Hiking: Around Violet Hill

Yes, I’ve been hitting the trail and exploring our surroundings. This time, a combination of the Wong Nai Chung Gap history trail, the Tsz Lo Lan Shan Path that runs around Violet Hill and the Tai Tam reservoir.

This is a nice hike of roughly 13km, but apart from the steps up to the Wan Chai tree walk (from Happy Valley) and the incline from the Wong Nai Chung Gap road, it is fairly flat. So it is easy to hike in 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on how fit you are.

Violet Hill is also known as Tsz Lo Lan Shan – so that’s where the name of the small path comes from. The literal translation is flower hill, as a rare and protected species, Hong Kong iris with violet flower can be found on the hill. But I have not seen it for myself.

After walking bout 2.5km up and across from Happy Valley, I crossed Wong Nai Chung Gap road – at the height of the water reservoir. From there, you enter the woods (which is nice on a hot and sunny day, but beware the mosquitos, especially as the Violet Hill path runs next to water). You can choose whether to turn left and climb up all the steps to Violet Hill (which would be a fairly intense workout) or you can go straight, and just enjoy a leisurely walk next to the catchwater.

That’s what Lina and I did. For the next six kilometres we walked on a flat paved surface, past water canals and, once we reached the side of the Tai Tam reservoir, also water falls.

Parts of the walk are in the shade, but every now and then you can glimpse through the trees and look at your surroundings – and that’s when you notice all the big and beautiful houses in the countryside, which only the rich can afford!

Walking around the corner, you see Repulse Bay and its beach.

Then you reach a crossing – this is where you can decide the hike until now has been too easy… and you can join the climb up the Twins (over to Stanley) or walk back OVER Violet Hill to Wong Nai Chung Gap road. I decided to do neither, and just continued the leisurely stroll around the Tai Tam reservoir.

Finally we reached the reservoir – and it was a stunning view, with dark clouds forming above us and deep green water beneath us.

I noticed that I had never reached the reservoir from that side – and there were several sign posts about other hikes – I clearly have to explore Tai Tam reservoir more and go for more hikes in this area!