Trifter

Ma On Shan or Horse Saddle Mountain lies in the Eastern New Territories area in Hong Kong. The mountain stands at 702 meters and is one of the highest peaks in the country. While the itinerary suggests that the trail can be completed in one day, it can prove to be tough for inexperienced climbers.

To get to the jump-off point, we took bus 299 at the Sha Tin Town Centre. Then we alighted at the Shui Long Wo stop. The trailhead marker (which is stage 4 of the MacLehose Trail) stands a few meters north of the bus stop. There’s a public toilet facility on the other side of the street from the marker.

The trail starts out pretty easy. We passed by a helipad and a camping area along the way. We were walking on concrete for some part of the way at first. Soon, the trail becomes a footpath through the denser part of the mountain. The trail remains gentle and gives good views of the islands off Sai Kung.

The trail then begins to incline more steeply. Expect to take breather breaks every so often. The tough climb through the forest yielded to a trail through and above the hills. The view becomes even more spectacular as the vista of green hills unfolds.

The “safe” midpoint of the trail is at a lower part of Ma On Shan. If you have the energy, a small path will lead up to the summit. This detour crosses a narrow ridge marked with rocks of uneven levels. A clear day on the summit affords views of China and Hong Kong.

The way out of the mountains is rather long but gentler than the way in. Our group kept to the MacLehose Trail, passing by Pyramid Hill and arriving at the junction at Ngong Ping Plateau. From there, there are a few options to get out of the hills. We continued following the MacLehose Trail, which led us to a small residential area. From there, we caught a green minibus to Sai Kung.

Our total hiking time covered roughly five hours but we were exhausted by the hike. As with the more strenuous hikes, the best way to cap it off was a filling dinner of beer and pizza.

Ma On Shan is recommended for people with some hiking experience. I recommended also bringing a lot of high-energy trail food, liquids, a walking stick and a compass as some of the trails are not clearly marked off.

For those who still would like to enjoy nature in the middle of busy Hong Kong, there are other easier hiking trails. My two favorites are Dragons’ Back and Jardine’s Lookout, both of which are in the Hong Kong Island area.

Another very easy and quick walk is the mini-great wall at Cheung Chau island near Hong Kong.