Pat Sin Leng escarpment.
The Pat Sing Leng escarpment is the only large escarpment in Hong Kong. An escarpment means that the underlying rock beds have been tilted, forming a sharp edge on one side and a more gentle slope on the other side. The crest of this escarpment forms a prominent ridge that extends from Wong Leng (639m high) in the west to Kwun Yam Tung (Mount Newland; 280m high) in the east, near the end of Plover Cove Reservoir.
Towards the centre, east of Shun Yeung Fung, the ridge is breached by a valley that is now occupied by the waters of the Plover Cover Reservoir. This valley shows the location of a major fault line, weakening the rock there and allowing it to be eroded away faster than the rest of the ridge forming a valley. Near the head of the valley at Bride's Pool is a very scenic waterfall that plunges over a rock shelf composed of rocks of the Pat Sin Leng Formation, see also the earth cache GC1EGD5 Bride's Pool.
GZ: Shun Yeung Fung.
The listed coordinates of this cache bring you to Shun Yeung Fung, the highest peak of the Pat Sing Leng. From this point you have a great view towards Wong Leng to the west, and the Pat Sing Leng range to the east. The southern slopes are steep and show several near-vertical cliffs, while the northern slopes are much more gentle. You can see this very clearly looking west, towards Wong Leng, where on the left of the ridge you see very steep cliffs, with more gentle slopes below while at the right of the ridge the land follows a more straight line following a fairly gentle slope, see the image below.
The southern slopes have little vegetation, trying to survive on the arid land. Due to the constant drought, the vegetation is mostly yellow/brown in colour. The streams have steep, linear, and very short course, and only flow following rainfall. These are termed seasonal or ephemeral streams. Under the cliffs large deposits of debris caused by erosion of the cliffs above can be seen.
In contrast, the northern slopes are covered in lush green woodlands, and streams here have longer courses, so they have developed a typical dendritic pattern, and flow almost all year. These are termed permanent or perennial streams.
Logging tasks.
- Looking towards Wong Leng, on the scarp side on top you see almost vertical cliffs, below that slopes that become less and less steep as they dip towards the sea, almost forming a concave shape. What process causes this landform?
- The top of the scarp side has no vegetation, while halfway up are grasses and shrubs, and further down woodlands. Yet the northern slope is covered in woodlands almost all the way to the edge of the ridge. Why this difference in vegetation?
Getting there.
Take minibus 20C or KMB 75K from Tai Po Market Station to Tai Mei Tuk terminus, and start your hike from there. Walk up to the Plover Cove Vistor Centre, then up the Pat Sin Leng Nature Trail, and follow the signs to Hsien Ku Fung. After about 500m from the start of the nature trail there is a path that is officially closed, but offers a shorter and far more challenging route up Hsien Ku Fung. This path approaches the peak from the south, the last parts requires climbing up the cliff. The official route is recommended for being easier and safer.
Alternatively you may start from the Bride's Pool bus terminus, this is the other end of the Pat Sin Leng Nature Trail. From Tai Po Market station you may take minibus 20R to Wu Kau Tang or KMB 275R (Sundays and P.H. only). Walk up the nature trail and follow the signs to Hsien Ku Fung. From here an alternative route directly to Shun Yeung Fung is available, see OSM for details. That route saves hiking over the Pat Sin Leng range itself.
Final notes.
The Pat Sin Leng is a challenging ridge to climb, it has great views but recommended for experienced hikers only.
This cache can easily be combined with a hunt for nearby traditional geocache GC19GJT, and is also close to the starting point of earthcache GC3BKKB highlighting the various rocks in the area.
Send your answers to the above questions to me by personal message, do not post answers in the log. Logs with answers will be removed without prior notice.
The most exciting way to learn about the Earth and its processes is to get into the outdoors and experience it first-hand. Visiting an Earthcache is a great outdoor activity the whole family can enjoy. An Earthcache is a special place that people can visit to learn about a unique geoscience feature or aspect of our Earth. Earthcaches include a set of educational notes and the details about where to find the location (latitude and longitude). Visitors to Earthcaches can see how our planet has been shaped by geological processes, how we manage the resources and how scientists gather evidence to learn about the Earth.