Chung Yeung festival (Double ninth on the lunar calendar) is a traditional holiday in Hong Kong whereby families would gather together to worship their ancestor. There is also a traditional belief that hiking to high ground on this festival would bring good luck. Hence on this day, I decided to embark on my first solo hiking trip onto Yuen Tsuen Ancient Trail which used to be a route in the olden days that transport the locals between Yuen Long and Tsuen Wan.
Throughout my journey, I can see many elderly couples as well as families bringing their young kids along. While this trail was clearly marked out and easy to follow, some of the sections starting from Tsuen Wan is very steep leading all the way to the highest point of the hike at 417m.
On the exposed section of the hike, I get to enjoy magnificent views of the Tsing-Ma Bridge from a different angle then how I normally see it through my hostel window. Even though the weather was overcast, it was suitable for families to have picnic beside the iconic pavilion along the trail.
Towards the end of the trail, the views extend to the mountainous region in the North. I could imagine the scenery before my sight being painted in heaps of yellow and red during the winter period of Hong Kong. Unfortunately, such views would only occur in January after my exchange had ended.
While hiking solo was lonely, it gave me greater personal time to plan and embark on unexpected journeys.
Journey: 4 Hours
Length: 11km
Difficulty: Easy
