Dragon's Back

Dragon's Back is the final section of the 50-kilometre Hong Kong Trail, and the one most people mean when they say they want to hike in Hong Kong. It starts at To Tei Wan, a roadside trailhead on Shek O Road a short bus ride from Shau Kei Wan MTR, and the first stretch climbs through shaded secondary woodland before a short, steep scramble up rock and steps (known to regulars as Hobbit Hill) brings you out onto open hillside. From there the path follows the ridge that gives the trail its name: a narrow line of dirt and rock rising and dipping over a string of grassy humps, like the spine of a sleeping dragon. To the west you look down over Tai Tam Bay and towards Stanley; to the east, Shek O village, its headland golf course and the island of Tung Lung Chau. The high point, Shek O Peak at 284 metres, is a modest grassy top rather than a summit pinnacle, but the view goes all the way round and is the main reason to come. Past the peak the trail leaves the ridge and drops into the woods of Shek O Country Park. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department describes this last part of the Hong Kong Trail as its steepest section, and the descent is a long run of uneven stone and timber steps that slows anyone in worn trainers. The path eventually comes out at Big Wave Bay, a sandy surf beach with showers and snack stalls, which is the obvious place to finish. Practically, the route is easy to plan around: frequent buses at both ends, clear signage and a length that fits into a morning. What catches people out is the lack of shade and supplies. Nothing is sold between the two trailheads and there are no bins, so take your water in and your rubbish out. Start early on a clear autumn day to get the ridge before the midday heat and the weekend crowds.