Edgar, Zhengpeng Luo

People often ask me: ‘What do you like most about studying in Hong Kong?’. My answer to this question is: undoubtedly the perfect integration of nature and the city. Coming from a remote area with endless mountain ranges in Southwest China, I have developed a keen interest in nature exploration since childhood. Before I came to Hong Kong, I had never expected that this highly developed and extremely dense metropolitan city would have so much in store when it comes to country parks, nature reserves, and most important of all, remarkable landscapes.

After settling down and adapting to the research life of a PhD student, I began to explore the points of interest that could provide me with a little break from my study. I was extremely delighted to find that there is no need to look far, and nature is just within walking distance from the campus.

In this month’s article, I would like to introduce an attractive, yet little known hiking trail that is hidden in one of the many hills behind the HKU campus. The trail is called ‘treacherous trail’, a somewhat intimidating name. However, it is not actually dangerous, but instead belongs to one of the numerous public trails in Hong Kong. The trail starts from the playground situated at the intersection of Hatton Road and Lugard Road. The playground can be reached after a 30-minute walk along the Morning Trail starting from the HKU campus. The entrance to the trail is hidden in the woods in the southwest corner of the playground where there is a drinking fountain.


(Public playground at the intersection of Hatton Road and Lugard Road)

The hike is quite straightforward as there are no distracting paths. However, the hike up to the highest point of the trail, Mount High West, is rather intense. The lucky thing is, it only takes about 20 minutes to conquer all the steps. The View Compass at the peak signifies the end of the trail. The place is particularly known for its breath-taking views of the sunset and the cloud sea.

Below are some pictures I took during the countless visits I made there over the past two years. Although I have been there many times, I am still deeply impressed and touched by the astonishing views each time. These wonderful moments make me relaxed and help me appreciate the healing power of nature. I believe they will remain an indelible memory of my time at HKU in the many years to come.


(Sunset with wild grass, 13 November 2016)


(Sunset over Victoria Harbour, 12 January 2018)


(Iconic view of Victoria Harbour, 1 May 2018)


(Clouds over High West View Compass, 5 May 2018)

Published on: July 3, 2018 < Back >