Cows?

On a cool Sunday morning this past fall while adventuring in Hong Kong my fiance and I decided to experience some of the more remote aspects of the country. We boarded a boat in Central for the 1 hour ferry ride to Mui Wo located on the southeast side of Lantau Island; one of the country's less inhabited locales. This location provides a stark contrast to the busy life of Hong Kong with it's long sandy beach, vast forests, and relaxed lifestyle.  Upon reaching the island we caught a nearby bus to the 2nd stage of the 43 mile trail which travels roughly around the south side of the island. We had planned a 7 mile day hike traversing the 2nd and 3rd highest mountains in the country, Lantau Peak and Sunset Peak.

It began easy enough, the first mile was relatively flat and shaded by the dense subtropical forest. This was shortlived however as we were approached the base of our first ascent, Sunset Peak. With an elevation gain of over 2500 feet in only a mile and a half it's not exactly for the faint of heart. Hong Kong also has an interesting way of creating hiking trails as well. No matter the grade of the incline they feel the need to place steps there, which results in a mile and a half of uneven rock and cement steps to the summit of this peak. Our focus was purely on the endless chain of stairs which seemed to mock us as we tried to defeat them.

Finally, upon reaching the summit, we were rewarded with stunning views across the island and beyond. Running along the peak with nobody in sight while taking in the scenery was a priceless experience. We crested the peak the investigate only to hear the sound again coming from the other side of a small ridge along the trail. When we reached the ridge we saw something we never would have expected; a herd of wild cows standing in the middle of the trail. Apparently for the past 30 years loads of feral cows have been roaming the grass covered peaks around the island unharmed. 

It's quite interesting to go from the busy life of one of the world's financial capitals to a wilderness filled with wild cows and stunning scenery. I highly recommend it if you ever end up in Hong Kong.