Trekking through Hong Kong’s country parks rewarded Trailwalker competitors with some magnificent views

International teams came from around the world to participate in Oxfam Hong Kong's annual fundraising marathon, Trailwalker 2002, held recently.

The participants included hikers from Australia, the UK, US, Japan, Nepal, Singapore, Finland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Malaysia, India, France, Italy, Africa and the Chinese mainland.

A total of 3,600 participants in 900 teams were aiming to finish the 100km (62 miles) MacLehose trail in less than 48 hours.

The winning team was last year's champions, Montrail Team from the US who finished in 12 hours 47 minutes, breaking their own record of 12 hours and 52 minutes set last year.

Montrail Girls team from the US took out the women's title, hitting the finish line in a record time of 15 hours and 12 minutes.

Trailwalker is renowned the world over for showing off Hong Kong's natural beauty. The trail runs through eight country parks and over 20 hills in the New Territories, enabling hikers to experience a variety of landscapes from luxuriant woodands to rugged mountain peaks, and a diverse array of flora and fauna interspersed with streams, plateaux and greenery. 

Stephanie Ehret from Boulder Colarado, a member of the winning Montrail Girls team, said overseas participants enjoyed coming to Hong Kong.

"The Trailwalker is very tough but very scenic, with some fabulous views of the city both night and day," she said.

"This was my first visit to Hong Kong and it was a great experience. Most of us from outside Hong Kong picture skyscrapers and a bustling city, but we don't realise there is such a beautiful natural wilderness in the middle of the city. 

"We had not expected to see so much wildlife. There were monkeys and a variety of lizards, and through the night from the canopy of forest you could hear the sounds of so many creatures that you don't get to see.

"Then every now and then, you'd come out of the forest and there'd be beautiful shoreline. One day during a training run we had to stop and take a swim because the beach was so compellingly beautiful."

Another hiker Tony James, an Australian living in Hong Kong, was equally enchanted by the surroundings.

"The scenery along the MacLehose trail is absolutely stunning," he said. "I am still amazed to this day how a person can walk 100kms in Hong Kong and cross only four major roads, and at times be in such verdant forests that you would not believe you had nearly seven million people as neighbours."

This year is the 21st anniversary of Trailwalker, which is organised by Oxfam Hong Kong and sponsored by State Street Corporation. Over the past years, Trailwalker has raised about HK$138 million (US$18 million) for charity. This year's target of HK$17 million (US$2.2 million) will be used to help disadvantaged people in Hong Kong and to support development projects and emergency relief programmes in Asia and Africa.

Related link:
Oxfam Hong Kong www.trailwalker.org.hk