Love Lake 心形湖

「鑽⽯、玫瑰花束、名牌包，都是⽤⾦錢堆砌的浪漫，唯獨⼤⾃然的浪漫，多了⼀份被祝福的⾒證。」

Many of us love to visit Japan and even joked it’s our second hometown. But did you know that some of the world’s most beautiful sceneries are right before our eyes? Lake Toyoniko, a secret spot in Hokkaido, is surrounded by trees with a rare heart-shaped lake. You can take a helicopter ride to this "Love Lake’’ but you might be surprised to know that Hong Kong has it very own one!

香港⼈最愛去⽇本旅遊，有⼈開玩笑說是返鄉下，但⼤家知不知道，那些的絕世美景，遠在天邊， 近在眼前呢？位於北海道的秘景「豐似湖」，在周圍樹林的包圍之下，⾃然形成罕⾒的⼼型狀湖泊「LOVE LAKE」，坐直升機⾼空示愛真的浪漫得令⼈⼼花怒放，但令⼈震驚的是，香港都有！

 

To ensure a stable water supply, reservoirs were built in Hong Kong during the British rule. These reservoirs are used to collect rainwater for emergencies, daily usage and irrigation. Some are even declared monuments, but today I am going to introduce to a lake that is not only little known and not even recorded on official websites. It's so unfair that such a beautiful place is forgotten! And this place is Kwu Tung Reservoir!

香港為穩定供⽔，在英殖⺠期間已廣建⽔塘，收集雨⽔，以備不時之需，當中分為食⽤及灌溉之⽤，有些更列為法定古蹟，但今天介紹的不但鮮為⼈知，還沒被記錄在官⽅網站上！它那麼⾃然的美卻被遺忘，真的太不公平啦！那就是...古洞⽔塘！

 

The reservoir was used for irrigation and is now used for firefighting. Surrounded by hills, it looks like a heart from a high angle! The highlight is that there are few visitors. It takes only half an hour to reach the peak, so it's easy to reach. But be warned, there are no toilets along the way, so be prepared!

古洞⽔塘是灌溉⽤的⽔塘，現今變成供救火⽤。它被群⼭環繞，從⾼處某⼀個⾓度看極像⼼形！重點是⼈流少，只需半⼩時就可登頂，輕鬆易⾏，但要提醒⼤家，沿路直⾄古洞⽔塘都沒有廁所補 給，所以要做好事前準備啊！

 

⾏程：麒麟村 ＞ 麒麟⼭＞ 古洞⽔塘 ＞ 古洞街市

交通：去程於上⽔站乘搭605⼩巴到麒麟坳接近第⼆公廁下⾞

 

Walk up Ki Lun Shan from Ki Lun Tsuen. Although this is not an official trail, the route is easy. It takes less than 15 minutes to reach the base of Ki Lun Shan. Looking back at the path along the way are the magnificent peaks of Da Luo Tian and Kai Kung Shan. As we climbed further, my companion and I spotted a deserted hut on our right side, so we went to check it out. It was in a dilapidated state with crumbling rubble overhead so be careful. Inside, it is filled with graffiti with the last entry "24 March, 1989. Jane". Although these are memories, I wouldn't encourage anyone to leave a mark. Beautiful memories are best kept in the mind.

從麒麟村上⼭，雖非官⽅⾏⼭徑，但路線清晰，並無太多分⽀，不⽤15分鐘就到麒麟⼭的⼭脊，回望曾經走過的路，可以看到⼤羅天及雞公⼭等⼭嶺，⼗分壯觀宏偉。繼續向上攀，我和同伴發現了右⼿邊有間荒屋，所以就去看看。裡⾯已經殘破不堪，頭頂的瓦礫搖搖欲墜，要份外⼩⼼。裡⾯寫滿了字，最遠古的有「1989年3⽉24⽇ 珍」，雖然充滿了回憶，但我都不⿎勵⼤家在⼭野塗鴉，要記得⼭野不留痕，美好的留在腦海裡好了。

 

The trail then continues with steps up with a sharp gradient and lots of loose rocks until we reach the trigonometrical station of Ki Lun Shan where we pass a small hill with a 6-star trekking route. It was scary when you look out. At the top of the 222-metre trigonometrical station is a 360-degree view. Village houses look like toy wooden blocks with the Mai Po wetlands and high-rise buildings of the mainland to the right. This is the uniqueness of Hong Kong. A few steps are all it takes to transport you to another century or culture.

然後的路梯級幅度比較⼤，碎⽯多要步步為營，⼀直上⾄麒麟⼭的標⾼柱前，會經過⼀個⼩⼭丘， 那邊有條6星級的攀岩路線，單是探頭出去看都膽戰⼼驚。上到222⽶的⼭頂有條標⾼柱，這裡有36- 度風景，後⽅是像積⽊盒的村屋，右⽅卻是⽶埔⿂塘和內地的⾼樓⼤廈，這就是香港的獨特之處， 跨幾步就走過世紀、⽂化。

 

As you walk down the hidden trail, you pass many remnants of the Second World War, most are trenches to shelter soldiers and observatories. Be careful where you step, as some of the ruins are overgrown with grass and if you are not careful, you could step into a trench.

隨著隱密的⼭徑下走，沿路會經過很多⼆次⼤戰的遺跡，⼤部分是戰壕，掩護⼠兵及作觀察台。⼤家要留⼼腳下，因為有些遺跡雜草叢⽣，⼀不⼩⼼踩個空腳就麻煩了。

 

Another 15 minutes and reach your destination – Kwu Tung Reservoir appearing on your right! Surrounded by hills, it is more mysterious than the heart lakes of Japan or Switzerland. This is like a love affair where you are on pursuit for the best. When there is no wind, the water reflection mirrors the sky. However, it's not easy to take a good picture. Taken at a wrong angle, you lose its heart shape. Here are a few tips to help you get the perfect shot!

再走15分鐘，右⼿邊就出現今次的主⾓–古洞⽔塘了！⽔塘被群⼭擁抱著，比起⽇本、瑞⼠的⼼形湖顯得更神秘，就像愛情⼀樣要尋尋覓覓，才遇到最好的那個。在沒有風的時候，群⼭景⾊會映射在⽔中倒影，形成天空之鏡。然⽽，要跟它拍張美照絕不容易，錯過了某個特定位置，就不像⼼形了，現在就教⼤家幾招吧！

 

1. There are many places along the road where you can get great shots but be patient because there is a small plain just five minutes away where it is open and ideal to take a good shot.
2. Use a high angle shot to make your subject longer and the heart shape of the reservoir more prominent.
3. Match with a heart hand gesture that is striking. We do not recommend Korean heart-shape hand gesture because it’s too subtle!

1. 沿路不少位可以拍到，但千萬不要被誘惑，因為只要走前5分鐘，有⼀個⼩平原，那才是最佳最開揚的拍攝位置。
2. ⽤⾼抄的拍攝⽅法會顯得⼈修長，⽔塘形狀更突出
3. 配合⼼形⼿勢，但建議⼤動作⼀點，不要⽤韓式⼼形⼿勢。

 

We spent an hour here alone! Taking hundreds of photos if you want because women are picky and only satisfied with that perfect shot. Continue down the trail and soon you see the reservoir with a small path beside it and a steel fence that leads down a concrete road. As you come to the fork of the road and the signpost for Kwu Tung Reservoir, you’ll see dozens of village dogs along the way. They are harmless if you do not invade their territory. You hardly see anyone at Kwu Tung Reservoir. The trail is so narrow only one person can pass. I guess sometimes one needs to be alone. After seeing the reservoir, it’s time to head back the way we came, pass Kwu Tung Road to the market where there are minibuses to return to the city.

單是這個位置我們都拍了1個⼩時，女⼈就是拍幾百張照⽚，最後只有⼀張是滿意的。繼續沿著⼭徑下走，很快會看到配⽔庫，旁邊有條⼩路，依靠著鐵欄可下⾏到⽯屎路。走到分叉路⼝，看⾒指示牌往古洞⽔塘，途中看⾒⼗多次村狗。其實他們沒有惡意的，只要不入侵他們的地盤就沒問題了。古洞⽔塘渺無⼈煙，路只夠⼀個⼈過，⼤概⼈有時就要⼀個⼈靜靜的吧。看完古洞⽔塘沿路折返， 經古洞南路到街市，就有⼩巴巴⼠回到市區了。

 

When I was young, I thought of many fairy-tale marriage proposals. These include writing "Marry me" on a high-rise building or declaring love on a digital screen like Times Square. Or see "Marry me" on a balloon-filled stage with your lover kneeling for your hand. But as one gets older, you feel the purpose of a proposal is to invite the person you love to spend the rest of your life with you. Wouldn't it be more meaningful to make a promise in the presence of nature while looking at each other’s eyes? At least the hills are here to stay as a lasting testimony of your love.

⼩時候想過很多童話式的求婚⽅式，在⾼樓⼤廈上寫「嫁給我」、在時代廣場的⼤螢幕上說愛的宣⾔、在充滿氣球的佈置下單膝跪下等等。但長⼤了覺得，求婚的⽤意是邀請你愛的⼈跟你渡過餘⽣，其實相依相偎看著對⽅，在⼭的⾒證下作出承諾不是更有意義嗎？起碼⼭野不會走，它會成為我們永遠的故事。