The wide Ng Tung River runs through Sheung Shui and Fan Ling, and the fertile soil along its banks formed the very basis for the villages that were settled here back in the Yuan dynasty; back then the river was known as the Phoenix River.
It flows from the mountains of Pat Sin Leng, collecting water from a large network of tributaries on the way down to Fan Ling, Sheung Shui, and Lo Wu before it empties into the Shenzhen River.

A wide road runs along the river from Fanling all the way up to Lo Wu. Vehicular access is restricted, so the smooth concrete road is perfect for cycling, walking, and doing other activities along the river.
South of Fu Tei Au Village, Ng Tung River is joined by Sheung Yue River; here you can cross to the other side and cycle or walk down towards Ho Sheung Heung and Long Valley.
The section that runs through Sheung Shui has a pedestrian path running along the southern bank, and a wide road along the north; this road has only restricted vehicular access,

The river has changed a lot over the past decades. Farmers traditionally used to dig channels along the riverside to irrigate their farmland, simultaneously creating a wetland habitat that accommodated various species. The natural landscape that once formed along the bank of the river is no longer visible in the Sheung Shui section after a new channel was built in 1990 to prevent flooding, and most of the farmlands changed to more dry types of cultivation.

Fun fact: a large family of brown cattle lives along the river, especially on the dry floodplain further south along the river (actually Sheung Shek River) closer to the town center. If you’re lucky you can spot them running wild and free across the green grass :)