This photo was taken on Stage 6 on Mount Butler. On a clear day like this day, the views are magnificent. Whether you are hiking and want to enjoy the natural beauty of Hong Kong (yes, that may come as a surprise to many people), or on the wartime trail, walking the ground to understand the movement of both sides and why certain actions took place. In this fine photo I've sketched the general routes that can be taken on Stage 6. The red route is the trail route, a less interesting walk, but the direct route to the next stage. The blue route is the heritage route that takes you across four handsome granite bridges and other related features, World War 2 remnants, the base of the dam, and a mad dash along a narrow road to the official end of Stage 5 and the start of Stage 6.

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Stage 6 take you down from Mount Parker Road at Quarry Pass ('San' Gap, to give it it's World War 2 name), the saddle between Mount Butler and Mount Parker, to the water works features in this, the Gauge Basin which consists of a number of reservoirs and a by-wash. What is that mound at the end of the dam? The route takes you right and around it past a small bridge and then the Tai Tam By-Wash Reservoir crossing. Going left takes you directly to the crossing, but the distance between each is insignificant. Many walkers won't realise that this mound used to be an artillery emplacement and was put to good to use against the Japanese during the Battle for Hong Kong, 1941. When the Japanese invaded the island on the night of the 18th December, their rapid advance soon put this position in danger and had to be evacuated. It looks a heavily forested hill now just begging to be explored.

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I ascended the mound via use of the ladder at the end of the dam, and then scrambled up the slope, fighting the undergrowth. The vegetation is very thick and after finding this structure it wasn't really possible to continue so I retreated back the way I came with thought that I would follow the trail around the mound and see if any other opportunities would present themselves to penetrate the jungle. This structure is for ready use ammunition storage.

At the by-wash reservoir crossing at the battery, trail marker H64, is an entrance ramp to the mound. Following it up, the terrain is more passable and a number of structures can be found among the undergrowth and ruins, including a gun pit.

Next to the ramp up into the Gauge Basin Battery is this structure which looks like it would have been used for storage. Leading off to the left the route goes alongside the Tai Tam by-wash.

This stage is a peaceful walk rather than an exhausting hike and if you take the blue route that I marked out, plenty of variety to look at.

The heritage trail takes the walker around the water features associated with the Gauge Basin. The dams and bridges here were built between 1904 and 1907 to try and support a population growing faster than the water supply could support.

What this structure definitely is not is a pillbox. There are two ventilation shafts and a bricked up door and window. To have ventilation shafts on a building with such a big window and door is strange. Is there something underneath this? Or was the building meant to be sealed, hence the need for ventilation? This location is now a barbecue site and is opposite the Red Brick Building and Workers Quarters.

The Red Brick Building and Workers Quarters is located a little bit off the road and out of view so could be easily missed.

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The barbecue site on the Tai Tam Reservoir Road after ignoring the turning for the HK Trail gives you a view of the strangely topped Tai Tam Intermediate Reservoir Dam. This far more interesting walk takes you past a number of heritage water works. This dam was lowered for safety reasons hence the cut down top.

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These shelters are now bricked up and the place a picnic site, with no sign of the desperate situation and misery that the men who found themselves here faced. After British forces were forced from the north shore and the natural barriers of the mountains of Mount Butler and Jardine's Lookout were either overcome or circumvented by the Japanese, British forces and stragglers assembled here waiting for further orders. Not far from is the Tai Tam cross road, with this the Tai Tam Reservoir Road intersecting with the Tai Tam Road. This road leads to Stanley Gap Road and Stanley. The orders given to Lt-Col Cadogan-Rawlinson were to defend the cross roads and the dam and to cover the withdrawal of troops to Stanley.

If only walls could tell their tales.

The end of the reservoir walk ends up at the toilets and bus stop. If you aren't stopping, to get to the next stage the Tai Tam Road, the main road in the photo, can not be walked along. It's very narrow and goes along the top of the dam, with traffic lights controlling both sides. To continue the walk we carry on the Tai tam Reservoir Road, Tai Tam Harbour, the base of the dam, up to the top and then re-join the road.

After walking at the base of the dam and ascending back up to road level, there is a bus stop that can be seen near the bottom of the road in this photo. From there you should wait for the traffic coming across to stop before then running up the road to this spot, which is just metres away from the start of stage 7.

Stage 7 is an easy and relatively fast section. It's flat (apart from the very end), and much of it is on a good surface as the trail follows the water catchments. Right now the shadows are long and night time comes fast at these latitudes.

Looking beyond the Lin Hook Sin Koon Temple, on the spit of land jutting into the sea is Tung Ah Tsuen and the intact Pillbox 33 can be seen.

This bus stop is ideally placed right at the intersection between stages 7 and 8. To get onto the Dragons Back just follow the sign post.

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About midway between H43 and H44 the trail takes you off Lady Clementi's Ride and onto Middle Gap Road, or at least on this section what looks like a never ending set of steps.

HK Trail 4 - Middle Gap Road

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Commonly referred to as Pillbox 3, this has been in doubt due to another Pillbox 3 on the island. According to Hong Kong University this is LBP 11 (Locality Pill Box 11). I don't know what a 'locality' pillbox signifies.

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Not far before H58 in the saddle between Siu Ma Shan and Mount Butler there is bare gap giving more great views over the harbour, and in this case the western approaches and the narrow Lei Yue Mun channel. It as across near and near to it that the Japanese invaded Hong Kong island and made the rapid advance initially to the right and then inland to try and cut the island in half.

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The end of Stage 5 is the saddle between Mount Butler and Mount Parker. It has a pavilion and toilets as well as quite a large picnic area. Upon inspection you will find remnants of a building. In fact this used to be the location of the Taikoo Sugar Refinery and Sanatorium, also called Mount Parker Sanatorium. It was serviced by the Mount Parker Road from Quarry Bay which you may have taken in order to get to the starting point for Stage 6, unless you continue straight on from Stage 5. In World War 2 it was referred to as 'San' Gap, another key strategic location connecting north and south of the island and was another key objective on the first night that the Japanese came ashore.

The Taikoo Sanatorium was built in the 1890s as a TB hospital by the owners of Taikoo Sugar Refinery and Taikoo Dockyards, both situated on the north shore of the island and connected directly to the Sanatorium by the Mount Parker Road. It was also used as summer retreat for non-local staff of said locations to escape the summer heat. A cable car used to provide access from the coast to the gap of which the foundations remain. It was demolished in the 1930s but was still referred to as 'San' Gap during the battle. From this contemporary photo the building looks beautiful, typical for the period, and completely exposed with views around. I'm always amazed by how bare the mountains of Hong Kong used to be. The Sanatorium faces the Tai Tam Reservoirs and the buttressed supports you can see in the photo are still there but mainly hidden by the forest. The road in the old photo leads down to the reservoirs and today is the beginning of Stage 6 of the Hong Kong Trail.

Not actually part of the trail, but at the end of Stage 5 you are faced with a decision; push on for another 4.5km to complete Stage 6 or if Jardine's Lookout was too tiring and the day is late, take the 3.5km Mount Parker Road down to Quarry Bay. The distance is similar, both are downhill, but the attraction with the latter is that you end up back in the city with food no shortage of places to eat. Continue on to Stage 6 and you may tackle it like a mission, missing out on the various points of interest to reach the end. And the end? A wait for a bus at a remote location. I took the route back to Quarry Bay and stumbled across this charming building. Built in the 1920s by Taikoo Sugar Refinery to house members of the refinery’s management. We are quite fortunate today that this building was spared wartime destruction and the post war wrecking ball.

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The pillbox (or observation post) over overlooking the western approaches into Victoria Harbour.

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Two marker posts in and we are already quite high. This stage is rated at as high as 3/3 for difficulty and shares this honour with stage 5, Wong Nai Chung Gap Road to Mount Parker Road.

The climb to get here was steep and challenging but following the contour of the Dragon's Back is less tiring whilst giving great views.

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Last photo at the viewing point. It was quite a cool day with the wind chill and we had spent enough time standing still!

Much of section 7 follows the catch water and is an easy walk. The elevation changes are few and gradual and the surface is paved.

The beautiful Lin Hook Sin Koon temple at Lan Nai Wan Tsuen at around distance post H80.

Just before turning inland to H84 and the end of stage 7, this picture across Tam Tam Bay shows Red Hill peninsula, and Stanley in the distance.

Hong Kong Trail 6 starts at Quarry Pass Pavilion at H59. Behind the pavilion are steps that lead down from the peak of Mount Butler. This junction sees the Mount Parker Road split into three. North which you might have come up, leads to Quarry Bay on the north shore. South goes down to the Tai Tam Reservoirs ( Tai Tam, Tai Tam Byewash, Tai Tam Intermediate, and the Tai Tam Tuk). At this location are the ruins of the Mount Parker Cable Car. The last part of the junction leads up to Mount Parker. Located here was also the now demolished Sanatorium, which gave this location its previous name, Sanatorium Gap. Mount Parker was one of the first targets of the Japanese once they came ashore. Control of this high ground would offer commanding views all around.

Mount Parker Road leading to the Tai Tam Reservoir dam just after at H63 is a small road with trees either side giving a decent amount of shade. This photo is the view back after crossing the reservoir.

A bit further on from the Tai Tam damn is the byewash dam situated at H64. Due to population growth and lack of land for water catchment, the government extended development to collect the overflow from the Tai Tam (the upper) reservoir and was completed in 1904.

Canadian troops fought against the Japanese invaders on Mount Butler during World War II. John Robert Osborn of the Winnipeg Grenadiers won the Victoria Cross for his sacrifice during the battle and this marker commemorates his action.

Starting at the Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park, the route goes up and up; first past the reservoir on the road, and then as it turns left and off the road up to Jardine's Lookout on a series of steps and inclines, a total of 1.5km. Added to that, the route is exposed for the most part. Looking back, the Tai Tam Reservoir, larger Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir, and Tai Tam Harbour can be seen far below.

Seen from the other side of Jardine's lookout is a spectacular view over Victoria Harbour. Kowloon and the mainland is on the right.

The route leads to mount Siu Ma Shan but before reaching the top, turns away and skirts the southern side leading to Mount Parker. Looking back from this point can be seen the Parkview Apartments.

Hong Kong 4 is a shaded, forested walk with a number of streams. Here is a stream under a small bridge just before distance point H40.

Stage 4 takes you along foothills of Mont Kellett, and Mount Cameron, giving frequent views of Aberdeen and Deep Water Bay. The Middle Gap Road Viewing Point at around distance marker H45.5 gives the walker a good chance to take it all in. After this the route heads toward the narrow road of Black's Link

Stage 4 of the Hong Kong Trail finishes at the top of the Wong Nai Chung Gap road junction with Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay road, and road leading off to the Tai Tam Reservoir. A bus back to the city is easy but we chose to walk the militarily significant Wong Nai Chung Gap (more on that next time), and to walk the roads of old Hong Kong pasts the race course at Happy Valley.

At around H22 there is a viewing point over Aberdeen, its famous harbour, and the massive Chinese Permanent Cemetery established in 1916. From here there are 3 more distance posts taking you into Aberdeen.

Stage 1 of the trail starts on a well worn path from The Peak onto Lugard Road giving spectacular views over Victoria Harbour.

This is the India Rubber Tree, found in Malaysia, Indonesia and India. These trees were brought to Hong Kong to used ornamental tees and for shade. The tree contains a white viscous 'milk' and is the latex used to produce rubber. Interestingly, there are no pollinating insects in Hong Kong so local India Rubber Trees cannot bear fruit.

Looking south of Hong Kong to the South China Sea, Lamma island is clearly visible, distinguished by the chimneys of the power station. Closer, the large building in front is Queen Mary Hospital, originally founded in 1935 but clearly upgraded since. The main tower that can be seen is the ward tower, Block K. At 137m, it is one of the tallest hospital buildings in Asia.

In the late 1930s as the threat posed by the Japanese became apparent, military authorities found its defences inadequate due to lack of troops and equipment. Therefore the defence could only be focused on Hong Kong island, leaving the mainland minimally defended. Between 1936 and 1941 a number of pillboxes, observation points and shelters were constructed, one of these being the this pillbox situated at the end of Harlech Road. Typically there would be 7 men to a pillbox to support three machine guns.