Location: Bukit Timah Hill

19 Oct 2003, China sent a man to space 4 days ago and made history. While that really has nothing to do with this page, it only shows that people simply love to go on quests. Since I cannot visit space, I visited Bukit Timah Hill to capture some of the views and to experience nature.


This is a model of Bukit Timah Hill, taken at the Visitor Centre.

Poor Tigress, trapped even in death
The visitor centre has a specimen of a tiger shot in the area many years ago. Today, the biggest animals found in Bukit Timah Hill are human beings and monkeys.

Hindhede park is easy to traverse From the aptly named Quarry View Hut. Nice quarry view In 2008, this stream will really be filled with water overflowing from the quarry. Board walks are nice to step on, the higher the better.
Hindhede Park is just next to the Visitor Centre, linked by a boardwalk. The main attraction is a nice view of the Hindhede Quarry. The granite quarry accumulates rain water such that water level rises by 3m annually. There are many dry streams in the park, getting ready to carry the access water from the quarry in about 2008.

There is a main road that leads from the visitor centre straight to the top of the hill. There's nothing interesting about that. Around the hill and joining the main road are paths that are more challenging. They are slightly harder to track with steep slopes and uneven terrain, but that's where the fun is.
Track off the main road One of the 3 tunnels Light at the end of the tunnel
Along the Cave Path (so creatively named), there are 3 tunnels used during WWII by resistant fighters. They are all blocked today. One of them (3rd pic above) leads straight through as I could feel the cool (and creepy) breeze blowing out from the entrance, and I could see light at the end of the dark tunnel (click on the pic to see the dot of light).

Isolated grave along the path Water! Just nice to wash my feet with. The water is clear and inviting
There is an isolated grave (above right), visited by intrepid punters who crave for lucky numbers. Before I took the shot, a brown monkey (most monkeys I saw in the area were grey) was helping itself to the offerings. I did not want to disturb the dead by taking a frontal shot, but I had been down there before to know it belongs to a lady. Proceeding, a welcoming pool of clear running water was just nice to wash myself with. One companion in my previous trip had taken a sip from this pool. To this day he is alive and healthy.

Crossroad between Cave Path, Tiup Tiup Path and Catchment Path. Deterrent at Quarry Road, a useless road leading to sure disappointment. Piece of rock at the summit The uninspiring Summit Hut
Cave path leads me to a crossroad where I may choose to make a big loop away from the summit via Cachment Path, or hit the main road via Tiup Tiup Path. I chose the main road. Along the main road, never be tempted by the Quarry Road, which leads to an otherwise splendid view of the quarry completely blocked by foliage and fences. I knew better than to go in but I did it anyway just to shoot the ridiculous signboard (above 2nd right). In my previous trip, I had ventured beyond the fence and caught a good view from the vantage point. This time, I had to set a good example for a family of onlookers.

Above 3rd and 4th pix are uninspiring views from the Summit. 'nuff said.

Rengas Path is a long and steep path biased against weaker trackers My next course is set on Dairy Farm Path to see the rockclimbers' cliffs Green moss on the rock looks like fur
Shunning the disappointed look of tourists on the Summit, I took the fastest (and steepest) way down the Rengas Path. Next course was the Dairy Farm Path (DFP), which is the most uneven track among all.

Plants are quiet living things, but some are flamboyant through the outrageously curvy way they twist themselves. Queer structures with rusty ladder along Dairy Farm Path The really cute monkey peering from the top of the ladder. You can only see half of its furry head. The fruits our furry friends had for lunch were unhusked and littered the ground Here's how the fruit looks like inside: a coat of clear jelly flesh with a seed. Tastes good!
While on DFP, I barged into a lunch gathering of the local grey-furred monkeys. They, about 4 to 6 of them, were shy and kept a wary distance away. There were some atop the cylindrical structure (2nd right) with the rusty ladder. I used to climb the ladder but this time I only took pictures from below (you can never catch up with a monkey). A cute thing kept peering from atop (3rd right), while an older one even threw stuff on me from the tree top. Failing to attract them nearer, I explored the fruit they were having (2nd left). Since my furry friends enjoyed the fruit, I gamely squeezed one out of its skin and popped it in my mouth. It was sweet but had too little flesh to chew on. I would need a bushel of these to make a decent lunch!

DFP blocked from the cycling path for reforestation Another stream for travellers to sink their muddy feet in! Nice cliffs where eagles make nests on Catch the eagle in the cloud, you'll need to click to see the larger pic The eagle looks like a dot from here, but I think it could be 2 metres in wingspan
I missed the downhill path towards the cliff, for it was blocked for reforestation. Good thing the path was still recognisable and found it to reach the foot. There, another welcoming stream of clear water eased my feet. I continued on the biker's track to reach the open field, where the grand looking cliffs mark the end of my trip. The last pleasant surprise was the huge eagle* soaring above the cliff. You can hardly see it from the pix, but I estimate it to be 2 metres in wingspan, a truly magnificent sight!

*Years ago I was waddling along the bank of MacRitchie Reservoir (the dry track ended) when an eagle took off from bushes just 5 metres away! I was amazed by the sheer size of it, even untill today.