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Meanwhile, the vast mass of the population lived down below, where the climate was hotter, more humid and less healthy. The story of the colonization of what was originally a barren, treeless rock is an extraordinary one. Before 1.859, when the first path up to the Peak was carved out,it was barely possible to get up here at all, let alone put houses on it. And yet within twenty years, a number of summer homes had been built for a wealthy minority of British merchants, who sought out the higher levels as a way of escaping the heat and malaria of the seafront in summer. Incredible though it is to imagine now, everything from human beings to building materials - was carried laboriously up the hill by coolies.
The idea of building a rail link to the top of the Peak was originally scoffed at when first proposed, because the gradients were considered impossibly steep.In 1888, however, this all changed with the successful opening of a funicular railway known as the Peak Tram, which allowed speedy and regular connections to the harbour. The mountain began to be transformed with the planting oftrees as well as the construction of a regular summer village. By 1924, when the first road to the Peak was built, permanent homes had begun to appear,though Chinese were not allowed to set up home here until nruch later. Now,
anyone can live here who can afford it - and these days that usually means Chinese tycoons. Aside from its exclusive residential area, the Peak is still a cool, peaceful retreat from the rigours of downtown and a vantage point off, ring some extraordinary panoranfic views over the city and harbour below.
Ascending the Peak
Ascending the Peak is halfthe fun, assunfing you plan to ride the Peak Tram.The track is incredibly steep and at times you’ll feel that you are practically lying on your back in your seat as the tram climbs the 386 vertical metres to its terminus. The journey takes about eight minutes, and there are actually some
intermediate stations on the way, in Mid-Levels, though tourists are not likely to bother with these.
To find the Peak Tram terminal in Central, the easiest solution is to catch the free shuttle bus (Mon-Sat i0am-8pm, Sun 10am-9pm) from outside the Star Ferry Terminal On foot it’s not a particularly convenient place to get to - it’s on Garden Road a little way south of St John’s Cathedral (see p.729).The Peak Tram itself (daily 7am-midnight; $20 single, $30 return; you can also pay with your Octopus card) runs every ten to fifteen nfinutes, and you can also use the shutde bus back to the Star Ferry afterwards, provided you still have your Peak Tram ticket.
Ifyou have an irrational fear of funicular railways, you can catch bus #15 or #15B to the Peak from Exchange Square and Tin Hua MTR respectively theviews arejust as good, but it takes a lot longer. Fitness fanatics can walk up if they wish, though for most people walking down is a more realistic option. See below for routes.
On and around the Peak
The Peak Tram drops you right below the wok-shaped Peak Tower, featuring the Peak Galleria shopping mall full of souvenir shops and pricey bars and cafes with spectacular view and several terraces commanding a vast panorama. There’s also a range of indoor entertainnrents, should the heavens open. These include a high-tech virtual reality show, the Peak Explorer, plus branch of Madame Tussauds with about one hundred wax models, from Arnie Schwarzenegger to Jacky Chan, and Ripley’s Believe-It-Or-Nod Odditorinrn. There’s also a Moevenpick Marche restaurant offering decent self-service grub in addition to the view. Virtually opposite here is the historic Peak Lookout, a traditional place with rattan chairs and fans that, despite changing hands and undergoing soure modernization, still has a great outdoor terrace where you should deftnitely enjoy at least one cold beer.From the Peak Tram terminal area, you’ll see four roads leading off to the west arid north. Of these, the middle one, Mount Austin Road, leads up to the very top of the Peak where you’ll find theVictoria Peak Garden, formerly the site of the governor’s residence. Two of’ the other roads, however, make a nmch more attractive walk, since they form a circuit around the Peak that takes about an hour on Got. Harlech Road (leading due west) is a delight fully shady, rural stroll through trees with a picnic area en route. After halfan hour the road runs into Lugard [Load, which heads back towards the terminal around the northern rim of the Peak, giving magnificent views over Central and Kowloon. The fourth road, Old Peak Road, leads down to the May Road tram station.
An excellent way to descend the Peak is to walk, along one of a number of possible routes down,the simplest being to follow the sign pointing to Hatton Road, fi:om opposite the picnic area on Harlech Road. The walk is along a very clear path all the way through trees, eventually emerging in Mid-Levels, atier about 45 minutes, near the junction between Kotewall Road and Conduit Road. Catch bus #13 from Kotewall Road to Central, or you can walk east for about 1km along Conduit Road until you reach the top end of the Mid-Levds Escalator (see p.725), which will also take you into Central. Another good route
down is to take a road leading fi’on2 Harlech Road, riot far (rom the Peak Tram, signposted to Pokfulam Reservoir, a very pleasant spot in the hills. Beyond the reservoir, heading downhill, you’ll eventually come out on Pokfulam Road,front where there are plentiful buses to Central, or south to Aberdeen.
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