Smugglers' Ridge Information

This trail starts from Pineapple Dam at Shing Mun Reservoir, first passing by the grass-covered dam and the main barbecue area of Shing Mun Country Park. At the archway that says "MacLehose Trail Stage 6", to the right of the barbecue site, the route begins to climb uphill. The climb is steep, but it does not last long. Soon you will come to the defence trenches and military watch houses built in the late 1930s by the British Army to defend Hong Kong. This is part the famous Gin Drinkers' defence line. The Shing Mun Redoubt (heavily built fortification) has sections named after London streets. Some of these installations remain, but the watch houses are seriously damaged, indicating the fierce battles that took place here in 1941.

After descending downhill, visitors enter the Kam Shan Country Park. Along the attractive downhill walk to Kowloon Reservoir, there are many barbecue sites and recreational areas. Another local feature is the large number of wild monkeys living here, and thus Golden Hill is also known as "Monkey Hill". However, please do not feed the monkeys. Feeding them is illegal, and monkeys can attack visitors when they fight for food.

Smugglers' Ridge is a stretch of low peaks that link the Kam Shan valley with Shing Mun valley. Although just a little more than 300 metres high, the ridgeline is marked by perilous vertical slopes on both sides. During the Second World War, this treacherous ridge was a major defence position on the Gin Drinker's Line. Ruins of surface and underground facilities remain to this day.