Extraordinary hike at Jardine's Lookout

This is a recap of our last Saturday's hike at Wilson Trail Stage 2, an awesome hike!!!

After the last two warm up hike, we decided to challenge ourselves a bit this time (just a little bit, we thought - little did we know what we actually did get ourselves into!! More about this later)
So we chose a ~7km trail that spans 2 major mountains on Hong Kong Island.


Very pretty view already after we got off the mini bus that took us near Parkview (an expensive housing area a bit up on a mountain), which is the closest place from the trail starting point that public transit will take us to.


To reach the starting point of the Wilson Trail, we had to walk uphill for another 15 min on pave road. The good weather helped building up the expectation for a good hike. What a beautiful day!!


Are we there yet? ;)


Finally !! Reach the start! Let's go!!


(Imagining myself) turning into a hiking expert, I couldn't wait to start hiking up!!! 1, 2, 3....


Ups-and-Downs-and-Ups...

This trail basically climbed up and through two mountains on HK Island: Mount Jardine and Mount Butler. Full of steps, ups and downs and ups and downs...


These are the relatively easier steps.... (since they were not steep at all)


The more hard-core ones


Half way through Mount Jardine... See the reservoir in the far side?



This trail is great, because there are many big stones of very weird, pretty shapes next to the trail.


Steps continued....


You might not be able to tell, but these stone steps were VERY tall... It was a bit scray climbing up them. What if I trip and .... roll? (Of coz, I didn't, haha...)


Helpw... my pants were soaked with sweat already... helpw...


Oh no... Mike got ahead!!


"Hey, wait for me!!!!"


"Hurry up, gal!!"


Unexpected Discovery

After hiking straight up for may be about 45 minutes, we discovered this really extraordinary scenic spot at top of Mt Jardine.

Look how surprised and excited we were!!!



The view up there was even prettier then looking down from the Peak.


You could even see the Wong Nai Chung Reservoir clearly. (thanks to the good weather)



Hong Kong IS a pretty city!! =)




Look, it's my pretty home town!!


Happy couple who discovered the perfect scene of the day =)

After our excitement of crossing Jardine's Lookout, we quickly came to our next trail stop.

The Wong Nai Chung Reservoir direction would take us downhill already. We decided to take up another mountain - Mount Bulter!!


But first we had to get off Mount Jardine first... Finally giving a bit of rest to my legs...


"Why are you always ahead of me?" I asked.
"To make sure you don't stop at every little bush and stone to take pictures!!"
"oh....."

My Usual Favorite - Nature Observation

Of coz I won't miss the chance to take pictures of my usual favorite, leaves, tress, flowers, ...etc. hehe...


Baby green leaves



Tiny green among the giant brown?


A rainbow leaf - Fern


Mike likes ferns =)


I have never seen these flowers before. They are so weird...

Does anybody know what are they?


pretty purple flowers~



Leaves that grow around a bush branch. Full of life and energy!!


Tree at the edge of a mountain


My Special Reeds Collection

I realized from this hike that I really like this kind of reeds...

An up-close shot~


Reeds waving in the wind


Reeds in the air



Reeds on the side of the mountain


They have such detailed and disordered yet pretty texture...

And their color - my beloved earthy brown with the background greens...


Such moving power... touching....

(I know i know.. u probably think I am very weird... but I just had seriously fallen in love with this kind of reeds....)


Can't stop taking pictures of them~


See!! I even got "Mike under the reeds" haha~


Okok.. for those who don't like reeds as much as I do... what about this crazy-looking bush? Awesome, huh? It reminded me of the crazy griping tree in Harry Potter. (speaking of which - so sad... no more Potter books... =(




Most of the trail was like this - no handrail on either side... Had to be extremely careful.


At some point we came across this wooden bar thing. Obviously somebody tried to block something from inside coming out... I wonder what that might be? Wild dogs? Bats? Worewolfs? (okok... too much Harry Potter reference, sorry) Or.... Blood-sucking monsters? haha~


"Hello Mike, what you got there?"


We also saw a bunch of electric tower at one part of the trail. Didn't know we can walk this close to it!!


More exhausting mountain-hiking (up)!!


Oh my gosh... I AM SWEATY!!! Had to tie my hair back~


What the heck? An army base??!?!


The view was so pretty that we couldn't stop ourselves from stopping and turned around to appreciate.


Reaching the top of Mount Bulter!!! Yay!!!


We DID IT !!!!!




I can tell from Mike's back alone that he really loves HK, ha~!!






Happy (and hot and sweaty and smelly) us!!!

We were both amazed but this trail and its view so much, but our stomach gave us a "wake-up" call. It sounded much like this:
"I AM EMPTY. FEED ME FEED ME!!!"


Starting our way down and back.



Passed by Mount Parker and its country park on our way down.



A stone-wall at the country park. Like the angle.

And FINALLY...


Feed the hungry gal, ha~ ^_^

We were very exhausted when we finally got home. My legs were still soar from all those steps and stairs today!!! Crazy but satisfactory!! =) Need to spend some more time finding another good hike for this Saturday, hehe~