Checkerboard Hill
Checkerboard Hill (Chinese: 格仔山), also known as Kowloon Tsai Hill (九龍仔山) and Tak Mee Mountain (德美山), is a small hill in the northern part of the Kowloon peninsula in Hong Kong. Standing at 98 metres (322 ft) tall, Checkerboard Hill is located next to Kowloon Tsai Park and the Lok Fu Service Reservoir Rest Garden (樂富配水庫休憩花園) of Lok Fu Park (樂富公園), and it is not far from Lion Rock Country Park.
Name
The hill's name dates back to the time when airline pilots had to navigate towards this hill in order to land on Runway 13 of the now-closed Kai Tak Airport. Pilots would set their onboard navigation systems to fly the Instrument Guidance System (IGS) path straight towards a large red and white checkerboard on the side of the hill, then once the checkerboard pattern was sighted and identified, they would make a low-altitude right-hand turn to align visually with Runway 13.[1]
Kai Tak Airport was demanding for pilots, and it required special training, since the approach to runway 13 could not be flown entirely by instrument, but required instead to aim towards a fixed obstacle, and then break away visually to land on its right.
Closure of Kai Tak and checkerboard restoration
Following the decommissioning of Kai Tak and the opening of Chek Lap Kok International Airport, the hill and the checkerboard became abandoned, wherein the latter became faded and overgrown with new trees. The checkerboard was not restored probably because it may confuse pilots landing at Chek Lap Kok, since the Kai Tak Runway 13 approach also involved flying over Lantau Island.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2020 to 2021, restoration work was carried out on both the west and south sides of Checkerboard Hill.[2] The checkerboard pattern was repainted to its original colors and now acts as a monument to Kai Tak Airport.
See also
References
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- Tai Mo Shan
- Lantau Peak
- Sunset Peak
- Sze Fong Shan
- Wo Yeung Shan
- Lin Fa Shan (Lantau)
- Miu Ko Toi
- Nei Lak Shan
- Yi Tung Shan
- Ap Kuk Lek
- Sam Shan Toi
- Ma On Shan
- The Hunch Backs
- Yin Ngam Teng
- Wo Tong Kong
- Grassy Hill
- Wong Leng
- Buffalo Hill
- West Buffalo Hill
- Kowloon Peak
- Shun Yeung Fung
- Tiu Shau Ngam
- Chau Ma Kong
- Middle Hill
- Lo Tin Teng
- Kai Kung Leng (Lam Tsuen)
- Castle Peak
- Lin Fa Shan (Tsuen Wan)
- Tate's Cairn
- Tai To Yan
- Wong Chuk Shan
- Victoria Peak
- Kwun Yam Shan (Yuen Long)
- Lai Pek Shan
- Tung Shan
- Chung Li Fung
- Shek Nga Shan
- Kau Nga Ling
- Pyramid Hill
- Tung Yeung Shan
- Needle Hill
- Mount Parker
- Kao Lao Fung
- Kuai Li Fung
- Pok To Yan
- Fu Yung Pit
- Hsien Ku Fung
- Sheung Tsz Fung
- Tsao Kau Fung
- Pak Tai To Yan
- Kau Keng Shan
- Mount Kellett
(excerpt)
- Lion Rock
- High West
- Sze Tsz Tau Shan
- Robin's Nest
- Ling Wui Shan
- Choi Wo Fung
- Hung Fa Chai
- Temple Hill
- Kwai Tau Leng
- Por Kai Shan
- Shek Uk Shan
- Muk Yue Shan
- Mount Gough
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- Sharp Peak
- Tai Hom Sham
- Wo Sheung Tung
- Lo Fu Tau
- Tin Fu Tsai Shan
- Keung Shan
- Beacon Hill
- Ngam Tau Shan
- Cheung Shan (Lantau Island)
- Cheung Yan Shan
- Cloudy Hill
- Mount Cameron
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- Mount Butler
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- Violet Hill
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- Razor Hill
- Mount Nicholson
- Sham Hang Lek
- Middle Kau Nga Ling
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- Tiu Tang Lung
- Luk Chau Shan
- Tai Cham Koi
- Luk Shan
(excerpt)
- Tai Sheung Tok
- Kai Kung Shan (Sai Kung)
- Kau To Shan
- Turret Hill
- Hebe Hill
- Wa Mei Shan
- The Twins South
- Lui Ta Shek
- Lau Fa Tung
- Yuen Tau Shan
- Nga Ying Shan
- Sugar Loaf Peak
- Kai Kung Shan (Lam Tsuen)
- Mount Hallowes
- Tai Mun Shan
- Golden Hill
- Fan Kei Tok
- Tin Mei Shan
- The Twins North
- Bird's Hill
- Cham Tin Shan
- Mount Stenhouse
- Mount Collinson
- Lower Hebe Hill
- High Junk Peak
- Cheung Lin Shan
- Shek Sze Shan
- Tsim Fung Shan
- Smuggler's Ridge
- Tsing Yi Peak
- Miu Tsai Tun
- D'Aguilar Peak
- Wo Liu Tun
- Sze Shan
- Tai Tun
- Sai Wan Shan (Sai Kung)
- Pottinger Peak
- Kwai Au Shan
- Eagle's Nest
- Black Hill
- Kwun Yam Tung
- Lo Yan Shan
- Tai Che Tung
- Tap Chai Shan
(excerpt)
- Tung Wan Shan
- Kung Um Shan
- Ma Tau Fung
- Tit Sze Kou
- Tai Leng Tung
- Tai Shan
- Brick Hill
- Shek O Peak
- Tai She Teng
- Tai Ngau Wu Teng
- Tin Ha Shan
- Fa Ping Teng
- Mount Davis
- Wan Cham Shan
- Ngau Wu Tun
- Kei Lak Chai
- Lung Fu Shan
- Ngo Sei Kai
- Sheung Yeung Shan
- Kwai Shan
- Ling Kok Shan
- Chiu Keng Wan Shan
- Tin Wan Shan
- Mau Wu Shan
- Bennet's Hill
- Tung Tau Teng
- Wang Tau Tun
- Nam Tong Teng
- Hung Heung Lo Fung
- Tai Yue Ngam Teng
- Piper's Hill
- Devil’s Peak
- Cheung Ngau Shan
- Kei Lun Shan
- San Sin Tseng Shan
- Tiu Chung Tai Shan
- Ping Tok Hang Shan
- Fa Shan
- Pai Tau Tun
- Cheung Ngau Shan
- Braemar Hill
- Boa Vista
- Pak Kok Shan
(excerpt)
- Sai Wan Shan (Chai Wan)
- Mount Johnston
- Crow's Nest
- Ping Shan
- Tai Yam Teng
- Shum Wan Shan
- Sha Tin Heights
- Cheung Shan (North District)
- Obelisk Hill
- Hammer Hill
- Cheung Shan (Sai Kung)
- Tai Ling (North District)
- Ho Hok Shan
- Fake Yuk Kwai Shan
- Siu Lam Hill
- Shouson Hill
- Ngai Tau
- Red Hill
- To Fung Shan
- Po Keng Teng
- Chung Hom Shan
- Cheung Pai Tun
- Kai Shan
- Kai Kung Leng (Kat O)
- Por Lo Shan
- Hung Tang Shan
- Crest Hill
- Duckling Hill
- Red Light Hill
(excerpt)
- Checkerboard Hill
- Pak Fu Shan
- Finger Hill
- Wong Shek
- Garden Hill
- Woh Chai Shan
- Diamond Hill
- Scenic Hill
- Pak Hok Shan
- Fu Shan
- Lo Shue Leng
- Yuen Chau Kok
- Cha Kwo Ling
- Tai Tseng Shan
- Duke's Hill
- Ko Po Shan
- Chu Wong Ling
- King's Park Hill
- Signal Hill
- Crocodile Hill
- Kadoorie Hill
- Sai Shan
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- Lung Shan (Ngau Tau Kok)
- Hok Ngam Teng
- Leighton Hill
- Quarry Hill
- Hung Hom Hill
- Lo Lung Hang Hill
- Shan Pui Leng
- Pak Fa Leng
- Mount Parish
- Mount Shadwell
- Caroline Hill
- Hong Kong Three Sharp Peaks
- Sai Kung Three Sharp Peaks
- Dragon's Back
- Eight Mountains of Kowloon
- Mini Pat Sin
- 4 Hills of Kowloon
- The Twins
- Pat Sin Leng
- Wong Leng
- Castle Peak Hinterland
- Four Guardian Beasts of Tai O
- Kai Kung Leng (Lam Tsuen)
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