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Mo Shan Country Park
Overview
Standing 957 metres, Tai Mo Shan is Hong Kong's highest peak. Enveloping
this massif is 1,440 hectares of natural territory, designated as the
Tai Mo Shan Country Park. Established in 1979, the park borders Tai Po
Kau Nature Reserve in the east and Shing Mun Country Park in the south.
To the west is Route Twisk and Tai Lam Country Park just beyond the highway.
To the north is the old valley of Lam Tsuen.
Dictated by rugged terrain, mainstream agriculture never really developed
in Tai Mo Shan. Villagers cultivated rice and vegetables mainly for their
own use. Tea farming, however, was a thriving industry. The region was
once famous for a special variety of green tea. Tea terraces, arranged
in chevrons, still mark the slopes today. They are remnants of tea plantations
which flourished around these hills in the 17th Century.
For a general perspective of the region's history, geology and ecology,
call at the Tai Mo Shan Country Park Visitor Centre on Tai Mo Shan Road.
It showcases exhibits of local flora and fauna, such as birds, dragonflies,
butterflies, mammals and fungi, recreation and education facilities, as
well as conservation and management measures of the country park. Also
within the compound is a museum set up by the China Polar Museum Foundation.
Major Attractions
The highest peak of Hong Kong is pure volcanic rock. The southern, western
and southwestern valleys are characterized by heavy deposits of alluvial
soil. Given the high altitude and climatic adversities, these uplands
are generally infertile. As a result, most parts of Tai Mo Shan Country
Park are grass slopes, with limited forests only in the foothills.
Tai Mo Shan is the coldest place in the territory. During cold spells
when temperature drops to near freezing point, many people drive up here
to see frost, a rare sight in sub-tropical Hong Kong. The summit of Tai
Mo Shan is accessible by the vehicular Tai Mo Shan Road. On clear days,
the lookout gives a spectacular panoramic view of the Northern and Western
New Territories, as well as the Yuen Long and Pat Heung plains. You can
even see Shekou and Shenzhen on good days. Misty days atop Tai Mo Shan
is another picture altogether. High up on the mountain, the mood is so
ethereal you seem to be drifting on clouds.
Tai Mo Shan has the highest rainfall in Hong Kong, with 30% more rain
than other parts of the territory. Fed by rainwater, rushing streams and
sheer gullies cut forcefully down the slopes and merge into the Ng Tung
Chai Waterfalls, a series of cascades rated one of the nine greatest falls
by hikers. The 100m Long Falls, a famous section of the Ng Tung Chai Waterfalls,
has the highest drop of all. Other sections are the Straggling-hair Falls,
Middle Falls and Well Falls. Following recent landslips, some sections
of the path to Ng Tung Chai are now closed. Visitors should not attempt
to travel through.
Facilities
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Tai Mo Shan Country Park
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Recreation and convenience facilities are mostly located near Rotary
Club Park. They include the Tai Mo Shan Country Park Visitor Centre, Rotary
Club Campsite, toilets, carpark, a hiking practice trail and the Tai Mo
Shan Family Walk. The hilltop lookout offers a sweeping view of Tsuen
Wan, Tsing Yi, Hong Kong Island and nearby rural settlements. With 58
barbecue stoves, Tai Mo Shan Country Park is an ideal location for group
outings.
The Tai Mo Shan Hiking Practice Trail is a 1 km circular route that takes
only 30 minutes to complete. Passing through a barbecue area and woodlands,
it is installed with fitness test facilities and interpretation plates
to provide basic hiking and safety knowledge. With such a lovely setting
to train for essential skills, hiking is more pleasurable than ever.
Ecological Highlights
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Bamboo Snake
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Plantations are found in the southeastern part of the park. Climatic
and geographical limitations mean that forests are limited to an altitude
of 550 metres. The upper slopes are vegetated mainly by shrubs and grass.
Tai Mo Shan is a haven for a great variety of wildlife, with more than
100 bird species and many butterflies. The region is also rich in snakes.
Common species include White-spotted Slug Snake (Pareas margaritophorus),
Red-necked Keelback (Rhabdophis subminiatus helleri), Bamboo Snake (Trimeresurus
albolabris) and Common Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosus).
Scenic Beauty
The Tai Mo Shan highlands offer many vantage points to enjoy breathtaking
landscapes of the New Territories. Tai Mo Shan Family Walk is a level
gravel path suitable for family hikes. Starting at the country park information
centre, this wooded lane is lined with trees common in the Hong Kong countryside,
such as Taiwan Acacia (Acacia confusa), Sweet Gum (Liquidambar formosana)
and various pine species. In fair weather, vision extends to Tsuen Wan,
Tsing Yi and Hong Kong Island. On misty days when the scenery gets hazy,
the mood is simply enigmatic. Within close proximity, you will find a
carpark, toilets, a refreshment kiosk and a barbecue area.
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Chuen Lung Family Walk
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Chuen Lung Family Walk is a wooded path dressed by pockets of Brisbane
Box (Lophostemon confertus) and lush bamboo groves. At the highest point
of the walk, your gaze sweeps across Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi, Hong Kong Island
and the nearby countryside, as well as lush plantations of Tai Lam and
Tai Mo Shan Country Parks in the distance. Also found in Chuen Lung is
Lung Mun Country Trail, so named for Chuen Lung its starting and Shing
Mun the endpoint. This green walk offers vistas of Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi
and Hong Kong Island, with the imposing profiles of Lion Rock and Beacon
Hill also in view. Near the end, you come to a beguiling green domain
the Shing Mun plantations.
Public Transport Information
Tai Mo Shan Country Park Visitor Centre
Take bus no. 51 in Tsuen Wan and get off at the bus stop near the junction
of Route Twisk and Tai Mo Shan Road. Walk up Tai Mo Shan Road. The centre
is about 10 minutes away.
Tai Mo Shan Family Walk
This route starts and ends in the Rotary Club Park. Take bus no. 51 in
Tsuen Wan and get off at the Tsuen Kam Country Park Management Centre.
From there, it is a 3-minute walk to the Rotary Club Park.
Hiking Practice Trail
This route starts and ends in the Rotary Club Park. Take bus no. 51 in
Tsuen Wan and get off at the Tsuen Kam Country Park Management Centre.
From there, it is a 3-minute walk to the Rotary Club Park.
Chuen Lung Family Walk
This walk starts and ends in the Chuen Lung Barbecue Area 1. Take green
minibus no. 80 to Chuen Lung Village, or take bus no. 51 to the bus stop
in front of the village. Starting point of the walk is about 20 minutes
away.
Lung Mun Country Trail
Take green minibus no. 80 to Chuen Lung Village, or take bus no. 51 to
the bus stop in front of the village. Starting point of the trial is about
20 minutes away. For your return journey, walk from Area 8 of Shing Mun
Country Park to Pineapple Dam to catch green minibus no. 82 for Tsuen
Wan.
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