Introduction:
Stage Eight climbs over Hong Kong's highest mountain -- Tai Mo Shan. Hiking west through Tai Mo Shan Country Park (1,440 hectares), on clear days this ridgetop walk has distant views over virtually every part of Hong Kong.

The route begins at Lead Mine Pass and climbs 400 metres to Tai Mo Shan, 957 metres high. Much of this ridgetop path is across grassy slopes, set with jumbled boulders and the remains of old tea terraces. The summit of Tai Mo Shan is closed, but nearby are vistas in every direction. Once past the summit, Stage Eight follows the zigzag road down to Route Twisk.

Tai Mo Shan, the most central of Hong Kong's peaks, is also the territory's climatic centre. This is the wettest part of Hong Kong: the mean annual rainfall is about 3,000 mm, well above the Central and Kowloon figure of about 2,000 mm. It is also the coldest part of Hong Kong. As a result, Tai Mo Shan's slopes give rise to the New Territories' two largest streams: the Lam Tsuen and Shing Mun rivers. Their upper courses support communities of reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fish, shrimps and crabs.

The cool, wet conditions on Tai Mo Shan's northern slopes provide habitats for rare plants. Grantham's camellia was discovered there in 1955 -- and other camellias, including the lovely Hong Kong camellia, are common. Hidden in Tai Mo Shan's most inaccessible gullies, there may even be trees that are descended from the primeval forests.

Transport Access:
There is a flushing toilet and a camp site at Lead Mine Pass. A youth hostel is located at the mid hill of Tai Mo Shan at Sze Lok Yuen.