TRAIL WALKER |
LANTAU TRAIL HIKE: DAY ONE Determined to hike the entire Lantau Trail, C l a i r e S e ve r n t a c k l e s s e c t i o n s 1 , 2 a n d 3 w h i c h take her from Mui Wo to Ngong Ping, and up and ove r b o t h S u n s e t a n d L a n t a u p e a k s P HO T O S BY A n dr ew S pi r e s & c o u r tes y o f Uns p las h
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’ve had a great idea!” I said. “Let’s hike the Lantau Trail – all 12 sections!” I said. “I’ve hiked parts of it before, how hard can it be?” And so a plan began to hatch. Beginning in Mui Wo, two eager Brits would set off on foot and see how far we got in a day. After resting our legs for a week or so, we’d simply pick up where we left off. This was going to be fun! Fast forward a few days, and, backpacks at the ready, my buddy and I met early one morning, filled with energy and enthusiasm. After a quick pitstop at Mui Wo Wellcome (the village eateries don’t open as early as we thought), we were finally ready to begin our climb. One of the easier parts of the Lantau Trail, section 1 begins at Mui Wo Ferry Pier and follows a steady slope up the road back towards Tung Chung. There’s nothing really remarkable about this section – the biggest challenge we faced was dodging all of the buffalo deposits – but if it’s good for one thing, it’s a nice way to stretch out the legs before the challenge ahead. And boy, is it a challenge!
NAM SHAN TO SUNSET PEAK The hard work all began when we reached section 2. Setting out from Nam Shan, the path starts off gently, with a pleasant stroll through the trees, past a helipad and down towards a crossroads where you can either choose to take a left to skirt the side of the mountain (a good option with kids) or head straight on towards 869-metre Sunset Peak. On we went. HEADIN G OUT FROM MUI WO 26 LIFE ON L ANTAU | JUNE / JULY 2022
