November 18, 2023
After a long time of waiting, I finally got my feet into this popular Ex Sham Shui Po Reservoir. It was after three months of tracking the online reservation. It's been a tough pursuit, especially since there are only limited slots, and it's on a first-book, first-served basis. Otherwise, I would wait for another month to catch the online booking available for weekends.
Due to the overwhelming number of visitors wanting to visit this historical site, the Water Supplies Department, which is in charge of the place, limited the number of visitors to preserve the place and allow visitors to take a better look around it rather than be crowded with lots of photo bombers.
With limited time and limited slots, I closely monitor the site for reservations to check the time of the opening for booking. It was June when I wanted to visit the site, but the booking was closed as all slots were fully booked. July when it was reopened, but the time of the visit would be a month later, which was August. So just imagine how tough it is to enter this historical place.
There are reservations for groups and individuals. I booked solo because I wasn't sure about my friend's holiday schedule. It was August 13, the last available weekend schedule I got after three months of trying to book a slot. I felt excited when the day arrived. I chose the afternoon schedule, which is 3:30–5, so I wouldn't be hurrying up and I could have enough time to look for the site.
My schedule was 3:30 to 5 in the afternoon, and I went to the place around two. The weather wasn't fine that day, and I wished for the rain to stop. Otherwise, it wouldn't be great to go up the hill on a muddy trail. The trail started at Shik Kep Mei and the meeting point was beside the primary school.
Given that I went to look for the site too early, I was the very first one to arrive. I waited for an hour in this spot, and there was intermittent rain.
The tour is guided by tour guides, so this isn't a way to go without prior booking because they are checking the names before starting the tour. At three in the afternoon, people started to arrive. After checking all the names and having a short briefing, we went up the Bishop Hill. On top of it is where the reservoir is located.
I was expecting a dirt trail, but the concrete staircase alongside railings built for accessibility on the starting trail made our short hike easier. This was the Cantonese group I chose since the English group was scheduled in the morning. I didn't really care about it, the information about the historical site can be learned on the website anyway.
The next part already had paved dirt paths; no more concrete stairs.
On the slope of the hill is a small Buddha shrine, if I'm not mistaken. There were different Buddhas, offerings, and shacks with messages from local worshipers and visitors.
I came across some table tennis practice places as well, enclosed with nets. Some old Chinese people were practicing in the place and didn't allow visitors to take photos of them, so I just quickly took some snaps before they noticed me.
I was surprised to see more table tennis practice places as we went upper. It seemed like this hill was a training ground for people who loved this old game they also called ping pong.
It only took around fifteen minutes to reach the entrance to the ex-Sham Shui Po Reservoir. Ever since it was rediscovered in 2020, there have been restorations going on to preserve the place. The tour guide counted once again to check for unwelcome intruders. They are pretty strict in allowing visitors to go inside the premises.
My expectations of the place were a bit different. I didn't expect to see it covered, contrary to what I saw in posts online. This, perhaps, is part of the restoration program to preserve this Grade 1 Historic Structure.
THEN: The Demolition
Image source
Despite its historic age dating back to the Qing Dynasty, this once-abandoned reservoir remained an unnoticed underground structure. So in 2017, it faced demolition, and this story was the one that caught my attention, so I wanted to see the place before my eyes. It became a headline back in the day, and the concerned residents and the councilor of Sham Shui Po called for an immediate stop of the demolition.
NOW: The Restoration
It's all thanks to the brave woman who clutched at the rumbling drill to stop the demolition and other concerned citizens, so this place was saved and preserved. Until then, it has become a known historical site and one of the attractions in Sham Shui Po.
The opened ground to the reservoir is now covered with steel frames and glass roofs, with provided stairs going down to the bottom of the former reservoir.
Before going to the underground, there was an orientation held by the staff. There were two tents for it, and the group was divided into two.
We were given audio transmitters and connected our headsets to clearly hear our tour guide. There were headsets available, provided by the staff, for those who had none.
Although the tour guide spoke in Cantonese, I somehow understood what the orientation was about because of the information posted on the board with English translations. She talked about the history of the site and the other reservoirs connected to it. It took us more or less fifteen minutes, so half an hour of our time was consumed climbing the hill and listening to the orientation.
Our tour started by showing us the exterior site and these two significant spots on the site. Although I didn't understand the tour guide, I presumed they were pipe holes and ventilators connected to the underground reservoir.
We finally went down the stairs after some not-so-important talking that only consumed some of our time. This is why I dislike joining guided tours. Instead of enjoying the place on our own, we have to follow the guide and wait until she's done talking before proceeding to the next spot.
It's all steel frames everywhere. The bare reservoir is far prettier. However, I understood that this was made for safety and reservation purposes, especially since part of the site was demolished, and unwanted accidents like falling debris may happen.
Who would have thought that there was a historical site atop Bishop Hill? Based on the architecture, structure, and information from the orientation, the former reservoir has a Roman style. Red bricks, arches, columns, granite blocks, and masonry piers are still well-preserved and intact.
Since it rained that day, the place was wet and slippery. There were light installations to brighten the place, but I guess the natural light is pretty much better in photos compared to installed lights that only make some shots dimmer. A real camera is needed to take better shots inside the reservoir. There are installed fans to easily dry the wet ground, and wooden footpaths in between spaced columns for visitors' convenience, especially in the rainy season.
Romanesque Architecture and Nostalgic Vibe
The former Sham Shui Po Reservoir was completed in 1904 for Kowloon Tong residents. But its function stopped when Shek Kip Mei Reservoir was built, which has larger storage. Until then, this site was abandoned.
After the long hiatus and hiding in the dark, it regained the spotlight when the Water Supplies Department discovered cracks on top of the reservoir which might create further destruction. That was the main reason for the demolition, but braved residents saved it from being wrecked with the fact that it is a historical site and should be preserved.
This reservoir was built tougher over time, which is why it is still intact and standing up to date, excluding the demolished part though. This was built during the British Colonial Era, as shown in its Romanesque architecture, which gives off a nostalgic vibe.
The red bricks, segmental arches, and masonry piers are undoubtedly the main attractions. If people would mind counting the granite blocks in each masonry pier, all have 14 granite blocks. And based on the information found on site, the roof is supported by 108 piers, and those rusticated blocks are identical in dimensions: 2 feet in length, 1 foot 6 inches in width, and 1 foot in height.
Red brick arches
Granite piers
Concrete cove ceiling
There are broken stones and granite blocks on the site from the demolition, stacked up on the other side for preservation.
There are remnants of inlet, outlet, and washout pipes and a stilling well found on site. These are probably connected to the ones I've shown on top of the reservoir. See photos above. Some have been damaged by natural elements.
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At five in the afternoon, we were called to leave the site as it was about to close. We were the last batch of visitors that day, and the guided tour was only until five in the afternoon. Indeed, it is better to have limited visitors, as one can get souvenir photos without photo bombers. No one should leave this historical site without taking shots at it.
At the end of our tour, we were given a souvenir item: a folder with the reservoir design containing a leaflet about the history of the place. This is where I got some of the information about the former reservoir.
People visit this hill not just to see the historical site but also to get fit. Aside from the table tennis practice sites I mentioned above, there are fitness stations as well. Anyone can use the facilities for free. So Bishop Hill in Sham Shui Po has been a spot for recreational activities.
The guided tour of this site is free. However, it's quite difficult to book online due to the limited slots and available hours per day.
Take note that the online reservation must be made a month before the visiting day. You can check the release day for online booking here and take your slot immediately.
Information about the place and rules, as well as instructions on how to get there, are given on the website which is available to download after booking.
The hour-and-a-half tour was short. But given that it was free, it was worth it to see this historical site. Many of you here know for certain that I love going to historical places and heritage museums. I never knew I loved history until I started traveling around Hong Kong, packed with historical sites and British colonial-era architecture. (Feel free to browse my feed for other historical places and heritage museums I shared here.)
So another place on my bucket list has been marked. See you in my next travel blog ☺️.
Thanks for stopping by.
(You can check the provided hyperlinks for the references)
(All photos are mine)
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