Continuing my hiking journey, Hong Kong Trail Section 3 left me with strong emotions. Whether it was a good emotion or not, hiking remains hiking. Not my favorite one though, it's a trail you'd considered as a stroll in the woods!
Disclaimer: I hiked the Hong Kong Trail from West to East which is Section 1 onwards. However, it is not necessary to do the trail in that order. You can also start from East to West which is in reverse order (Section 8 to Section 1). Last but not least, you can also hike one section at a time. If you want to jump to a particular section, refer to my Hong Kong Trail Hiking Guide and take it from there.
Hiking Trail Overview of Hong Kong Trail Section 3:
- Section Number: #3
- Route: Peel Rise to Wan Chai Gap Road
- Distance: 6.5 kilometers
- Distance Post Numbers: #26 - #37
- Time Taken/Needed: 1 hour and 15 minutes*
- Difficulty Level (own opinion): 1 out of 5
*Based on Wikipedia, Hong Kong Trail Section 3 requires 1.75 hours. The time mentioned above is a combination of my 1-hour time from distance posts #26 - #34 on Day 1. Plus an estimate of 15 minutes from distance posts #35 - #37 on Day 2.
How to get there and how to get out?
You probably came from Section 2 like me and that's a good thing! Continue the hike and follow the distance posts ahead.
If you didn't come from Section 2 and you're starting from scratch, I got these from the following:
- A tip from Hiking Hong Kong (page is nowhere to be found though): Take the Bus to Tin Wan Estate from Aberdeen Bus Terminal and then walk up the hill to the end of Hong Kong Trail Stage 2.
- Or this tip from The Big Four: Take any bus to Aberdeen terminus, walk to Tin Hau Temple, and follow the road to the right of the temple. Turn left onto Peel Rise and walk uphill to reach Aberdeen Country Park.
It looks like this is the only option to reach the trailhead so far. This might be the reason why Section 3 is not crowded since it is quite difficult to reach.
In this section, I was eager to get out of the trail because it was starting to get dark. A trail runner shared the nearest exit point (from where we were) however this was NOT the end of the trail yet. If you also want to go out of the trail, take note of this signpost after the distance post #34.
When you spot the signpost, take the stairs and follow the uphill path. It was a short uphill walk in the woods and you will come across another set of concrete stairs. Take the concrete stairs and you will find yourself now on Guildford Road.
From this signpost, I walked straight until I reached a small supermarket (opposite the building with a red outline). The locals told me that the bus routes change on weekends and since I did my hike on a Sunday, I ended up waiting for Bus #15 in Sinopec Gas Station to take me back to Central.
Apart from this way, I don't have another option on how to get out of the trail, especially at the end of the section. I will come back to you when I get more information.
Hiking Trailhead:
Since I came from Section 2, I will guide you as someone who came from Section 2. So picking up from where we left off, if you can remember, I asked you to continue until you reach a somewhat reservoir-looking structure after the stairs. If you walk further, you will stumble upon a fork with the map of Hong Kong Trail Section 3.
From the map, just follow the trail in front of you and you will find distance post #26 in no time.
Hiking Trail Highlights:
My camera ran out of battery at this point and I didn't bother to charge it anymore. As a result, I don't have many pictures from this section apart from the pictures of the distance posts.
The vibe of the whole section is pretty much the same - a walk through the woods with trees left and right and passing by the streams and small waterfalls. I almost ran out of water here as well and drank from one of the streams. I feel okay after but I will not encourage you to do so. If you want to try it, please do so at your own risk.
From all the trails I've been to (in Hong Kong and outside Hong Kong), I haven't seen an emergency phone booth elsewhere. Having a phone booth in the middle of the trail feels very reassuring.
Once you pass this emergency phone booth, you'll be able to see the signpost to reach Guildford Road (if you want to get out of the trail). Or you can continue on your right to finish the remaining part of this section until you reach Wan Chai Gap Road.
Two days later, I went back on the trail to finish the remaining section with my bread for breakfast.
Personal Thoughts:
We all have different adventure appetite or what I call ‘#hikeppetite’ to begin with. So, a good trail for me might not be a good trail for you. And that’s completely okay, we don’t need to agree with everyone all the time. Anyhow, here’s what I think about Hong Kong Trail’s Section 3:
Pros:
- Compared to Section 2, the paved/concrete trail in this section is short. You will encounter it only at the beginning part and the last few parts of the trail. The dirt trail along the way is absolutely a plus for me.
- The whole trail is pretty much covered by trees so you don't need to worry about being exposed to the sun! Who wants to get exposed to the sun anyway?
Cons:
- Like Section 2, the options to reach the trailhead or the end of the trail are limited.
Overall, the trail is easy, chill, and relaxing. It is perfect if you like a short walk or stroll in the woods. It's the kind of trail you would like to take to ease your worries away. It's just too short for my #hikeppetite. If you’re #hikeppetite is more (like me!), I suggest to continue your hike to SECTION 4 or even finish the whole HONG KONG TRAIL!
Whatever decision you make, always remember to prepare beforehand, stay safe, and last but not least, enjoy the outdoors! #happyhiking!
With lots of love,
PINAYHAKAWATI 💗
AND AS A GENTLE OUTDOOR ETHICS REMINDER:
LEAVE NO TRACE!
