I hope you'll join me for two of my favourite things: a walk in the countryside, and a chance to learn something new about Hong Kong's history.
This ancient trail is reckoned to be one of the oldest man-made structures still surviving in Hong Kong. There isn't a firm date for when it was built, but it is estimated to be several hundred years old. It was certainly already around when the British leased the New Territories, as it appears on their first survey maps of the area.
Long before any railways or highways, these boulder trackways carried people and trade between the main towns and villages. The one we'll follow originally connected Tai Wai with Sai Kung.
The trackways were built using local boulders laid closely together, without any cement or concrete. The lower stages of the trackway have already disappeared, but the upper sections we'll walk along are still in good condition.
The walk will be led by Guy Shirra, who has been researching Hong Kong's boulder trackways for several years.
I attach details of the walk from Guy below my signature. If you can join us, please send me a short email to let me know your mobile phone number, and how many people are coming along:
We'll end up in Sai Kung around 2pm. I'll have a late lunch there with Guy, and you're very welcome to join us.
See you on the 29th,
Regards,
David
Gwulo / Friends of Sai Kung Ancient Trail Walk on 29 November 2014
Guy Shirra, Operations Officer of the Friends of Sai Kung (FSK), will lead a walk over one of Hong Kong's finest ancient Chinese boulder trackways.
The walk should take approximately 2 1/2 hours and will end at the Tin Hau Temple in Sai Kung.
Come prepared with the usual gear for a walk in the Hong Kong countryside: Good shoes, water, sun protection and a change of clothes suggested.
Date: Saturday, 29 November 2014
Time: Meet at 11:15 to leave promptly at 11:30am
Start Location: Wong Nai Tau Bus Terminus, Siu Lek Yuen Road, Grid Ref: 135 777
Access to Start: Bus 89D from Lam Tin MTR or Taxi from City One or Shek Mun MTR
Cost: The walk is free but donations to FSK would be gratefully received - or you can buy an FSK 2015 Calendar for $120 :-) Lunch will be self-pay.
Links:
Comments
Ancient village paths near Fanling
Has anyone come across or remember an ancient trail which started just off the old road between Taipo and Fanling? On it was a stone arched bridge over a stream which was reputed to be at least three hundred years old. The late Les Guyatt, the chief instructor at the former Police Training Contingent ( PTC) at Fanling ( before PTU) used to stop on the side of Taipo road , walk roughly North for a few hundred yards off the road and point out this bridge to the "bong-baan-jais", who were doing their riot control training cadre course. ( There was no trouble about using tear smoke ( "gas") in those Colonial days. I haver been able to identify the exact location in recent years.
Fanling Ancient Village Path
I would speculate that it could be a path at Kau Long Hang near Wo Hop Shek, to On Lok Cheun & Shung Him Tong Village (formerly Tsung Pak Long) to the old walled villages of Ma Wat Wai & Lo Wai, to Po Kut Tsai (Queen's Hill) to Lau Sui Heung and Sha Tau Kok and Shenzhen. The Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail should be part of this ancient path.
Family stories had it that the Hakka Pastors of the Shun Chun Hui (localised branch of the Lutheran Swiss Basel Mission) used to cover Sha Tau Kok & Taipo. They had to travel by donkeys or mules between the two parishes, stopping at mid-point which was Tsung Pak Long to break the all day journey. They liked the greeneries of the pine valley so much that upon their retirement, they chose to set up their Christian Hakka village - Shung Him Tong Chuen (Worhsip Humility Church Village) at this spot. The founders were: Pang Lok-saam (who became the first Chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk); Lin (Ling) Sin-yuan (father of the founder of Chung Chi College - Lin To-yeung); as well as Cheung Sing-wo.
Yesterday's walk
Paul Wan sent us this photo of the group getting ready to start:
And he's posted 200+ photos from the walk to:
https://www.facebook.com/paulwan8/media_set?set=a.10153044001642176.107…
A big thank you to Guy for leading us, and for telling us about the history of the trail. If you'd like to learn more about the old trails, and Guy's work to have them preserved, please visit his website at:
https://sites.google.com/site/hongkongbouldertrackways/
Regards, David