spacer 05 04 03 02 01 spacer   FROG ROCK & MA ON SHAN DATE: 29.11.2022 A gorgeous Buffalo Hillbillies run with Ray. Starting with a muddy climb up to Frog Rock on some fun eroded, slightly overgrown trails, then climbing Ma On Shan for some stunning views. Descending onto Mac4 we soaked up the sunset and slow orange glow. Back down on Ma On Shan Country Trail, with some relaxing road at the end (even though I hate road). spacer   MUI TSZ LAM & GREENFINGERS CLIMB DATE: 18.11.2022 huge sky clouds fast embrace this moment it will not last past pointless just let go future furtive clouds say so spacer   DEJA VIEW POINT & TURRET HILL DATE: 16.11.2022 Collage #1: Flower Power And Decomposition. Flowers from a species of Camellia near the peak of Turret Hill, maybe Camellia oleifera but I know fuck all about shrubs. Yes, I know the collage is pretentious. But if we stop doing shit, pretentious, pointless time consuming things that make us happy; we may as well subsume ourselves into the proletariat. spacer   CANOE ROCK & SUNSET BRIDGE DOWNZO DATE: 15.11.2022 I love the sound of trains. Clitter clatter klunk. Sound of movement. Was thinking that on the MTR today. That golden orb weaver (Nephila pilipes) was a beast. Not sure I’ve ever seen one this late in the year before. It had a nice butterfly meal and if you look at the photo closely, one of the small orange males of the species on its back. spacer   THREE TREE & GREEN CONTOURS DATE: 12.11.2022 Dead Hope. Is the title of that highlight photo. There was a fire in this area a few years ago and thankfully it does seem to be regenerating. Went from Mui Tsz Lam up to Shek Lung Tsai and explored more of the myriad old village paths in this area. Invariably either with old growth woodland or extremely overgrown relatively recent shurbbery. Gravelly descent. spacer   LION ROCK RIDGE DATE: 11.11.2022 Starting slow after celebrating the T20 cricket world cup result vociferously. Headed to Heather Pass and then followed MacLehose to Jat's Lookout. After Sha Tin Pass ran up to Lion Rock just in time for the mellow orange sunset. Was a strange run, felt lighter and lighter as it progressed. Good job it finished when it did, otherwise I might have floated! spacer   20 YEARS OF HKHIKING.COM DATE: 08.11.2022 Well, we made it. 20 years of hiking in Hong Kong and all the various iterations of this site. Who would have thought? I have met so many wonderful people, done so many gorgeous hikes. All these moments burnt into my brain are a permanent impression of who I am. Nature is confusing. It is cruel and indifferent. Brutal at times. But so, stupidly beautiful. I love nature. spacer   RAM PATH & CANOE ROCK DATE: 30.10.2022 A Buffalo Hillbillies run. First we ran from Fa Sam Hang to Mui Tsz Lam and then followed Ram Path up to Mui Tsz Lam. Next came a short interlude on quite crowded Mac4 before Canoe Rock, looking good with sun in the background. Finally, the fun, gravelly descent to Tai Shui Hang. A well deserved beer at the end on Sunset Bridge. spacer   BOUNTIFUL BAMBOO PATH DATE: 29.10.2022 Exploring old village paths around Mui Tsz Lam and Wong Chuk Shan; which are overgrown, weird, dishevelled, mad, perfect. With overt rustling nature. If you're after bright photos of sunlight with happy smiling people then I can't help you. But I did find a 300m long bamboo grove. Some very charismatic tree trunks and a lot of lush greenery. spacer   LION ROCK RIDGE & PAGODA DOWNZO DATE: 08.10.2022 Starting quite late and running past Jat's Looukout to Sha Tin Pass before following Maclehose Trail 5 until climbing to Lion Rock just in time for sunset. Enjoyed the views on the ridge as always and finished in the dark, watching all the creepy crawlies. Mr. Froggie in the photo is Odorrana graminea. A very active, healthy looking individual. spacer   COBRA RIDGE DATE: 03.10.2022 I see snakes quite often during the summer months, maybe once or twice a week. And have seen maybe 6 Chinese cobras this summer (no King cobras this year). They always slither off immediately; but a well fed large individual today was enjoying the sun long enough for a photo. I zoomed in from a looong way away I might add! Don't get close to these snakes. spacer   TURRET HILL VIA PENGUIN ROCK DATE: 02.10.2022 A fun relaxing hike with JY. The clouds were amazing, whilst the sun was playing hide and seek with us. We started at Shek Mun and followed the steep climb to Penguin Rock. Then came the gorgeous undulating mud paths up to Turret Hill, which happened to be one of the moments when the sun came out to play. We then took Andy's Backyward Descent. spacer   THREE SISTER TREE DATE: 09.09.2022 Headed to Mui Tsz Lam first, stopping to admire the gorgeous shadow and light illuminated stream. Then an overgrown climb to Three Tree Contour which I followed westwards. It was quite clear, I was expecting it to be more overgrown after the summer. Then some of the gravelly trails in that area before an hidden descent and some relaxing canals. spacer   DRAGONFLY OWNS IT DATE: 04.09.2022 Dragonflies are mischievous. They quite often fly ahead of you along a path, landing a few metres away before flying ahead of you again when you get close. Taking photos of them is not always easy, especially as I always run with a phone. But this one (Tramea virginia in case you are wondering) was happy and proud to pose for a long time. Owner of the Buffalo Ridge. spacer   MA ON SHAN VIA ROPEY ROPE DATE: 21.08.2022 The northern ascent of Ma On Shan from Wu Kai Sha is pretty steep. An average 37% gradient for about 1.6km. It's also amazingly good fun. Scrambing up the steep path which today, was also very slippery. Ma On Shan is quite bashful at times. Often subsumed by clouds who seem to love it. That was the case today, bashful Ma On Shan :-) spacer   BUFFALO RIDGE DATE: 19.08.2022 Just follow the clouds. Clouds definitely have personalities, and a presence. Especially in summer in Hong Kong when the massive cloud formations flit and flirt around. Moving up to Buffalo Hill in the dynamic landscape that is also moving around everywhere, on many planes. Simply enjoying the stunning views and soaking it all up. spacer   BUFFALO & JAT'S LOOKOUT DATE: 15.08.2022 A late start, timed it to end in the dark. Just about made it over Buffalo Hill before dusk descended. Loads of the Huntsman spiders out on the trail at night, their eyes shining bright in my head torch. The one in the photo is Heteropoda amphora. Amazing view of Kowloon Peak and city lights at Jat's Lookout as always. All those people existing. spacer   BUFFALO RIDGE & TURRET HILL DATE: 07.08.2022 Just relaxing really, basking in sunset and appreciating nature. Admiring the plethora of living entities around me. That golden orb weaver was a beast. The guardian of Ma On Shan. Were I a golden orb weaver I would build my web there too. What a view for sunset! The tropical swallowtail moths seemed to hate the breezy weather; I felt a bit sorry for them. spacer   SOGGY SOCKS DATE: 25.07.2022 Squelchy socks are THE most fashionable item on Hong Kong's summer trails. Don't be seen and not heard without them. I guess there are various mitigators, such as some powder, or more aerated shoes. But I doubt any of them would help significantly. When it's 36C and 90% humidity not much can stop the squelch. Just wring them out and get on with it. spacer   TURRENT HILL & PENGUIN ROCK DATE: 22.07.2022 Ironically, I am currently reading the novel Winter by Ali Smith. Part of a quadrilogy of slightly abstract, difficult to pin down yet meaningful meditations on the last few years of all our lives. Right now, in Hong Kong, it is not winter. I think that is one of the first time I have passed Penguin Rock when it is not either cloudy, or dark. Lush. spacer   RAM PATH & PAGODA RIDGE DATE: 11.07.2022 Ram Path, from Mui Tsz Lam to Mau Ping, is perfect. Taking in clear old village trails until Shek Lung Tsai before becoming a bit more fun and adventurous with a gorgeous mud contour encore. 100,000m+ elevation on all trailruns of the year for me today. I don't run by numbers, or care about them. But if I did care, it would be about elevation and not distance :-) spacer   KOWLOON PEAK & TUNG YEUNG SHAN DATE: 10.07.2022 My normal tried and tested strategy of starting on shadowy trails and emerging into sunlight once sunset is approaching and the warmth reduced to a comforing smoulder. I love basking in the sun, but not a fan of sunburn. Or the irresponsibly long sun exposure that are a potential consequence of my absolute love of trailrunning. Sensible Boy :-) spacer   BUFFALO & WEST BUFFALO DATE: 08.07.2022 Butterfly is a spangle (Papilio protenor). Part of the swallowtail family commonly seen in Hong Kong during summer. Gorgeous. Really active, pausing occasionally to pose. My favourite is paris peacock (Papilio paris). That blue when they fly is bluetiful. But they are always moving! I nearly got a perfect photo of one once, but it flew away one second before I took it. Haha! spacer   JAT'S LOOKOUT LOOPY LOOP DATE: 04.06.2022 Just one of those clear, fresh and perfect days when it is a pleasure to be trailrunning. It's like running through an artificially perfect backdrop to a film. I often think that actually, that the nature in Hong Kong is sometimes like an imagined version of what gorgeous semi-tropical scenery should look like. But it's not. It's real, and I have the scratches to prove it :-) spacer   TURRET HILL VIA NORTH FACE DATE: 29.05.2022 A Buffalo Hillbillies run. First we ran to Mui Tsz Lam in the shade and then a bit of road. Next came the Turret Hill north face ascent which is a fun challenge. Really steep and eroded at the start and then it flattens out a bit and starts to undulate. The clouds were amazing. We took Andy's backyard descent to Shek Mun before some beerzos at Hillbillies Flyover. spacer   BUFFALO HILL PAGODA RIDGE DATE: 28.05.2022 Pure atmosphere. I can't deny that one of my favourite things is seeing undulating hills with gradations of sunlight and shade. Preferably with some mean looking clouds in the background. Today was one of those days. I waited about 10 minutes to get that photo of Buffalo Hill entirely in shade whilst the surroundings are in sunlight. It did make me happy :-) spacer   SHA TIN PASS LOOPY LOOP DATE: 25.05.2022 Creepy cloudy, misty views. Reminded me of a wet, shadow strewn Berlin. And of the film M by Fritz Lang. Disorientation and confusion with the leitmotif of nature. Wore the Hoka Speedgoats. Still can't love them. The Vibram grip is amazing. But I do a lot of short, technical runs where I need to feel my feet more precisely. Don't feel in control with all this bouncy stuff. spacer   WEST BUFFALO HILL DATE: 09.05.2022 Clean sky, clean clouds, clean contours. Beautiful Buffalo. Been reading Exciting Times by Naoise Dolan. Set in Hong Kong it recounts various modern interactions within a generation. I guess that is the modern, self aware generation. Hyper aware of everything. Nihilistic but craving romance. Nothing much political in there, in case you were wondering :-) spacer   ROCK WINDOW DATE: 25.04.2022 The butterfly is a female Lexias pardalis. Happy to pose. Loads of them on quite shaded trails at low altitude at the moment. Headed to the famous rock window. Beloved of Instagrammers everywhere. But I once again maintain that the rocks surrounding the rock window are far more interesting and dramatic than the tired and jaded photo opportunity itself. spacer   RAM PATH DATE: 24.04.2022 A Buffalo Hillbillies run. Ramzo Pathzo. Always amazing. We ran along MacLehose for a bit before hitting Buffalo Hill at which point the clouds became stunning. And mad. It almost felt as if we were walking into them. Afterwards we headed to Hillbillier Pier for some symmetrical beer between various flyovers. Admiring an ancient banyan tree in the distance. spacer   3RD FIRE ON BUFFALO RIDGE IN 2 YEARS DATE: 11.04.2022 Damien Hirst burning project; selling artworks as physical objects or NFTs. If buyer decides they want NFT the original (shit) artwork is burnt. John Baldessari did this more authentically during The Cremation Project in the 50/60s. Using the ashes to bake biscuits. As for the fire on Buffalo Ridge. Fuck that. Obviously started by a human somehow. No lightning in April, right? spacer   GOLDEN ORB WEAVER ALLEY DATE: 04.04.2022 What are those red flowers? Why do they randomly emerge in April? Why are various gradations of the sky so subtle so beautiful? Why does leaf litter always make me want to sleep in it even though I know it would be damp? Why is sunset so sunsettish? Why are lesser atlas moths mortal? Why do my legs look fucking amazing when I drink beer? spacer   BUFFALO HILL RIDGE FIRE DAMAGE DATE: 14.03.2022 2nd fire on Buffalo Ridge in 2 years. Working its way up from about half way. Stark, depressing scenery. Stark, depressing reality. Based on my amateur investigation the fire started about half way up the initial climb near a rock people sit on. I once had to politely ask someone to put out a randomly discarded, still lit, cigarette butt on Buffalo Ridge. You do the math(s). spacer   BAMBOO SEA PATH DATE: 13.03.2022 Bamboo Sea Path is an entity all to itself. I'm pretty sure it is sentient. Running from Tai No old village up to MacLehose 4 is is reasonably passable in winter and then, in summer, it becomes a sea. You need to part the waves of bamboo to pass through. Saw the first ominous fumes from the fire on Buffalo Ridge on the descent but rant about that above. spacer   BUFFALO RIDGE DATE: 09.03.2022 pink flowers make me happy branches sweeping into orange glow an endnote to a trailrun rough and soft life's natural flow spacer   TURRET HILL NORTH & PENGUIN ROCK DATE: 08.03.2022 Fresh and very gusty on Turret Hill. As ever, the descent on Penguin Rock was memorable. There is one steep section where you need to lower yourself down on some rocks during the final descent. The same small, random, sturdy branch has sliced my arse two times already on the descent. It did again today. I wish I could learn how to learn. Don't dote on rote. spacer   KOWLOON PEAK DATE: 14.02.2022 Could hardly believe that the durability of the branch sprouting two purple flowers despite having no leaves on it whatsoever. How did it manage that? Is that like eeking out the last vestiges of our strength to finish a long trailrunning race? Kowloon Peak was looking a bit dry. Does there need to be some rain soon to help our parched natural friends? spacer   CONTOURIDDEAN TRAIL DATE: 12.02.2022 A Buffalo Hillbillies run. First of all came the warm up ~250m+ climb to Shek Nga Pui. Then the delicious descent down to Tai No abandoned village on the Brain Trail. Trying to avoid getting amssacred by those weird spikey bad hairdo plants. After this came the Contouriddean Trail, a strange, overgrown contour that is technical and overgrown but also very addictive. spacer   TURRET HILL NORTH & PENGUIN ROCK DATE: 11.02.2022 Photo from Deja View Point. Aptly named, because on many of the routes up Turret Hill it is passed and you are never quite sure how you got there. I have no idea about air currents, and thermals and why sometimes clouds are mad and sometimes they seem to be very well behaved. But something, was keeping those clouds in a very straight line. spacer   TUNG YEUNG SHAN DATE: 27.01.2022 Started reading the Rivers Of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. Ohhhhh it's almost too easy and fun to read and references many places I know very well. Is literature bad if it is too easy to read? I normally expect to be either confused or traumatised when I read a novel. Tung Yeung Shan looking fucking amazing amidst weird, wispy clouds. spacer   BUFFALO RIDGE SUNSET DATE: 19.01.2022 just another day gobbling moments like swallows gobble insects this view is our view but you're not here spacer 05 04 03 02 01 spacer back to top