Shing Mun Reservoir is the largest water storage facility at the foot of Tai Mo Shan, and the most unforgettable sight of Shing Mun Country Park. Measuring 2 km in length, the reservoir is orbited by a winding lakeside path that stretches for many kilometres in the verdant valley. This unspoiled piece of country has many hidden corners for the explorer. The most relaxing way to experience its natural beauty is to stroll along the east bank of the lake. The trail starts at the northern end of the main dam. Meandering along the embankment, it takes you deep into the beautiful Shing Mun woodlands. In summer, Common Melastomas (Melastoma candidum) dress the slopes a bubbly pink, against chartreuse ravines overlaid with Galingales. In the low wetlands, profuse trees and shrubs enclose the water. Continuing up the hills, the trail passes some large streams before making a descent through dense forests developed from overgrowing fung shui woods relics of old Shing Mun villages. 

Tai Shing Stream

To the northwest of Shing Mun Reservoir, you find Tai Shing Stream, a waterway that runs from the uplands of Tai Mo Shan to the reservoir. The name Tai Shing Stream was given by hikers, and reflects the stream's highland origin and lowland end. Voted one of the nine greatest streams of Hong Kong, it is a broad waterway with an exuberant flow. It is also a major rock stream that feeds the Shing Mun Reservoir.
Shing Mun Country Park is primarily granite and volcanic rock terrain. The uplands are mostly volcanic rock, while the southern lowlands are formed by granite which is more vulnerable to erosion. The eastern region of the park boasts rich reserves of tungsten, and mining began here in as early as 1936. After a brief interruption during WWII, ore production resumed soon after the war. In the heyday, the Shing Mun mines had an average monthly output of 30 tonnes, all of which was exported overseas. In 1968, tungsten prices began to plummet, and the mines gradually went into disuse. Today, you can still find abandoned mine pits around Lead Mine Pass. Some of them date back a few hundred years.