An enthusiastic group of Lantau trail runners organised by Debbie Bailey, helped Guy Shirra and two other members of the Friends of Sai Kung Committee, Carol Biddell and Geraldine Kennedy, cleared most of the Ho Chung Trackway up the east side of the valley towards Tai Nam Wu on 14 January.
Several large bags of rubbish were removed and the boulder trackway cleared of undergrowth and intruding foliage for several hundred metres. This trackway is one of three in the Ho Chung Valley of which two survive. This one joins the Ancient Trail from Ta Nam Wu to Customs Pass and the other one, also yet to be cleared, runs across the top of the valley where it joins the boulder trackway up from Kai Ham to the Maclehose Trail and on down to Siu Lek Yuen.
Another visit will be required before Spring to clear the section along the wall of the house and the branch track leading from the stone marker, blocked by the house owner. Sai Kung volunteers would be welcome for this and clearing the transverse second trackway.
More information can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/hongkongbouldertrackways/ and https://www.facebook.com/HongKongBoulderTrackways/
Many years ago we lived at the cha kwo ling mining site. I recall 87+ stairs made of stones as well as a foundation for a structure which led up the side of the hill. Unfortunately i do bot know how old is the stairway or what kind of stones. My guess is they were most likely quarried at the site but then one never knows…