Sunset Peak (Lantau Trail Stage 2)

Sunset Peak is Hong Kong's third-highest summit at 869 metres, and Lantau Trail Section 2 is the way most people climb it. The stage runs 6.5 kilometres from Nam Shan, on South Lantau Road above Mui Wo, to Pak Kung Au, a pass on Tung Chung Road, crossing the mountain's broad shoulder on the way. From Nam Shan the character of the day is obvious within minutes. The path turns straight uphill on a long staircase of stone steps, and most of the section's climbing, somewhere around 750 to 790 metres, is packed into the first two kilometres or so. Then the trees stop. Above the tree line the mountain is open, wind-scoured grassland, and from autumn into winter the silvergrass covering the slopes turns gold and silver in the low sun. That season, rather than the sunsets the name suggests, is what draws the crowds and photographers. Near the top a scatter of old stone huts sits along the ridge, and hikers who camp up here pitch their tents nearby. The views are the widest on this list: across to Lantau Peak, down to the beaches at Pui O and Cheung Sha, and out over the Pearl River Estuary. The descent to Pak Kung Au is steep but short, and buses back to Tung Chung stop right at the pass. Many hikers reverse the route, starting at Pak Kung Au, which begins about 220 metres higher and makes for a gentler climb. Either way, carry everything you need. Past Nam Shan there is no water source or shade, and the exposed ridge offers few escape routes, which is why guides repeatedly warn against being caught up there in wind, mist or at dusk.