Celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the Maclehose Trail

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the MacLehose Trail, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) will hold a hiking challenge named Complete Walk on MacLehose Trail 2019 from September to November. Members of the public are welcome to join to enjoy the fun of hiking and the beautiful natural scenery of Hong Kong.

Opened on 26 October 1979, the MacLehose Trail was the first long-distance hiking trail in Hong Kong, traversing from east to west through eight country parks, namely Sai Kung East, Sai Kung West, Ma On Shan, Lion Rock, Kam Shan, Shing Mun, Tai Mo Shan and Tai Lam. As the most representative hiking trail in Hong Kong and having been named as one of the world’s 20 dream trails by National Geographic magazine, the 100-kilometre MacLehose Trail is divided into 10 sections which embrace magnificent natural scenery, interesting historical relics and a wide range of wild fauna and flora, winding past the coastline, rugged mountains, valleys and reservoirs to provide a diverse outdoor experience for hikers.

A spokesman for the AFCD said, “Complete Walk on MacLehose Trail 2019 is the highlight of a series of celebration events. To encourage members of the public to visit different sections of the MacLehose Trail and enjoy the breathtaking scenery in the countryside, the AFCD will hold this hiking challenge from 1 September to 30 November. Hikers may complete different trail sections to experience the uniqueness of each section of the MacLehose Trail according to their physical strength, experience and preference for the routes. Participants can record the information of a completed trail section by taking simple steps with a mobile phone at the checkpoints of each trail section. Hikers will be awarded a souvenir after completing the required number of sections during the period of the challenge.”

Moreover, the AFCD will also hold many other interesting celebration events suitable for different walks of life, including MacLehose Trail 40th Anniversary Celebration Day, “Public Talk: The Legendary MacLehose Trail”, MacLehose Trail Maintenance Workshop, MacLehose Trail Campers and Excursion with Experts at MacLehose Trail. While celebrating the 40th anniversary of the MacLehose Trail, these events will also allow members of the public to learn more about the trail. Hikers are welcome to join suitable events according to their own physical ability, experience and preference.

Summary of MacLehose Trail 40th Anniversary Celebration Programme：

For details of the events, please visit the dedicated website of the Country Parks Education Programmes: natureintouch.gov.hk.