Lugard Road
Encyclopedia
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The road is semi-circular and links with Harlech Road to surround Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak is a mountain in Hong Kong. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak. The mountain is located in the western half of Hong Kong Island...
. It is notable for its view, tranquility, and simplicity: continuing along the path will take visitors back to the Peak Tram station
The Peak (Peak Tram)
The Peak is the upper terminus of the Peak Tram funicular railway line. It is located inside the Peak Tower at Victoria Gap, the Peak, Central and Western District, Hong Kong, 398m above sea level. The station was opened in 1888 along with the tramline. It is known to be 35 degrees of a full...
. Recent shotcreting
Shotcrete
Shotcrete is concrete conveyed through a hose and pneumatically projected at high velocity onto a surface, as a construction technique....
efforts have blighted some sections.
Too narrow in most places to be a road, for much of its length Lugard Road serves more as a path winding past stands of wild banana, flowering creepers, and tropical vegetation. Densely shaded for most of its length, Lugard Road provides vistas of Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
, distant islands
Outlying Islands, Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, the Outlying Islands are the groups of islands that surround Hong Kong Island as well as Kowloon and the New Territories on the mainland. There are 236 islands in Hong Kong, the majority of which are part of Islands District in the south and southwest, Sai Kung District in the...
, and densely packed city beneath. As seen from the road, most of the surrounding countryside is made up of extensive green hills with few buildings.
While there are a number of houses at various points along its length, Lugard Road—perhaps surprisingly given its harbour and island views—is not one of the Peak's more sought-after residential addresses. The road is too narrow for cars to pass in most places, the cliff sides for much of its length are too steep to build anything on, and the houses scattered along its length are often considered remote and difficult to access.
Name
Many roads in Hong Kong recall former governors, colonial secretaries and commanding generals and this one, named after Sir Frederick LugardFrederick Lugard
Frederick John Dealtry Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard GCMG, CB, DSO, PC , known as Sir Frederick Lugard between 1901 and 1928, was a British soldier, mercenary, explorer of Africa and colonial administrator, who was Governor of Hong Kong and Governor-General of Nigeria .-Early life and education:Lugard...
, governor from 1907-12 is no exception. Hong Kong formed a brief Far Eastern interregnum in Lugard's career as a long and distinguished African administrator, and he is best remembered today for the creation of Nigeria. Along with his wife, the well-known journalist Flora Shaw
Flora Shaw
Dame Flora Louisa Shaw, Lady Lugard, DBE , the daughter of an English father, Captain George Shaw and a French mother, Marie Desfontaines, was a British journalist and writer...
, Lugard was also instrumental in establishing the University of Hong Kong.