Section 7 Pineapple Dam to Chuen Lung
Staircase waterfalls and Flying Ape gorge
Difficulty ***** | Time 3.5 hrs | Distance 7.4 km | Transport to start Bus to Shing Mun Reservoir | Hammocks On stream | Food Chuen Lung (Dim Sum) | Water feature Stream
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Section 7 information
Section 7 of the Argyle Ross Trail takes you from Shing Mun Reservoir, up the challenging Tai Yuen stream before finishing in Chuen Lung on Route Twisk, one of the oldest Hakka villages in the Tsuen Wan district. Given the technical waterfall climbs on the upper stream, this section is the most challenging of the entire trail. These climbs must be taken with care and certainly not done alone. If you are an inexperienced stream-hiker, an easier, alternative route which misses out these climbs is detailed below. If you are aiming to eat dim sum in Chuen Lung (highly recommended), make sure you start hiking around 9am.
Start by leaving Pineapple Dam and head west along the Shing Mun Catchwater. Not the most interesting start to a section but it’s an unwritten rule that all long-distance Hong Kong trails have to have at least one stretch of tedious catchwater. After about half an hour you will reach a small dam on your right. Hop over the metal railings and climb up the steep steps to the stream. Make sure you carefully traverse to the left hand side of the stream until you make it to some rocks that you can walk on.
The lower section of Tai Yuen is unremarkable. Nonetheless, it is still a very pleasant scramble up numerous boulders within the tranquillity of a lush forest. After about 20 minutes, when several grey water pipes start to criss-cross the stream, you will see quite a steep waterfall. Head up the bank to the right-hand side of the stream, under the trees and follow the pipe with some old rope hanging off it. At this point it is worth beginning to check your GPS map regularly as the stream fragments in different directions and it is easy to go wrong. Keep climbing up the main stream for another half hour or so until you reach Bridge 2 of the Lung Mun Country Trail.
The bridge marks an approximate half-way point of the stream segment of Section 7. However, do not be tempted to have an extended break here as there is a real treat awaiting you not far upstream. If you are unsure about the steep waterfall climbs that lie ahead or the weather has turned dangerously wet, this is the place to temporarily leave the Argyle Ross. If this is the case, simply climb out of the stream, turn left over the bridge and follow the Lung Mun Country Trail until you hit a road. Turn right and make your way up the winding paths of Heung Shek Cemetery until you join the Argyle Ross again. You are almost in Chuen Lung at this point and close to completing the section.
If you do continue however, about 20 minutes continuing through the upper section of the stream, you will soon arrive at Silver Flower Pool, a lovely enclosed plunge pool nestled under the trees with a small waterfall carving its way down through the rock. Make sure you swim here as it is comfortably the best pool of the entire stream. Surprisingly, someone has crafted two tiled seats which makes this place perfect for a break.
After Silver Flower Pool, the river begins to twist steeply up the valley. Each turn will leave you dazzled by a new waterfall with its relentless flow. With most of the smaller falls you can climb directly up them, straight through the running water. This is less slippery than it sounds and an absolute highlight of Section 7. The tallest in this series of waterfalls is definitely too dangerous to climb without equipment but fortunately there is a hidden path around the cliff to the right.
The subsequent steeper sections of the stream are usually accompanied with paths on the sides of the river although you will often have to fight your way through branches and vines in order to pass them. Around here, look out for two small tributaries leading off to the right in succession; keep to the left to ensure you stay on the main Tai Yuen stream.
You will know when you reach Flying Ape Gorge as you will find two metal cables fixed to an almost vertical cliff to the right of the cascading water. This is the most difficult climb of the section and you must use one of the cables to help you clamber up. Either is fine but the ascent on the right has more footholds and is likely to be less slippery. Take your time here; losing grip of the cable could land you in serious trouble. Once you have scaled this 10 metre cliff, the hard work is over and you will continue until a track to the right of the stream leads you up and out of the river valley onto a forest trail.
Turn left and follow this trail for 15 minutes until it forks in two. Make sure you take the left path for yet another surprise on Section 7. As you walk down this overgrown trail and out of the forest you will be greeted by stunning views of Kowloon with Lantau and Hong Kong Island in the distance. These are some of the best urbanscapes of the entire Argyle Ross Trail. As you skirt along the open hillside you will re-meet Tai Yuen Left at the top of a majestic waterfall. Sitting in the small pool here, soaking up the views on a clear summer’s day, is surely one of Tai Mo Shan's best kept secrets.
The final part of Section 7 involves joining Heung Shek Path through Heung Shek Cemetery. Leave the cemetery, cross the road, and follow the stepped path downhill before taking the first right into the outskirts of Chuen Lung. The section finishes at Choi Lung, a local Hong Kong favourite serving delicious dim sum and the culinary experience of the Argyle Ross. Make sure you sit on the first floor terrace and soak up the buzz of hikers, tourists and locals. Choi Lung can get very busy at weekends and public holidays and closes at 3pm, so plan accordingly. The restaurant is conveniently located next to Route Twisk with a number of transport options back towards Tsuen Wan.
Start by leaving Pineapple Dam and head west along the Shing Mun Catchwater. Not the most interesting start to a section but it’s an unwritten rule that all long-distance Hong Kong trails have to have at least one stretch of tedious catchwater. After about half an hour you will reach a small dam on your right. Hop over the metal railings and climb up the steep steps to the stream. Make sure you carefully traverse to the left hand side of the stream until you make it to some rocks that you can walk on.
The lower section of Tai Yuen is unremarkable. Nonetheless, it is still a very pleasant scramble up numerous boulders within the tranquillity of a lush forest. After about 20 minutes, when several grey water pipes start to criss-cross the stream, you will see quite a steep waterfall. Head up the bank to the right-hand side of the stream, under the trees and follow the pipe with some old rope hanging off it. At this point it is worth beginning to check your GPS map regularly as the stream fragments in different directions and it is easy to go wrong. Keep climbing up the main stream for another half hour or so until you reach Bridge 2 of the Lung Mun Country Trail.
The bridge marks an approximate half-way point of the stream segment of Section 7. However, do not be tempted to have an extended break here as there is a real treat awaiting you not far upstream. If you are unsure about the steep waterfall climbs that lie ahead or the weather has turned dangerously wet, this is the place to temporarily leave the Argyle Ross. If this is the case, simply climb out of the stream, turn left over the bridge and follow the Lung Mun Country Trail until you hit a road. Turn right and make your way up the winding paths of Heung Shek Cemetery until you join the Argyle Ross again. You are almost in Chuen Lung at this point and close to completing the section.
If you do continue however, about 20 minutes continuing through the upper section of the stream, you will soon arrive at Silver Flower Pool, a lovely enclosed plunge pool nestled under the trees with a small waterfall carving its way down through the rock. Make sure you swim here as it is comfortably the best pool of the entire stream. Surprisingly, someone has crafted two tiled seats which makes this place perfect for a break.
After Silver Flower Pool, the river begins to twist steeply up the valley. Each turn will leave you dazzled by a new waterfall with its relentless flow. With most of the smaller falls you can climb directly up them, straight through the running water. This is less slippery than it sounds and an absolute highlight of Section 7. The tallest in this series of waterfalls is definitely too dangerous to climb without equipment but fortunately there is a hidden path around the cliff to the right.
The subsequent steeper sections of the stream are usually accompanied with paths on the sides of the river although you will often have to fight your way through branches and vines in order to pass them. Around here, look out for two small tributaries leading off to the right in succession; keep to the left to ensure you stay on the main Tai Yuen stream.
You will know when you reach Flying Ape Gorge as you will find two metal cables fixed to an almost vertical cliff to the right of the cascading water. This is the most difficult climb of the section and you must use one of the cables to help you clamber up. Either is fine but the ascent on the right has more footholds and is likely to be less slippery. Take your time here; losing grip of the cable could land you in serious trouble. Once you have scaled this 10 metre cliff, the hard work is over and you will continue until a track to the right of the stream leads you up and out of the river valley onto a forest trail.
Turn left and follow this trail for 15 minutes until it forks in two. Make sure you take the left path for yet another surprise on Section 7. As you walk down this overgrown trail and out of the forest you will be greeted by stunning views of Kowloon with Lantau and Hong Kong Island in the distance. These are some of the best urbanscapes of the entire Argyle Ross Trail. As you skirt along the open hillside you will re-meet Tai Yuen Left at the top of a majestic waterfall. Sitting in the small pool here, soaking up the views on a clear summer’s day, is surely one of Tai Mo Shan's best kept secrets.
The final part of Section 7 involves joining Heung Shek Path through Heung Shek Cemetery. Leave the cemetery, cross the road, and follow the stepped path downhill before taking the first right into the outskirts of Chuen Lung. The section finishes at Choi Lung, a local Hong Kong favourite serving delicious dim sum and the culinary experience of the Argyle Ross. Make sure you sit on the first floor terrace and soak up the buzz of hikers, tourists and locals. Choi Lung can get very busy at weekends and public holidays and closes at 3pm, so plan accordingly. The restaurant is conveniently located next to Route Twisk with a number of transport options back towards Tsuen Wan.
