After my trip to Japan was cancelled due to COVID19, I was stuck in Hong Kong for many months... and like many locals, I felt rather claustrophobic after spending days on end indoor. Luckily, unlike the U.K. and many Western countries, there was no lockdown in the city, hence it was still [...]

 
I have attended many group coastal walks/hikes in the past, like Seven Sisters (from Seaford to Eastbourne), Hastings circular, and Newhaven to Brighton... the coastal walks/hikes around the South East England are extremely popular with many meetup walking groups due to its proximity to London, and of course, the spectacular views.
It [...]

 
Hiking is definitely one of my favourite acitivities in Hong Kong, and I would do at least one hike whatever I visit the city. Not long ago, I reconnected with an old friend in the city who is a keen hiker, and she suggested taking the ferry to Lamma Island (35 minutes [...]

 
This summer, I spent two weeks staying in Ullapool, a small picturesque port on the shores of Loch Broom with around 1,500 inhabitants up in the Scottish Highlands. Before this trip, I have never travelled anywhere beyond Inverness in the Highlands. Since Ullapool cannot be reached by rail, I had to take [...]

Japanese breakfast at Minshuku Momofuku in Koguchi
 
After having a big Japanese breakfast at Minshuku Momofuku, I was ready for my last hike of the pilgrimage trail. Mr Nakazawa warned me about the first stretch of the hike, which requires a steep climb of 800 metres in elevation over 5km. This [...]

 
 
After a restful night at the lovely Happiness Chikatsuyu, I was feeling mentally prepared for my pilgrimage walk. According to the map, the distance from Chikatusuyu to Hongu Taisha-mae is about 25 km/15.5 miles with an elevation of 650 meters at the highest point of the route. On paper, it doesn't [...]

 
Most foreigners who visit Japan tend to stick to big cities or well-known onsen/resorts, and they rarely travel to the rural parts of Japan. On this trip, I completely fell in love with Japan's rural countryside. The Kumano Kodo pilgrimage was a highlight, but I also loved Fujino, a rural town (with [...]

Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine
 
Since I missed the Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine yesterday, I decided to visit the shrine before starting my walk today as it is one of the most three important shrines on the pilgrimage route, as well as the head shrine of over 3,000 Kumano shrines across [...]

When I was planning my Japan trip, I came across an article about the ancient pilgrimage trail, Kumano Kodo, in the Wakayama region. Despite numerous visits to Japan over the years, I have never heard of this trail before. I became interested and started researching about the trail. Unlike the famous pilgramge [...]

A view of Hong Kong from the Peak trail
 
Every time I visit Hong Kong, I have to fit in either a day hike or take the ferry to the outlying islands to unwind and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
One of my favourite hikes is the Lung Fu [...]