TO MARK THE START OF TRAIL-RACE SEASON THIS OCTOBER, LET’S EXPLORE THE SCOPE OF THE LANTAU TRAILS, AND THEIR LURE FOR WORLD-CLASS ATHLETES AND SOCIAL HIKERS ALIKE
Amateur hiking has become an increasingly common weekend activity in Lantau, with people grabbing the opportunity to get outdoors and active, while enjoying some truly incredible scenery. The draw for some is climbing a couple of Hong Kong’s highest peaks, for others it’s the opportunity to spot rare and indigenous fauna and flora.
At 142km², Lantau is almost twice the size of Hong Kong Island and far less densely populated, meaning there is still a whole lot of unspoilt countryside to enjoy. The beauty and scope of Lantau’s hiking trails is world-renowned, and the island’s geological diversity means there is a hike for everyone, regardless of fitness level, to enjoy.
The only way to truly appreciate these trails is to get out there, so first a word about safety. Everyone, professional runners and social hikers alike, should pick trails that match their fitness levels – and get some training in beforehand. It’s important to be responsible and well-prepared: pack a map, extra food and water, and a water filter or purification tablets in case you run out. Take a drybag to keep your rain jacket, headlamp and phone inside; and make sure your phone is fully charged or has a spare battery.
It can be restorative to walk the trails alone but in terms of safety, it’s inadvisable, particularly in remote areas where you’re unlikely to come across other people. Out in the wild, alone, a twisted ankle or snake bite could put you in real danger. Be sure to invest in a fitness tracking app, such as Strava, that has position sharing features to help facilitate rescue efforts, and make use of the 50222 SMS hiker tracking service. Manned by the Communications Association of Hong Kong, the 50222 enables hikers to report their location each time they encounter a distance post.
GET TO KNOW THE ISLAND
But back to the lure of the Lantau trails. First, there is the beautiful and varied topography – long beaches, steep mountains and flat terrain. Second, with the exception of Sunset Peak, trails on Lantau are not crowded, so hikers can often enjoy the views all to themselves.
The 70km Lantau Trail, which loops around the island, is probably the best-known and its 12 sections take in most of Lantau’s big-ticket landmarks: Mui Wo, Nam Sham, Ngong Ping 360, Tai O, Shek Pik, Shui Hau and Pui O. But there are countless other trails to explore on the island, from the Tung O Ancient Trail, with its time-old rock formations, to the somewhat newer, ultra-steep Ngong Ping 360 Rescue Trail, which as its name suggests, was built to rescue cable car passengers in the event of a breakdown. The Lantau sections (7 to 10) of the “new” Tinworth Trail are also well worth a look. Highlights include Tiger’s Head, a 700-metre climb out of Pak Mong towards Sunset Peak and Wong Lung Hang Valley.
If you’re after a relatively easy mountain trek with little elevation, then South Lantau Country Trail is a good start. But if you’re training for a race, and you want a lot of vertical, then it makes sense to have a go at the stairs from all directions – Wong Lung Hang Valley up to the top in a vertical sprint – or see how much of Lantau Peak you can actually run versus fast hiking.
With three of Lantau’s biggest trail races coming up in the next months, local athletes are already in serious training…
SUMMIT TWO PEAKS
CBRE Lantau 2 Peaks, organised by Action Asia Events (www.actionasiaevents.com), is scheduled for October 6 this year, and the two peaks in question are, of course, Lantau and Sunset. There are two distances: 23km (two peaks) and 15km (half peak). The 23km course is being run anti-clockwise this year: up Lantau Peak and the Ngong Ping 360 stairs, then over Sunset Peak and down through Wong Lung Hang Valley. The 15km course leads up the Ngong Ping 360 Rescue Trail to Nei Lek Shan, then down through the monasteries of Tei Tong Tsai to Shek Mun Kap and back to Tung Chung.
“Many areas across Hong Kong are able to hold worldclass running and training events, but the fact that Lantau is Hong Kong’s last ‘Shangri-La’ makes it special,” says Michael Maddess, Director and CEO of Action Asia Events, who organises numerous trail races both across Hong Kong and internationally. “When Action Asia Events gets feedback from international participants, the first thing most say is that Lantau is one of the few places where they can be running next to an ocean and then climbing immediately up a steep peak, with stunning surrounding panoramic views all the way back down.”
BEAT THE SUN
Barclays MoonTrekker (www.barclaysmoontrekker.com) being held from October 18 to 19 this year, starts at night in Mui Wo and ends on Cheung Sha Beach. A unique overnight trail event, it challenges participants to reach the summit of Lantau Peak before sunrise, and there are three route options: 30km, 40km and an introductory 20km route. The 30km and 40km distances summit Lantau Peak, allowing runners to witness stunning dawn views if they “beat the sun”. The 20km route, introduced to encourage newcomers to trail events, is only open to first time MoonTrekkers and does not summit Lantau Peak.
“Nominated for Hong Kong’s best trail event, MoonTrekker guarantees an unparalleled experience by combining the challenge of overnight trail hiking/ running, the opportunity to summit Lantau Peak at dawn, and the pertinent cause of raising funds for children’s education and environmental sustainability,” says William Sargent, Founder of Barclays MoonTrekker.
JOIN THE UTMB WORLD SERIES
TransLantau™ by UTMB (translantau.utmb.world) hits our shores from November 8 to 10 this year; one of 44 events in the UTMB® World Series, it brings in the sport’s biggest stars from around the world. Each year at TransLantau™ runners begin their journey to HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc, where the prestigious UTMB World Series Finals are held.
On trails for 80% of the time, TransLantau™ covers two of Lantau’s country parks, and there are four distances to choose from: 25km, 50km, 100km and 120km. All routes start and finish in Mui Wo: runners encounter iconic landmarks such as Tai O, the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery.
“Participants in the TransLantau™ get to push their limits as they feast their eyes on the landscape of undulating hills and long coastline, untouched by urbanisation,” says Sabrina Dumont, Co-founder of TransLantau™. “They get to experience a profound connection with nature as they test their endurance, far removed from the urban sprawl of Hong Kong.”