Hong Kong is one of the greenest cities in the world - three-quarters of the land is covered with parks, trees and shrubs. A gentle excursion is one of the best ways to explore and enjoy the natural beauty of Hong Kong. Here are some treks that are easy for beginners and families, along waterways and sometimes shaded by trees, with great scenery, and which offer a chance to discover more about Hong Kong's ecology and history. Bride's Pool Nature Trail Length 0.7km Estimated time 45 mins Bride's Pool Nature Trail is near the northwestern tip of the Plover Cove Reservoir in Tai Po in the New Territories. The trail begins at a bridge at the top of the waterfall. Along the nature trail are signs pointing out the area's geological and ecological features. Chung Mei is where the Bride's Pool stream flows into Plover Cove Reservoir at Chung Mei. The area is surrounded by thick woodlands and there are many streams trickling down the hills, combining to form larger waterways. At the end of the stream is Chung Mei village. Observe how the large forest spiders weave their webs along the pathways to snare insects. Be sure to take a bathing costume for a dip in the rock pools. Transport On Sundays and public holidays take Kowloon Motor Bus 275R and alight at Bride's Pool bus terminus. Otherwise, take bus 75K and alight at Tai Mei Tuk. You will have to walk for about 30 minutes to get to the starting point at Bride's Pool. Both buses can be boarded at Tai Po KCR station. Sheung Yiu Country Trail Length 3.3km Estimated time 11/2 hours Sheung Yiu was originally a fortified village built in the late 19th century. The village and its neighbouring limekiln were gazetted as monuments in 1981. The restored village recreates the rural life of Sheung Yiu village in its heyday and was opened as a museum in 1984. Sheung Yiu Country Trail is in Sai Kung West Country Park. The trail starts at the Sai Kung Country Park Visitor Centre at Pak Tam Chung. It takes about 20 minutes to get to the starting point. Visit Sheung Yiu Folk Museum. Pak Tam Chung has high ecological value. The Chinese chung character means a sea-bound freshwater stream. The mouth of this waterway at high tide becomes brackish because of the backflow of seawater. Mangroves and other wetland life thrive here and the area's natural scenery makes it a must-see. About five minutes from the starting point is Heu Tsz Wan. Further off are the small islands of Wong Yi Chau and Yim Tin Tsai. Tsam Chuk Wan can also be seen. Across the valley is a campsite and there is a fine view of the islands of Kau Sai Chau and Tai Tau Chau. There is a large spread of barren land nearby which is the former site of the Man Yee Centre for Vietnamese migrants near the west part of the dam of High Island Reservoir. Man Yee Road is about 20 minutes' walk away, and from here you can enjoy a panoramic view of the reservoir. Walk along Man Yee Road for about 45 minutes and return to Pak Tam Chung. Transport Board KMB bus 94, 96R, or green minibuses 7 and 9 and alight at the entrance to Sheung Yiu village after passing through the Pak Tam Chung barrier. Shui Hau to Shek Pik Reservoir Length 5.5km Estimated time 21/2 hrs The track starts at Shui Hau on Lantau Island. Tong Fuk Miu Wan and Shui Hau are bays sheltered by hills on three sides. Sand and silt from hill streams settle in these calm areas to form a fertile alluvial plain. At the mouth of the river there is a broad mud flat that clearly shows the impact of sedimentation. From Shui Hau go over the 1.5km bridge built by the British Army in 1985 and arrive at the pleasant Lo Kei Wan Wild Campsite. Walk up from the campsite and across a ridge and see Tai A Chau and Siu A Chau. Walk northwest, past Shuk Lam Chau in Tung Wan and come to Shek Pik Reservoir. There is a platform on the east side of the dam allowing visitors to enjoy views of the reservoir and distant Lantau Peak. When Shek Pik Reservoir was completed, soil degradation was serious in the surrounding hills. Hardy and fast-growing trees were planted to accelerate greening and protect the soil. These verdant woodlands now thrive. Central and western Lantau is made up of volcanic rock that has stood up well to the weather and erosion. Lantau Peak is the second highest in Hong Kong. Away from the platform there is a 24 metre-wide flood discharge 'bowl' that seems to float on the surface for when the reservoir overflows. Transport Take New Lantau buses 1, 2, 11 or 23 and alight at Shui Hau Village. Kowloon Reservoir Length 4km Estimated time 2 hours The Kowloon Reservoir was once a valley between Smuggler's Ridge and Needle Hill. The catchment area is mainly in Kam Shan Country Park. Dense secondary forests in the valley help retain water and control soil loss. These woodlands are feeding grounds for a great variety of animals, including monkeys. The trail begins at the bus stop beside Tai Po Road (Golden Hill), then goes down to the road beside the Country Park warden post and continues on past the Kowloon Byewash Reservoir to Kam Shan Tree Walk. Signs introduce the vegetation along the Tree Walk. Around Golden Hill Road there are fine views over Kowloon Reservoir. Many wild monkeys come to the area called Monkey Hill. Feeding them is illegal, and they may attack people if they see food. Visitors can move on to stage six of the Wilson Trail, turning off Golden Hill Road. The hike finishes at the reservoir. Transport Take KMB buses 72, 81, 86B and alight at Shek Lei Pui Reservoir bus stop. Tai Tan Country Trail Length 6.7km Estimated time 4 hours Tai Tan Country Trail in Sai Kung West Country Park starts at Hoi Ha Road near Hau Tong Kai. The initial section is dense woodland and leads to Tai Tan village. Near the village is a bay area called Ko Tong Hau. Two hill streams feed into the bay, carrying sand and silt which have formed extensive mudflats. These are home to many species of mangrove plants and wetland wildlife, including mudskippers and fiddler crabs. From here the trail winds along the coast of Tai Tan, bringing into view the Tai Tan Channel. Ko Lau Wan and Tap Mun run along the opposite coast, and beyond them is Sharp Peak. On reaching Nam Fung Wan, visit Wan Tsai Peninsula, where there are campsites and mountain bike tracks. The scenery along Wan Tsai Peninsula is beautiful. Turn left across Lan Lo Au and walk along the coast to Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park. The clean water offers a diverse variety of marine life. It has one of the best coral communities in Hong Kong. On the eastern shore of the marine park are four limekilns, remnants of one of Hong Kong's oldest industries. Transport Take green minibus 7 and alight near Hau Tong Kai.
