Run Mt. Ma On Shan to Needle Hill

This run roughly follows Maclehose Trail Sections  4-7. You can take a bus or taxi to Sai Kung town in Hong Kong's New Territories, and start the ascent up to the peak of Ma On Shan. The start follows a paved, narrow row up the hill, and there is eventually a dirt path that breaks away once the road hits a dead end. This path will take you all the way up to the summit of Ma On Shan, elv. 702m. 

After hitting the summit of Ma On Shan, you will back track to get back on the ridge below and follow the trail along the Ma On Shan Massif. Once you are on this trail, you are now on the famous Maclehose Trail and will follow it and the signs which label it until the end of the run. 

The first chance to refill water is around 15km at a small spring and a water spigot at a boy scout camp nearby. The second chance to get not just water but other drinks and food is around 22km right after the Sha Tin pass and before you begin the trail to Lion's Rock. After this, the next water stop is around the 30km mark - Shing Mun Reservoir. 

After Shing Mun, you have a tough 7km to go over the steep Needle Hill which is almost all dirt/rock stairs up and down. After descending Needle Hill you will hit a paved road that will eventually have a small, forested, rest stop for hikers on the right side. This is the branch between continuing towards Lead Mine Pass and Section 8 of the trail (further down the road) or turning right onto the small path and going down towards the Sha Tin Subway station. Going right towards Sha Tin the trail is a steep descent down which is almost completely paved stairs but a direct shot towards the subway. 

The best time to do this run is in the winter. In the summer the heat index combined with water shortage can be dangerous.