TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1984
10
70 KM LANTAU HIKERS TRAIL OPENED
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THE LANTAU TRAIL, A 70-KILOMETRE-LONG HIKERS' ROUTE WHICH TRAVERSES THE LANTAU COUNTRY PARKS WHERE PICNICKERS CAN SEE AND ENJOY THE FINEST SCENERY ON THE ISLAND WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED TODAY (TUESDAY) BY THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR J.M. RIDDELL-SWAN, AND THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF HEUNG YEE KUK, MR TSANG LIN.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY HELD AT NAM SHAN,
DR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD STARTED PLANNING ON THE LANTAU TRAIL AND ANOTHER ON HONG KONG ISLAND IN LATE 1983 TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR MORE CHALLENGING OUTDOOR RECREATION FACILITIES,
+NOW, THE LANTAU TRAIL IS READY FOR USE AND THE HONG KONG TRAIL WILL BE COMPLETED SHORTLY, HE SAID.
HE SAID THAT HE WAS SURE THE LANTAU TRAIL WOULD PROVE TO BE AS POPULAR AS THE MACLEHOSE TRAIL IS WITH HILL WALKERS.
HOWEVER, HE CAUTIONED:
+ IT IS NO EASY WALK AND SOME OF THE MORE PRECIPITOUS SECTIONS SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED ONLY BY VERY EXPERIENCED HILL WALKERS,+ HE SAID.
MR TSANG LIN, WHO JOINTLY OFFICIATED AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, SAID THAT LANTAU ISLAND HAD BECOME VERY POPULAR WITH VISITORS SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COUNTRY PARKS IN 1978 AND THE PROVISION OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.
VISITORS HAD HOWEVER TENDED TO CONCENTRATE ON THE AREAS MOST EASILY ACCESSIBLE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT, PARTICULARLY ALONG BOTH SIDES OF SOUTH LANTAU ROAD AND THE BEACHES. AS A RESULT OTHER MORE SCENIC, BUT LESS EASILY ACCESSIBLE, AREAS HAD NOT BEEN FULLY REALISED.
+THE OPENING OF THIS LONG-DISTANCE TRAIL WILL NO DOUBT IMPROVE THIS SITUATION AND WILL MAKE OUR VISITORS MORE AWARE OF THE SCENIC BEAUTIES OF THIS LOVELY ISLAND, + MR TSANG SAID.
AFTER THE CEREMONY, MEMBERS OF THE COUNTRY PARKS BOARD TOURED THE LANTAU COUNTRY PARKS TO SEE THE RECREATIONAL AMENITIES IN THE AREA.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE LANTAU TRAIL IS DIVIDED INTO TWELVE STAGES OF DIFFERENT LENGTHS.
THE TRAIL.