Checkboard Hill 格仔山

"One of Hong Kong’s greatest advantages is the city’s proximity to the countryside. One can step into nature, breathe in fresh air and enjoy a quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of the densely packed neighbourhood anytime.”

「城市與郊野相鄰是香港的最⼤優勢，隨時隨地都可以踏進⼤⾃然，呼吸不⼀樣的空氣，偷得⼀絲城野中的喘息空間。」

I have grown accustomed to living in a village house where I am greeted by hills and trees. I can't bear to go back living in a housing estate with a flyover connected to a mall. I don’t think one gets much contact with the sun or nature. This was my belief. I had no idea that in the 18 districts of Hong Kong, some residents in fact have their own private backyard garden that outsiders are not aware of. Today, let me take you to Checkerboard Hill, the backyard garden of Lok Fu residents.

習慣居住在村屋的我，⼀出⾨就是⼭林，真接受不了回到商場天橋與⼤廈相連的屋苑，他們應該甚少接觸陽光與⼤地吧。這是我的固有想法，沒想到香港18區，每區居⺠都私藏⾃⼰的後花園，只是外⼈沒發覺然已。今天就帶⼤家去樂富⼈的後花園-格仔⼭。

Standing at 98m above sea level, it takes less than half an hour to reach the top of Checkboard Hill. After leaving Lok Fu MTR Station Exit A, turn left and walk towards the direction of the shopping mall car park. You’ll see a staircase next to the car park, go up and walk towards Lok Fu Park. Alongside up the concrete road are leisure and morning exercise facilities. At the top, turn left and head for the large field near the service reservoir. Besides great for a picnic, this spot also offers a magnificent view. To the north is Lion Rock and if you lie on the grass and look up, you feel a sense of protection and belonging under it while on the other side is the view of Kowloon City. There are benches for visitors to take a break and is ideal for a family picnic. There is even someone flying a kite!

格仔⼭⼜稱「樂富⼭」，它只⾼海拔98⽶，不需半⼩時就到頂。 從樂富地鐵站A出⼝離開後，轉左往商場停⾞場的⽅向走去。停⾞場旁邊有⼀條樓梯，上去後往樂富公園走去。沿著⽯屎路向上走，旁邊有少居⺠休憩晨運設施，到頂位先轉左去配⽔庫的⼤草地，這裡除了可以野餐，還有⼀個神奇的景象。草地北⾯便是獅⼦⼭，如果躺在草上眺望，⼗分有氣勢，有種獅⼦⼭下的歸屬感，⽽另⼀邊就是九⿓城風景。草地旁邊有椅⼦供遊⼈休息，⼗分適合家庭來野餐，我⾒還有⼈放風箏。

After taking a rest, it’s time to catch the sunset. But there’s no hurry as it’s just around the corner. Returning to the diversion on the route, take the small stone staircase to the right and go up the peak. Then follow the narrow path along the catchwater lined with wire fences. Soon, look to your left and you’ll see the grass field of Lok Fu reservoir, with an old trigonometrical station which is the smallest stone pillar I’ve ever seen. Here the view is obstructed by large trees. This is not the destination. It takes a few more minutes to walk from the right side of the pillar and you’ll be greeted by a splendid view from the top.

休息過後要捉緊時間去看⽇落，但都不⽤急，因為轉個彎就到。回到剛才的分差路，向右走上⼩⽯梯上⼭。接著沿引⽔道走，旁邊都是鐵絲網，⼭徑也較窄。很快回望左邊就看到樂富配⽔庫的草 地，旁邊有條⼩⼩的舊的標⾼柱，那應該是我⾒過最⼩的了。但這邊風景被⼤樹包圍，還不是終 點，要從標距柱右走，幾分鐘就迎來⼗分開揚的⼭頂風景了。

There was no fence here a few years ago but concern for the safety of visitors eventually led to its installation. If you take a few more steps, you’ll notice the concrete walls on several sides are painted red and white. Why is this? In fact, in the 1950s, when the runway of Kai Tak Airport was extended, this small hill was in the landing lane of runway 13. For safety reasons, part of the hill was levelled. Planes were guided to the hill before pilots turned the planes around for a visual landing. As pilots are required to guide the aircraft on its correct course, the hill was painted in red and white checkers and equipped with navigation lights and radio navigation equipment. Hence, the name Checkerboard Hill! After the closure of Kai Tak Airport in 1998 up to 2003, the red and white grids remained. The grids were subsequently painted grey and gradually covered by trees to avoid misleading pilots. But in 2021, the grids were repainted in red and white so we can look back on this unique piece of Hong Kong history.

幾年前這裡沒有任何圍欄，但擔⼼遊⼈安全最後就安裝了。踏前幾步會發覺幾邊的⽯屎牆都塗上紅⽩格仔，那是為什麼呢？其實在1950年代，啟德機場進⾏跑道延長⼯程，⼩⼭丘位於13跑道降落航道。由於安全理由，⼩⼭丘⼀部份被夷平，⾶機引導⾄此⼩⼭丘，再由機師把⾶機轉向進⾏⽬視降落。由於需引導機師把⾶機在正確航道⾶⾏，⼩⼭丘塗上紅⽩相間的格⼦圖案，並設有導航燈及無線電導航設備。因為鮮明的紅⽩相間的圖案，這裡就多了⼀個新名叫「格仔⼭」啦～1998年啟德機場關閉後直⾄2003年，紅⽩格依然存在，惟格仔⼭其後塗上灰⾊並曾種樹遮蓋，以免誤導機師，但到2021年卻重新塗上紅⽩格，讓⼤家可以回顧這個記錄香港歷史的獨有⼩⼭。

Talking about small hills, Garden Hill certainly comes to mind. In comparison, I prefer Checkerboard Hill because it offers an expansive view and not close by high-rises. I believe the greatest appeal of any place is the story behind it. Due to the building height restrictions imposed by the old airport, the buildings near Checkerboard Hill such as Nam Shan Village, one of the oldest villages in Hong Kong, offers a distant but clear view of the grids of Checkerboard Hill.

說起城中⼩⼭，過去許多⼈只會想到嘉頓⼭，但相比之下，我更喜歡格仔⼭，⼀來它的風景更為廣闊，不會與⾼樓⼤廈太近，⼆來我認為⼀個地⽅最⼤的魅⼒在於它背後的故事。基於機場鄰近地區建築⾼度限制，格仔⼭鄰近地區的屋宇，例如香港最古老屋村之⼀的南⼭村，均可遠眺⼭上的格仔圖案。

Standing here and looking down, you see the tennis courts and football pitches of Kowloon Tsai Park with people in action. I wondered if I put a camera here to record the early construction of the buildings and the change of day and night in time-lapse, would it give me a sense of pride of the city's prosperity and development, or would it give me a sense of helplessness as the years go by? I think that anyone who comes here with their own story will have a totally different set of emotions when confronting the view in front of them.

站在這裡往下去，剛好是九⿓仔公園網球場和⾜球場，看著⼈們跑來跑去，很有活⼒。我在想呀，如果在這放⼀部相機紀錄⼤廈的興建，⽇夜的交替，到底是城市繁華發展的⾃豪感，還有歲⽉如梭的無奈無⼒感呢？我想每個⼈帶著⾃⼰的故事，來這都會有不同感概。