Magic Walks 38
A leisurely walk from Sok Kwu Wan via Shek Pai Wan for a swim and Mo Tat Wan is exactly 3km (2 hours). Degree of difficulty : 2
The fascinating climb over Mount Stenhouse after a dip at Lo So Shing beach is a different kettle of fish although it covers the same distance. Allow for 3.5 hours; degree of difficulty 4 (and 5 if it has rained). Add another 3 hours for a meal and transport to/from Hong Kong.
Lamma Island is a great spot if you have a day to spare, but half a day is sufficient if you want to go to either side (there are regular ferries to Yung Shue Wan on the North and Sok Kwu Wan from Central). If you have our first volume of Magic Walks, then you will recall that on our Magic Walk no. 20, we spent a lot of time on the north-western part. So to balance it we shall visit Sok Kwu Wan this time. Ferries leave from the Central Ferry Pier at 8.00, 10.00 am, 2.30, 4.20, 7.10 pm etc. On Sundays and public holidays this is 7.30, 9.15, 11.00 am, 1.00, 3.00, 4.50, 6.35 pm etc. There is also a very comfortable Kaido service from Aberdeen near the floating restaurant ferry pier that leaves for Sok Kwu Wan (Cantonese for Picnic Bay) at 6.50, 8.00, 9.30, 11.15 am, 2.00, 4.00, 6.00 and 7.15 am. It leaves with 45 minutes intervals on Sundays from 8:00am until 12:30; then again with the same frequency from 2:00 to 7:15pm, with the last ferries at 7:45 and 10:30pm. The return trips are at the same time, so there is no chance of getting stuck !
Mo Tat Tsuen near Sok Kwu Wan
When you arrive on Sok Kwu Wan, admire the restaurants on the waterfront but leave sampling the food till later. Turn right until you are out of the village. On the left you will see the familiar sight of a Tin Hau Temple with intricate, embroidered red cloth inside. The Taoist religion as practised by the common people is very down to earth: the Chinese are very practical. They believe in paradise on earth. Sports trophies adorn the altar. From the square in front of the temple you have the choice of making an easy tour of South Lamma or making the momentous climb over Mount Stenhouse (Shan Tei Tong).
If you came for an easy stroll, take the concrete path left. It rises sharply at the start and at its highest point it brings you to where you would have come down from Mount Stenhouse. Another 50m up a small sitting-out area with a pagoda-type roof has been built by the Regional Council. It will give you the best view eastward on this walk. The path itself takes you to the beach of Shek Pai Wan, the hamlet of Tung O and its larger cousin of Yung Shue Ha. They are in the process of building a concrete path along the shoreline so that you can reach the village even at high tide without wetting you shoes. On weekends many pleasure yachts and launches descend on this beach and the next, for watersports and whatever people do on a day out.
At least one house in Yung Shue Ha sells canned drinks and noodle soup, even on weekdays. The old ladies that will attend to your needs are very talkative, but strictly in Cantonese. There is a pretty, covered seating area under the trees. It is quite easy to walk all around this part of the island, especially since the concrete path to Mo Tat Tsuen and the beach at Mo Tat Wan has been upgraded. Quite a few expatriates live in this latter village. You could take the Kaido back from this beach to Aberdeen; there is a good seafood restaurant that serves French food as well.
Mo Tat Wan near French restaurant
The main path continues to Sok Kwu Wan where it is difficult to choose between the restaurants on the waterfront. As in Lei Yu Mun and Lau Fau Shan, they allow you to buy seafood from the fishermen and bring it to them to prepare. But, in practice, the customers leave it entirely to the restaurant. The rule in choosing a good restaurant is normally to go where there are lots of locals. If you cannot decide, may we recommend the Rainbow Restaurant where you can expect good fare and friendly service at competitive prices. The Hilton and Conrad (previously called the Regent) seem to serve decent food too. It appears Chinese businessmen believe in borrowing not only successful ideas, but successful names as well!
If you like climbing and want to see more of Lamma and the surrounding islands, walk straight ahead from the Tin Hau temple at the end of Sok Kwu Wan (see above) and turn right at the first opportunity. The path leads you around the bay. Keep left at the fork past the former school and follow directions to Lo So Shing Beach, a pretty little secluded spot located 300m from the school. This is an excellent spot to have a swim in clean water as it is far away from the polluted areas of Hong Kong. You seldom find floating plastic bags here. You can swim in Hong Kong almost the year around, but the seawater temperature is most pleasant from April until the beginning of November. Just behind this beach to the South lies Mount Stenhouse.
There are several ways to get to the top. A fairly easy one starts 50m from the beach on the path you came from. There are two small sheds on the right (i.e. when you come from the beach). Pass between them and follow the faint trail into the vegetable paddies. There is little vegetation on the ascent and when you are 30m above sea level, you should hit a distinct trail that comes from the hamlet just south of Sok Kwu Wan and that leads to the peak. Take your time, especially when it has been raining. An Australian airline steward, apparently hiking all by himself, died on this slope eight years ago. His body was found many months later. So I would advise that you make this hike with a few companions.
When you turn around from time to time, the scenery slowly unfolds. The western approaches to Hong Kong harbour become visible between Lantau and Tsing Yi. The Lamma power station and the cement quarry on the other side of Sok Kwu Wan are serious eye-sores, but the rest of the view makes up for it. You should be able to reach the top in little over an hour.
Your descent on the other side might take longer as there are several steep parts. Experience on this hill taught me that it pays to look for the clear path that exists. It will spare you feelings of dizziness and not exacerbate any fear of heights you might have. Some of the rocks you pass look as if they might come tumbling down at any moment, but they are finely balanced and have been sitting there for millions of years. The boulders look like the ones at Stonehenge or on Eastern Island. This trail is not heavily used for this reason. In surmounting Stenhouse, you will join an elite group of hikers in Hong Kong. It is hard to believe that this mountain is only 353m high.
The trail back to Sok Kwu Wan starts at the sitting-out area described earlier. Turn left where your trail joins the main path to Tung O Wan (see first part of this hike). It takes less than 10 minutes to the ferry. However, if there is enough time and you have some stamina left, why not combine it with the easy one described above.
The conquerors of Mount Stenhouse