can skirt a barrier that stops cars without permits, then climb an incline and arrive at the top of the main dam of Plover Cove Reservoir.

The 2km-long dam leads southeast, dead straight, and you can cycle along the road on top of it. This can be wonderfully tranquil when there is no one else around, but on a weekend it might seem like everyone who has come to Tai Mei Tuk is here, cycling and walking, or even rollerblading along the road, with rookie cyclists weaving and wobbling unpredictably.

Still, it is well worth coming. There is expansive scenery, with hills including the Pat Sin Leng Range serving as the backdrop to the waters of Tolo Harbour and the reservoir in the foreground. This is Hong Kong’s largest reservoir in terms of area, and was the world's first reservoir to occupy a former tidal bay.

The idea for the reservoir originated with T.O. Morgan, then director of water supplies, as he swam in Plover Cove during the 1950s. The project began in 1961, with the main dam connecting to the islet of Pak Sha Tau, and a smaller dam linking to a headland sheltering the cove in the east. The reservoir was opened in 1968, helping to alleviate the water shortages that had impacted Hong Kong.

Here are the top 12 Hong Kong hikes if you are up for a challenge

While hikers can continue past Pak Sha Tau, a sign notes that cycles are prohibited. So, it's time to start heading back towards Tai Po Market.

Before you depart Tai Mei Tuk, the small cafes along the waterfront provide a good place to stop for a drink, and to admire the tranquil bay. For extra exercise, you can hire a rowing boat or a pedalo for a short excursion. This is also a prime place for scintillating sunsets, but if you want to arrive in Tai Po Market before nightfall, you need to get going before the sun drops behind the hills to the west.

If you go: Hiring a cycle for the day should cost around HK$70-HK$90 (US$7.70-US$11.60), and you can ask about leaving it at a Tai Mei Tuk kiosk. Bring your own helmet. It is around 14 kilometres from Tai Po Waterfront Park to the end of Plover Cove Reservoir main dam, including the side trip to Sam Mun Tsai. The return ride from Tai Mei Tuk is around 8 kilometres. You could spend much of a day for the entire outing, including stops. The route is very suitable for family outings, though if you have very small children perhaps consider just hiring a quadracyle or bicycles with stabilisers.