Playing Indiana Jones.

A Walk up Mount Davis.

18.04.2021 - 18.04.2021

I had thought hiking was over for me, as the weather seemed to be changing to summer, but then it went cool again and I decided I might be able to squeeze a few more walks in. Today I decided to take a stroll up Mount Davis near Kennedy Town. The Mount Davis Battery was once an important military site.

To get to Mount Davis I took the MTR to Kennedy Town and exited through exit C. I then walked down towards Victoria Road. I have been to this area before when I visited the Sai Wan Swimming Shed. Mount Davis Path is about five minutes walk further on from the swimming shed on the other side of the road.

The Walk along Victoria Road to the battery had a lot of beautiful flowers and trees.

I knew I had reached the correct area as soon as I saw a very modern-looking glass building. This is The University of Chicago, Hong Kong, Francis and Rose Yuen Campus, which is located right next to and partially on top of my first site - the Jubilee Battery.

Actually the university building itself is very interesting. As I mentioned above, the land it is situated on was once part of a British military battery called the Jubilee Battery. This battery was built by the British in the 1930's. It was right next to the sea and formed part of Hong Kong's coastal defences. Then, after World War II, this area and its immediate surroundings were occupied by several makeshift squatter camps, filled with Mainland Chinese refugees who had fled the civil war in China. After that, this site was home to the British Army Royal Engineers’ mess and quarters. Then, after 1961, the engineers' mess was converted into the Victoria Road Detention Centre which was run under the supervision of the Special Branch of the Hong Kong Police Force. In 1967, when there was widespread rioting against British colonial rule, political prisoners were detained here, sometimes for prolonged periods in solitary confinement. This building has sometimes been referred to as a kind of concentration camp. The site then lay empty for several years, hidden behind high walls and rolls of barbed wire fencing, before being redeveloped as a university building in 2018. Certain aspects of the building's history have been preserved, such as parts of the gun battery on the grounds, barred windows and prison cells converted into classrooms! I'd love to see the inside of the building, but on this occasion, I had to make do with the gun battery which was what I had come for.

The University Building.

It's possible to just peer over the edge of the university terrace and view the gun battery from above, or you can stroll down and wander around it if you want a closer look. I did both. When I walked down the stairs to the battery, I was greeted by a warning sign, saying snakes had been sighted in this area. I wasn't worried here as this part of the battery wasn't overgrown, but I thought about this often as I explored the less tamed batteries on Mount Davis itself. I believe there are other much more overgrown parts of the Jubilee Battery further down the slope and nearer to the sea, but as the path down had been cordoned off for some reason, I didn't visit them.

The Jubilee Battery.

The Jubilee Battery from above.

When I had taken my fill of photos, I returned to Victoria Road, crossed over and started to wend my way up Mount Davis Path. Mount Davis does not currently have a heritage walk, though I read somewhere that one is planned. It is covered in wartime remains: some cleared, some overgrown, all fascinating.

Mount Davis Path.

Today's Wildlife was Butterflies. I believe this is an orange magpie moth.

I am not sure what the first ruined building I found used to be. On one site I looked at the writer thought it might have been a guard house. Whatever it was, it was very overgrown and some of the walls had trees growing out of them. I always think that looks amazing. It wasn't easy to walk around inside the building due to the undergrowth and debris, but I managed. This probably wasn't a good idea though as snakes really could be a problem here.

Was this once a guard house?

On the way up the hill there were some sitting out areas, more very overgrown ruins, broken stairways leading nowhere and more overgrown gun batteries.

Ruined Building on the Way Up.

Ruined Toilet.

Some Kind of Flower Sculpture.

Ruined Building.

Stairway to Nowhere.

Views from the walk up.

Marker Stone.

At one point there was a sign leading to parts of a disused battery. The buildings here were a bit graffitied but easy to wander around in.

Ruined Disused Battery.

Broken Stairway.

Further up the hill there was a youth hostel which looked quite nice and which occupies a pleasant setting. Across from the youth hostel there was a covered gun battery and a steep narrow flights of stairs up the hill. There were some old rooms off the staircase.

Mount Davis Youth Hostel.

Youth Hostel.

Narrow Staircase.

Halfway up the narrow stairs.

Where did I leave that broom?

Covered Gun Battery.

At the top of the staircase was yet another gun battery. This one without too much vegetation growing out of it.

Highest Gun Battery.

A group of cheerleaders were on the top gun battery on my way down.

Best of all, a bit further on from the gun battery there was row after row of old disused buildings connected by tunnels. I even found one larger building with a brick fire place inside, not sure exactly what it used to be.

Buildings at the top of the mountain.

Buildings at the top of the Mountain.

Tunnel.

Buildings at the top of the mountain.

Inside buildings at the top of the mountain.

Building with Fireplace.

View.

View over Islands.

Top of the Mountain.

Triangulation Point.

Triangulation Point with the Peak and Mount High West in the background.

Mount Davis Battery was built in the early twentieth century. It served as the headquarters of the Western Fire Command which was responsible for the defence of the western side of Hong Kong. In the 1930s two guns were removed from here and taken to Stanley. This battery suffered heavy bombardment by the Japanese in 1941.

I took what was supposed to be a shortcut on my way back by following a sign to Victoria Road. The path was quite overgrown though pretty in parts with lots of colourful flowers. A lot of the steps down were narrow or broken. The last part had high wire fences on each side and felt a bit like being in a cage.

Watercourse on Way Down.

The Path Down.

Overgrown Pathway.

Interesting Tree.

Colourful Walk Down.

Broken Stairway.

Ever feel caged in?

Posted by irenevt 01:09 Archived in Hong Kong

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Comments

The tree roots look like fantastical sculptures. I love them.

We have a bicycle path that is caged. It goes past a golf course and the fences are to keep the bikers from being hit with errant golf balls. I'd rather take my chances with the golf balls but they are probably afraid of being sued.

by Beausoleil

Hi Sally,

The caged bit is quite short. Not sure why it is caged off at all. One side would be dangerous in heavy rain, but not the other.I love the trees. They seem to be able to grow anywhere. All the best.
Irene

by irenevt

These boots are made for walking. Please find more walks.

by alectrevor

Hi Alec, I will till it gets too hot. All the best, Irene

by irenevt

Yet another great walk! Is there a llt of venomous snakes in Hong Kong?

by hennaonthetrek

Hi henna, there are some but it is not all that comon for people to be bitten by snakes here.

by irenevt