Lugard Road

Lugard Road

Chinese: 盧吉道
Lugard Road, elevated section in background
Length	2,462 metres (8,076 ft)
Width	2.4 metres (8 ft)
Location	Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
Construction
Construction start	June 1913
Completion	March 1921

Lugard Road (Chinese: 盧吉道; Cantonese Yale: lou4 gat1 dou6) is a road located on Victoria Peak, Hong Kong, named after Sir Frederick Lugard, governor from 1907 to 1912. Located some 400 metres (1,300 ft) above sea level, the road is a popular walking path that forms part of the Hong Kong Trail, and is known for the spectacular vistas over Victoria Harbour.

Lugard Road lies approximately 400m above sea level. It is a semi-circular 2.4-kilometre (1.5 mi) road on Victoria Peak that mainly follows the contours of the hillside, connecting Victoria Gap in the east to Hatton Road / Harlech Road in the west. With Harlech Road, it wraps around the Peak to form a circuit. Lugard Road is the initial section of Stage 1 of the 50-kilometre Hong Kong Trail. Most of Lugard Road enjoys dense tree cover, and variety of tropical vegetation can be found along its length. The views of the city below from Lugard Road are variously described in travel guides as "stunning" and "spectacular".

The road is approximately 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide at its widest, and almost 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) at its narrowest, and while not entirely pedestrian, has vehicular restrictions. Only a small number of vehicles are issued with permits to use this road giving vehicular access to their properties.

The road is named after Sir Frederick Lugard, governor from 1907–12.

The Public Works Department issued an invitation for sealed tenders by 2 June 1913 to form a section of roadway from Victoria Gap to High West Gap. The cost of the entire 2,462-metre (8,076 ft) road, whose construction was made difficult by the "rocky and precipitous nature of the hillside", was estimated at HK$55,000. In their 1913 annual report, the PWD noted that HK$11,373 had been spent on the 860-metre (2,820 ft) section completed in the year.

[…] the road will be principally used as a promenade, a wonderful panoramic view of the City, Harbour and surroundings being obtainable from it. Starting from Victoria Gap, the road contours the hillside below the Mount Austin Barracks, being practically level until it reaches a point below Bishop’s Lodge, whence it continues westwards with a rising grade of 1 in 18 to the end of the first section. It is 8 feet in width and is generally cut out of the hillside. In some places, it has been necessary to construct retaining walls in order to avoid excessive cutting or to improve the alignment of the road.