Chau Tau, which is located about 8km northwest of Fanling, is a typical New Territories village. There is only one way into the village, directly from Castle Peak Road, for motor traffic, but there is a second road that can be used only to leave the village. Chau Tau South Road, which defines the southern edge of the village, is one-way from east to west (see map) and is seldom used by motor traffic because it is effectively a long way round.
Chau Tau itself is unusual in that it still has an extensive area under cultivation (the yellow areas on the map). It also has a village arch (off the map to the south), which few other villages have. The railway on the map is the MTR’s Lok Ma Chau line, which here is underground, and there is little sign of its existence on the surface.
Chau Tau South Road, which carries almost no traffic, is unusual for another reason. Bougainvillea is usually seen only in people’s gardens, but along this road, it has been allowed to grow wild, which makes cycling along it at this time of year an almost magical experience, so much so that I decided to shoot a video to try to capture that magic.
Most of the bougainvillea you can see could aptly be described as ‘straggly’, but there are three places along the road where the colours reach a garden level of intensity, which I photographed on an earlier occasion. These locations are marked 1, 2 and 3 on the map:
It certainly is a pleasant time of year for cycling Keith. Further west, there are more examples of wild bougainvillea along San Tin Tsuen Road (see A Grand Day Out).
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I'm an ex-geologist, an ex-Outward Bound instructor and administrator, an ex-journalist, and an ex-book editor. I still consider myself a scientist. I'm now retired and spend seven months of each year in Fanling, a town in Hong Kong's New Territories, and five months in Penrith, my home town in England.
Although many people regard graffiti as just another form of vandalism, I’m a huge fan and consider it a valid art form. The Writing on the Fence, which I recorded in Manchester in 2018, underlines my view.
With little falling rain, bougainvillea has remarkably blossomed and it is not possible not noticing them!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou certainly can’t help but notice it. The colours are really intense, even with such a dry winter!
DeleteMust be a nice ride especially with the bougainvilliau, over here Hawthorne and Blackthorn will be flowering soon.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is a pleasant time of year for cycling Keith. Further west, there are more examples of wild bougainvillea along San Tin Tsuen Road (see A Grand Day Out).
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