Lazy Hikes: Lower Shing Mun Reservoir
Don't say you're going on a hike and then never actually follow through—here's one of our easy-peasy picks.
On a clear, blue-sky day, this pleasant stroll is ideal for lazy folks who want to get up close and personal with nature without expending a lot of effort.
Located in Tai Wai, the Lower Shing Mun Reservoir was built in the 1960s, and while the lower reservoir falls outside of the protected Shing Mun Country Park, where the upper reservoir is located, this makes it more pleasant in a way, as it is green and wild but mercifully lacking in the more obnoxious hallmarks of most Hong Kong country parks: namely, trash cans every three feet; stern warning signs prohibiting just about everything; and other people.
Once the taxi drops you off at the dam, there are two roads that take you around the perimeter of the reservoir. To your immediate left is a shady path overrun with macaque monkeys. If simians give you the creeps, you can walk along the other end, past the hobbyists flying their model planes, and start along a quiet road on the far end of the reservoir. Follow the main road and enjoy the shade of the trees and the view of the water catchment. If you’re feeling adventurous, wander off onto the many side-paths to find streams, bare rock faces and shrubbery that wouldn’t look out of place in the Wild West. If you’ve had enough, you can turn back once you see the main road going into the Shing Mun tunnel, head back into Tai Wai and grab some food—the town is famous for its roasted pigeon restaurants. The entire walk takes roughly two hours at an ambling pace.
Getting There: Pick up a taxi from Tai Wai MTR station and get onto the old Tai Po Road. Follow the signs for the Po Fook Memorial Hall, and then take the road that goes past the crematorium on your left. Keep going until you see the reservoir.
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