Press Releases

Organised by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the "Great Outdoors Hong Kong!" hiking event was held on the Islands Nature Heritage Trail today (January 9) along with some 1,000 participants.

In collaboration with the Islands District Council, the AFCD has set up the new Islands Nature Heritage Trail to help promote nature-based tourism. The 20 km trail is divided into four sections: Mui Wo, Peng Chau, Tai O and Ngong Ping. The Mui Wo Section, 7km in length from Pak Mong in Tung Chung to Mui Wo, is the first to open and takes about 3 hours to complete.

Spanning Lantau from north to south, the Mui Wo Section connects the Hong Kong Olympic Trail and Lo Fu Tau Country Trail, where ancient villages such as Pak Mong, Ngau Kwu Long, Tai Ho and Pak Ngan Heung are located. A series of new interpretive panels in Chinese, English and Japanese have been installed at key locations, bringing to life dozens of stories about the ecology and history of Mui Wo. Hikers can learn more about the area's history while also enjoying the natural scenery along the way.

To tie in with the opening of the Mui Wo Section, the AFCD launched a new book, "Islands Series – Mui Wo", with support from the Islands District Council and Friends of the Country Parks. The book was co-written by retired country park ranger Mr Pang Cheung-chiu and experienced hiking expert Mr Lau Chun-wai. Apart from introducing the history and scenic beauty of Mui Wo, the book also records valuable interviews with Mui Wo personages who reveal stories about the origin and the lives of indigenous villagers. "Islands Series – Mui Wo" is now available at major bookstores for $40.

In addition, the AFCD introduced a new iPhone application, "Enjoy Hiking", to enhance support services for country park visitors. Users can download the application free of charge from the website: www.hkwalkers.net. Information on hiking trails and routes in various country parks is available. Depending on their interests, physical fitness and experience, users can select suitable routes and enjoy hiking in the Hong Kong countryside. The application also features the real-time Google map function indicating the user's location.

 

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