Every autumn, race organiser Keith Noyes heads out into Hong Kong's country parks to determine the route for his King of the Hills trail race and is met with the same sight: 'We go back out to look at the courses and discover new sections have been concreted.' Previously natural trails are paved over and uphill sections fitted with concrete steps.
In many ways, Hong Kong is an outdoor-lover's dream. A hiker can leave his office in Central and be out on a trail in 10 minutes. Private banker Sandro Gianella, who moved to Hong Kong 11 years ago, says: 'Trail running makes me feel like I'm in a different place, not in a concrete jungle.'
But the increasing concreting of trails is extremely annoying for many. 'In terms of access to the outdoors, Hong Kong is the best in the world. What's a shame is that the trails themselves are losing their natural state,' says Noyes, who has lived in Hong Kong since 1992.
'You don't see trails in Japan or Taiwan being concreted like this.'
There's a joke in the trail running community that the annual 100 kilometre Oxfam Trailwalker, started more than 30 years ago as a training exercise for the Gurkhas, is increasingly being called the 'Cementwalker'.
One of the most recent trails to be paved is the Sunset Peak to Pak Mong section on Lantau Island. More than 1,500 steps have been added, according to a trail runner who declined to be named. The section is used in at least three races.
