Climbing legend Yuji Hirayama sampling some Ma Tai delights. Photo: Karen Chan
General
A small and developing collection of crags and riverside boulders in a stunning and relaxing setting far from the city crowds. Massive thanks to Hong Kong’s original power climbing couple Rocky Lok and Angel Liu for all their hard work here (and elsewhere).
A draft PDF guide for the Ma Tai Stream area can be downloaded here
Access
Either take the MTR to Tai Shui Hang Station (Exit B to Chevalier Garden) on the Ma On Shan Line or take a bus to Chevalier Garden Bus Terminus (Numbers 803, 85X or 89D). Just north of Chevalier Garden (about 150 m), an obvious single-track road breaks right and follows the drainage channel into the hillside area. Follow this track to the location of a dam at its end (just under 1 km).
From here, a staircase on the left leads up the hillside a short way. At the top of the staircase, break right around the edge of the dam area until a small dirt trail leads down to the stream itself. The main wall of Ma Tai Crag should now be apparent. Rock hop your way up the stream course, sticking mostly to the boulders and jungle trails on its left hand side, until it is possible to break right level with the base of the crag. The total approach time is about 30 minutes from the MTR station.
Break off left about 50m before the location of the small dam, where a small concrete path and staircase heads up the hill. Follow this path up the hill until a dirt trail breaks off left just before a large fallen log / squatter shack. Stay on the dirt rail and continue uphill, over a concrete platform until you reach a faint clearing. From here a vague dirt trail leads leftwards and up the hill to another clearing with a lone tree. Keep going along the trail, which now leads back right, around a big boulder , and ultimately to the back side of X-rock itself.
Warning
Almost every time i’ve visited this crag in spring / summer i’ve found a tick either on me or my clothes at some point during the day. These little critters can have some quite nasty health impacts if not dealt with properly. If you find one on yourself, don’t panic and simply follow the removal guidance linked below to take it off:
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/removing_a_tick.html