There are two ways of crossing over from South to North Lantau.
The first is the route via the Tung Chung Road, over what cyclists call 'the Beast'. (1st map)
The second is a bit more complicated and entails following the concrete footpath along the south side of Lantau opposite the airport to the village of Sham Wat, to be greeted by a very steep climb up to join the road to the Giant Buddha, about 1 Km from the Buddha. (2nd map)
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| The Top of the Beast is more or less at the KM25 point on this map (310m elevation). Tung Chung is Km 20, more or less at sea level. All the roads on South Lantau are shown on this map as well. |
The Beast road is shown in the photo below - doesn't look very steep does it? Well it is! Always a bit daunting even after 2 years of getting better at it. My best time on the Beast is 19 minutes 56 seconds average speed of 10.4 Km/hr. I am not the slowest. Strava places me 200th out of 556 riders. The first time I did it 2 years ago, I walked up some of the way.
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The Tung Chung Road (the 'Beast') goes up over the central mountain ridge on Lantau between Sunset Peak and Lantau Peak. 3.4Kms of climbing up 310 vertical metres with an average grade of 9.1%. Max gradient 20.6%
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| At the top of the Beast with Brian (on right) |
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| This is the descent to the south side of Lantau from the Beast. Referred to as the 'Reverse Beast'. The Water Catchment road begins at this point down some steps on the left, and is an alternative route along south of Lantau towards the Buddha. At the bottom of this hill is the South Lantau Road, turn left for Mui Wo, and turn right for the Buddha and Tai O. |
See my separate blog on the South Lantau roads.
Now the alternative…..The path along the north shore opposite HK Airport is difficult to find and on the road past Yat Tung Housing Estate. It follows a concrete footpath which is very narrow and steep in places and only recommended early morning before it gets full of walkers.
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| The Sham Wat path begins in Tung Chung before KM 15, and continues to Sham Wat village around KM20. From Sham Wat you then climb very steeply up a wider road to join the Ngong Ping Road that leads to the Buddha. Or continue along the coast to Tai O, but it is for Mountain bikes |
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| The Path to Sham Wat Village is opposite the airport and concrete but very narrow and steep in places |
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The Path beyond Sham Wat Village on the way
to Tai O |
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| This is a mountain bike trail from Sham Wat Village to Tai O, with steps along the way so very slow progress in places |
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