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Get out: Moontrekker: Mui Wo to Lantau Peak
40km Very Difficult
Moontrekker is the latest endurance race to hit Hong Kong and although it may be over, there’s no time like the present to get training for next year. The race departs from the Mui Wo Football Pitch following the waterfront to the Lantau Trail trailhead. The route continues on the trail out to the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula passing the correctional institute. The next section is where the darkness will start to effect your depth perception.
The route heads up over the peninsula, crossing a reservoir and wrapping along one of the area’s best mountain-biking trails. This section can be tricky in the dark; the trail is overgrown and canopied with trees. At foot-level low-moving shadows, reflective rock and leaves can make for confusing terrain, stumbles and sprains.
The next section winds around Sunset Peak and crosses flowing waterfalls gradually ascending to Pak Kung Au from the Nam Shan Country Park Centre. The trail is fairly flat and makes for fast hoofing to the next checkpoint, but saving your steam is necessary as the final segment is a slog.
At Pak Kung Au, the final 7km (feels like 15) begins down the old Tung Chung Road where the trail picks up along a nature trail through Tei Tong Tsai and around Lantau Peak heading gradually up toward Ngong Ping.
At Ngong Ping, the real challenge of the race begins and if you’re tired now, you’re screwed. Steps ascend the remaining 500 vertical metres toward Lantau Peak in just over 1km. At night, it’s impossible to judge the true distance to the peak. Below the stars, only the snaking road winding through villages accompanies you. After reaching the ridge it’s a short walk to the peak along a treacherous ridge that falls off into an abyss under the darkness of night.
From the peak it’s slow going on sore knees down to Tung Chung Road, the finish line, and refreshments.
Getting There: Take the Ferry from Central to Mui Wo ferry terminal.
Andrew James
This year over US$50,000 was raised for Room to Read. Albert Yung was first across the finish with a time of 4:31:11 in the 40km race. For more information, visit moontrekker.com or contact info@moontrekker.com.
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