Section 5 Tai Po to Yin Ngam Peak
Ascending an undiscovered stream into Tai Mo Shan
Difficulty **** | Time 4 hrs | Distance 6.3 km | Transport to start Tai Po Market MTR | Hammocks On stream | Food Tai Po | Water feature Stream
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Section 5 information
Section 5 of the Argyle Ross Trail takes you into the heartland of New Territories hiking. On this section you will cross both the MacLehose and Wilson but unlike these two famous trails, the Argyle Ross will take you up a spectacular, secret stream in a forgotten pocket of Tai Mo Shan Country Park. Section 5 is one of the most challenging of the entire trail, with an elevation gain of around 680 metres, 500 metres of which is up the desolate and wild Yin Ngam stream.
To start the section, turn right out of Tai Po Market Station Exit B and follow the path that runs parallel to the Tai Po River. After about 15 minutes, turn left to walk up a steep road towards Sun Uk Ka village. You might not realise it but within five minutes you will be joining Section 8 of the Wilson Trail for about a kilometre. At the junction of Wilson Section 7 and 8, the road forks, with the Wilson continuing up Won Yiu Road towards Lead Mine Pass. For the Argyle Ross Trail, head right and follow the road until you reach a large, grey metal gate which you cannot pass through. Instead, take the overgrown grassy path just to the right of the gate and follow it until you reach Wong’s Ancestral Hall, an old white building in an untidy clearing of the forest. Rejoin the path at the back of the clearing, turn right and you should hear the running water of the stream by now. Make your way through the trees and descend to the water.
Yin Ngam is probably the least well-known stream of the entire Argyle Ross Trail. It is very unlikely that you will see any other hikers here at all. Apart from the odd ribbon, you will probably not even see any signs of human influence either. Yin Ngam’s understated beauty and tranquillity makes this stream a real pleasure to hike. For a few hours you can completely forget about the city, relax and really enjoy the stream’s natural environment and peace. Almost the whole stream is covered by the forest which adds to its character and serenity. There are no big falls on this river but still more than enough lovely plunge pools to swim in.
Not only is Yin Ngam the longest of all the streams on the Argyle Ross Trail, it also has the highest elevation gain which makes this section a difficult one. As beautiful as it is, the second half of the stream will feel, at times, like a slog. There are no tracks to follow through the trees on the sides of the stream, so every step has to be taken up the rocks and boulders through the middle. Although there are not any technical climbs, the relentless ascent can feel tiring as you scramble, wade, jump and climb your way up the river.
After about two hours of moving time, the stream forks into two; make sure you keep to the left. After another 20 minutes or so, you now need to start looking out for the trail that will lead you out of the forest. Keep your eye on the GPS at this point and look for a noticeable clearing on the left hand side with a red ribbon a few metres up the river bank. The stream will now become much narrower and shallower as it nears its source. After another 5-10 minutes, you will see another red ribbon and this is where you turn a sharp left (east) and join the Yin Ngam Ancient Trail. Follow the ribbons and after about 20 minutes continuing uphill, you will leave the forest and, with a mixed sense of satisfaction and relief, soon recognise a familiar Hong Kong trail ahead of you. On your left at this point should be Yin Ngam Peak; do not continue to the top, instead skirt around it to the right. In a short while, you will have arrived at the well-trodden path of the MacLehose Trail Section 8, the end of Section 5 of the Argyle Ross, and at 679m, the highest point on the Argyle Ross trail.
After around three hours cocooned in the shaded, green tunnel of Yin Ngam, stepping onto the MacLehose Trail will feel somewhat surreal, especially on a weekend with a number of hikers passing by dressed in their colourful outdoor gear. Use this break in the trail to find some shade, have a rest and some food. Unsurprisingly, there is no public transport near this junction between sections 5 and 6 of the Argyle Ross Trail. However, if you are not completing both sections in one day, and need to make your way out of the country park, the quickest option is to walk down MacLehose Section 8 in reverse for 1.5km to Lead Mine Pass and to carry on to Sha Tin or Tai Po Kau from there.
To start the section, turn right out of Tai Po Market Station Exit B and follow the path that runs parallel to the Tai Po River. After about 15 minutes, turn left to walk up a steep road towards Sun Uk Ka village. You might not realise it but within five minutes you will be joining Section 8 of the Wilson Trail for about a kilometre. At the junction of Wilson Section 7 and 8, the road forks, with the Wilson continuing up Won Yiu Road towards Lead Mine Pass. For the Argyle Ross Trail, head right and follow the road until you reach a large, grey metal gate which you cannot pass through. Instead, take the overgrown grassy path just to the right of the gate and follow it until you reach Wong’s Ancestral Hall, an old white building in an untidy clearing of the forest. Rejoin the path at the back of the clearing, turn right and you should hear the running water of the stream by now. Make your way through the trees and descend to the water.
Yin Ngam is probably the least well-known stream of the entire Argyle Ross Trail. It is very unlikely that you will see any other hikers here at all. Apart from the odd ribbon, you will probably not even see any signs of human influence either. Yin Ngam’s understated beauty and tranquillity makes this stream a real pleasure to hike. For a few hours you can completely forget about the city, relax and really enjoy the stream’s natural environment and peace. Almost the whole stream is covered by the forest which adds to its character and serenity. There are no big falls on this river but still more than enough lovely plunge pools to swim in.
Not only is Yin Ngam the longest of all the streams on the Argyle Ross Trail, it also has the highest elevation gain which makes this section a difficult one. As beautiful as it is, the second half of the stream will feel, at times, like a slog. There are no tracks to follow through the trees on the sides of the stream, so every step has to be taken up the rocks and boulders through the middle. Although there are not any technical climbs, the relentless ascent can feel tiring as you scramble, wade, jump and climb your way up the river.
After about two hours of moving time, the stream forks into two; make sure you keep to the left. After another 20 minutes or so, you now need to start looking out for the trail that will lead you out of the forest. Keep your eye on the GPS at this point and look for a noticeable clearing on the left hand side with a red ribbon a few metres up the river bank. The stream will now become much narrower and shallower as it nears its source. After another 5-10 minutes, you will see another red ribbon and this is where you turn a sharp left (east) and join the Yin Ngam Ancient Trail. Follow the ribbons and after about 20 minutes continuing uphill, you will leave the forest and, with a mixed sense of satisfaction and relief, soon recognise a familiar Hong Kong trail ahead of you. On your left at this point should be Yin Ngam Peak; do not continue to the top, instead skirt around it to the right. In a short while, you will have arrived at the well-trodden path of the MacLehose Trail Section 8, the end of Section 5 of the Argyle Ross, and at 679m, the highest point on the Argyle Ross trail.
After around three hours cocooned in the shaded, green tunnel of Yin Ngam, stepping onto the MacLehose Trail will feel somewhat surreal, especially on a weekend with a number of hikers passing by dressed in their colourful outdoor gear. Use this break in the trail to find some shade, have a rest and some food. Unsurprisingly, there is no public transport near this junction between sections 5 and 6 of the Argyle Ross Trail. However, if you are not completing both sections in one day, and need to make your way out of the country park, the quickest option is to walk down MacLehose Section 8 in reverse for 1.5km to Lead Mine Pass and to carry on to Sha Tin or Tai Po Kau from there.
