Section 6 Yin Ngam Peak to Pineapple Dam
Plunging down through Dragon Valley
Difficulty *** | Time 3.25 | Distance 6.1 km | Transport to start None | Hammocks On stream | Food None | Water feature Stream
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Section 6 information
Section 6 of the Argyle Ross Trail takes you into Shing Mun Country Park and down Tai Shing stream, nestled deep in the southeastern hills of Tai Mo Shan. You will finish at the splendid Shing Mun Reservoir having descended much of the elevation that you just gained in Section 5.
To start the section from the end point of Section 5, turn right on the MacLehose for a few metres and turn left onto another trail. There isn’t an obvious point where the trail starts so check the GPS and look for a small clearing under the trees. A few metres down from the MacLehose path, near M141 you should see a small, crumbling stone wall in the forest on the left and a trail leading from it. The first part of the trail is relatively clear with only a few parts that are overgrown. After about 20 minutes you will reach Tai Mo Shan Forest Track and should see a signpost; turn right here in the direction of Tai Mo Shan. You will pass over a couple of small streams and through a pretty bamboo passageway until you reach Tai Shing stream. From the start of Section 6 to this point should take you just over half an hour.
Tai Shing is a magnificent stream. It is broader, straighter and more open than any of the other streams on the Argyle Ross Trail. This makes for some stunning views down the verdant Dragon Valley as you descend towards Shing Mun Reservoir. Hiking down a stream is a different ball game to going up one. When you are climbing, you are able to pick a route up the rocks relatively easily. Coming down you have many more blind spots and often have to lower yourself carefully over the rock edges and slide your way down slowly. Take your time as it is easy to slip, especially with weak legs at the end of the day.
On the flip side, hiking down a stream does give you much better views than going up. Also, more often than not, the quickest, most direct route is jumping from the (smaller) waterfalls and swimming through the plunge pools. These jumps definitely provide some of the highlights of Section 6 and are what stream hikes are all about! The deepest of the pools in Tai Shing is called Maple Leaf Pool which is about 45 minutes from where you enter the stream and is well worth an extended dip.
Given the easy access to the trails around the reservoir, Tai Shing has become quite popular in recent years. Most visitors will probably just be bathing in the lower sections but you will find a few hikers exploring the river valley upstream. If you are combining this section with Section 5 then you will most likely be on the stream mid-to-late afternoon after the sun has gone down behind the trees, so you shouldn’t see too many other people.
The Argyle Ross only covers upper Tai Shing so you will need to depart from the stream after approximately a two hour descent. Keep tracking the GPS and look for an obvious clearing on your right with a path leading into the woods.After about 20 minutes you will arrive at the tarmacked Shing Mun Reservoir Walk and see the meandering embankment of the reservoir and maybe some monkeys too. There are no official campsites around the reservoir but you might get away with putting up a hammock around one of the many barbecue sites, although the monkeys can be vicious here in their search for food. Another ten minutes on this road and turn left down some steps to the Pineapple Dam Nature Trail which will soon bring you to the dam itself, some facilities and a minibus which will ferry you to Tsuen Wan MTR station if this is your desired exit.
To start the section from the end point of Section 5, turn right on the MacLehose for a few metres and turn left onto another trail. There isn’t an obvious point where the trail starts so check the GPS and look for a small clearing under the trees. A few metres down from the MacLehose path, near M141 you should see a small, crumbling stone wall in the forest on the left and a trail leading from it. The first part of the trail is relatively clear with only a few parts that are overgrown. After about 20 minutes you will reach Tai Mo Shan Forest Track and should see a signpost; turn right here in the direction of Tai Mo Shan. You will pass over a couple of small streams and through a pretty bamboo passageway until you reach Tai Shing stream. From the start of Section 6 to this point should take you just over half an hour.
Tai Shing is a magnificent stream. It is broader, straighter and more open than any of the other streams on the Argyle Ross Trail. This makes for some stunning views down the verdant Dragon Valley as you descend towards Shing Mun Reservoir. Hiking down a stream is a different ball game to going up one. When you are climbing, you are able to pick a route up the rocks relatively easily. Coming down you have many more blind spots and often have to lower yourself carefully over the rock edges and slide your way down slowly. Take your time as it is easy to slip, especially with weak legs at the end of the day.
On the flip side, hiking down a stream does give you much better views than going up. Also, more often than not, the quickest, most direct route is jumping from the (smaller) waterfalls and swimming through the plunge pools. These jumps definitely provide some of the highlights of Section 6 and are what stream hikes are all about! The deepest of the pools in Tai Shing is called Maple Leaf Pool which is about 45 minutes from where you enter the stream and is well worth an extended dip.
Given the easy access to the trails around the reservoir, Tai Shing has become quite popular in recent years. Most visitors will probably just be bathing in the lower sections but you will find a few hikers exploring the river valley upstream. If you are combining this section with Section 5 then you will most likely be on the stream mid-to-late afternoon after the sun has gone down behind the trees, so you shouldn’t see too many other people.
The Argyle Ross only covers upper Tai Shing so you will need to depart from the stream after approximately a two hour descent. Keep tracking the GPS and look for an obvious clearing on your right with a path leading into the woods.After about 20 minutes you will arrive at the tarmacked Shing Mun Reservoir Walk and see the meandering embankment of the reservoir and maybe some monkeys too. There are no official campsites around the reservoir but you might get away with putting up a hammock around one of the many barbecue sites, although the monkeys can be vicious here in their search for food. Another ten minutes on this road and turn left down some steps to the Pineapple Dam Nature Trail which will soon bring you to the dam itself, some facilities and a minibus which will ferry you to Tsuen Wan MTR station if this is your desired exit.
