Have you ever wondered what a “ring of fire” looks like without the flames? Look no further than Kam Tin Valley. Kam Tin Valley is nestled in a caldera-like valley, surrounded by ridges. This creates a stunning “ring of fire” landscape. Kam Tin Valley has a rich history, intertwined with the British Army, local villages, and the encroaching signs of development.
Kam Tin Valley was once bustling with activity centered around the Shek Kong market. This market thrived until the departure of the British Army and Gurkha regiments in 1997. Along with the military, the market’s tailors, Pakistani shops, and vibrant gladioli and cabbage fields disappeared. The valley became quieter, partly due to the Shek Kong Airfield and PLA military camp.
Despite the military presence, life continues in Kam Tin Valley. The fringes of the valley show signs of development. Swamplands once home to endangered Painted Snipe and water buffalo are being drained. Lowlands no longer flood thanks to extensive canals. This development has ironically brought drought to the basin. Mid-rise buildings are appearing toward Yuen Long. The massive carpark at the Kam Sheung Road Rail line fills daily with commuter cars. Kam Tin Village itself has become a traffic bottleneck. This provides a glimpse of village life from the vantage point of a car.
Beyond the traffic, remnants of traditional life persist in Kam Tin Valley. Orange rinds dry in the sun. Laundry lies flat on low iron roofs. Wild passionfruit rots on the paths. Back lanes are now filled with car yards and scrap merchants. These merchants, carrying bags of cash, gather container loads to ship to developing nations. The valley’s diverse population includes Pakistanis on bikes and Nigerians heading to makeshift mosques.
The natural beauty of Kam Tin Valley can still be experienced. The Kap Lung Catchment offers a peaceful walk among Birdwood vines. Monkeys sometimes become intoxicated by the nectar of the flowers. A road sign remains, telling pedestrians “When wig-wag sign goes stop,” a relic of a different era. Even with the construction of the Guanzhou fast rail line operation center, a mix of Cantonese, Hakka, and other ethnicities continue to live humbly near the high-tech Kam Sheung Westrail line.
Kam Tin Valley encapsulates both the progress and challenges of modern Hong Kong. While development transforms the landscape, vestiges of the past remain. The quiet villages, the bustling markets, and the natural beauty all contribute to the unique character of Kam Tin Valley. The area may not have changed drastically on the surface, but a new monument being built outside the PLA Shek Kong airfield suggests that more change is coming to Kam Tin Valley.