Do this hike if:

• You're after a short, sharp escape from the city

• You want unique views over the south of Hong Kong Island

Avoid this hike if:

• Scrambling is not your thing

• You prefer a stable terrain

I've decided to lump Ap Lei Pai and Brick Hill into the one post, as you can complete both of these in half a day and they are only one MTR station apart (or you could just hike the 2 km between the two trails, like I did).

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There is no warm up to Ap Lei Pai. You're heading straight up as soon as you leave the MTR station. The trail begins in a friendly manner on concrete stairs surrounded by thick vegetation, but the narrow path soon turns to dirt and rocks that appear virtually vertical. The route forks a couple of times, but each direction leads the same way: up. The sporadic ropes are a welcome sight, and I had no issues using them to hoist myself up the steep gradients. A few times some scrambling was required, so bring gloves if you don't want to get your hands dirty. I had no issues getting my hands dirty.

 

It wasn't long before I summitted Mt Johnston (Yuk Kwai Shan), which was devoid of any plant life taller than knee-height and offered 360-degree views. Hong Kong Island stood behind me, Ap Lei Pai (connected to Mt Johnston by a sandbar) was below, and Lamma Island sat in the deep-blue water in the distance. A World War II memorial told the story of a great escape by Allied soldiers, which made for an entertaining distraction. But I knew I couldn't stay up here forever; I had to head down.