A DIY Guide to The

If you enjoy walking or cycling in lush open spaces, do not miss the great outdoor experience that What to wear and bring the Southern Ridges offers. Away from the hustle • Do dress comfortably and wear and bustle of city life, it is one of the latest and walking shoes. most exciting recreational destinations that • Bring a hat, sunscreen lotion, water, offers. insect repellant, binoculars, camera

The most distinguishing feature about the Ridges is the seamless experience it offers to visitors – the Guided walks available 9-kilometre chain of green, open spaces spanning 1. SR guided walk ($6/pax, at least 15 the of Park, Park to sign up, 1 guide to max 20 pax) and Park are mostly connected by nature Route for SR guided walk: pathways and bridges. Henderson Waves (Mt Faber side) Hilltop walk Terrace Garden Forest Walk Alexandra Arch Floral The other highlights of the Southern Ridges are Walk (HortPark) Ends in HortPark the Forest Walk and Canopy Walk – bridges cutting 2. HortPark guided walk ($4/pax, at least through the adinandra , a distinct type of belukar 15 to sign up, 1 guide to max 30 pax) secondary forest where the forest regenerates after exhaustive agriculture exploitation. These trails are 3. guided walk excellent for bird watchers to observe birds in their Please email [email protected] natural habitats. You can also find a rich variety of or call the HortPark hotline at 64715601 flora and fauna here. to sign up for the guided walks.

Gain a deeper insight of Singapore’s history as you The building of the Southern Ridges walk on the Ridges. Take beautiful photos of wild The Southern Ridges was one of flowers and birds, and panoramic shots of the city, several areas in Singapore targeted for harbour and Southern from strategic spots preservation. A plan to improve access along the Southern Ridges. to and connectivity within this 9km chain of hills by building a series of pedestrian linkages to connect Mount Faber, Telok Blangah Hill and Kent Ridge was developed. The Southern Ridges was opened to the public in 2008. Mount Faber Park

Te K lok Blangah R a ise m p p u ng Highlights Ba hr • View from Mount Faber u • adinandra belukar (secondary forest) • Forest Walk – Elevated Walkway • Henderson Waves

• Alexandra Arch Telok Blangah Heights • Canopy Walk

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Flora Walk Canopy Walk and HortPark Alexandra Arch Forest Walk Hilltop Walk Henderson Waves Faber Walk Marang Trail Marang Trail (Harbourfront MRT Station Exit D next to Marang Road). Some common tree species you can The Marang trail begins right after you step off the see on this trail: escalator exiting from Harbourfront MRT Station (Exit D) near Marang Road. This trail leads you to the cable • Angsana tree - a common, fast- car station at the Jewel Box on Mount Faber. growing tree in this region. • Saga Tree - its seeds are commonly Embark on this walk of steps and shaded footpaths picked and used in jewellery and that pave the way to beautiful sights and sounds of artwork; popular for their bright red the secondary forest. Enjoy the peace and tranquility colour that symbolizes passion and of nature as you jog or walk on this trail. Listen to the everlasting love. loud chirping of cicadas that break the silence of the • Shrubs, plants, climbers and flowers forest. Cicadas live on the tuip tuip tree, the dominant like the Bat lily, ground orchids and tree in the adinandra belukar, making loud mating Crape ginger. calls to attract females. If you are lucky, you can spot the drongo, yellow oriole and other birds in the lush greenery. The Marang Trail is deliberately unlit Depot Road Mount Faber Park after dark to minimize disturbance 124, 131, 195

At the top of the Trail is the Jewel Box, an F&B to nocturnal life in the forest. Do 272

Telo K establishment comprising bars, and various bring along a torch and take extra k Blan a gah m Rise p precautions if you wish to walk on Loop on entertainment options on Mount Faber. Chill out with Faber g unt Ba Mo hr a beer or have an ice cream as you enjoy a panoramic this trail after dark. u Ro view of the harbour and from different ad vantage points. You can also get to from A

Do note that the Marang Trail Parks 409 Parks 409 the Jewel Box in a cable car. d C Mou d a B covers an elevation of 70 metres nt F oa o aber R 124, 273 R (or the equivalent of a 24-storey n o D s building), so this trail may r e d 131, 145, 648, 176 Highlight not be suitable for young n 10, 30, 57, 61, 65, e 80, 93, 97, 100, 131, Flora and fauna of secondary forest children, the elderly and H Pender Road 143, 166, 300, 646, 855 10, 30, 57, 61, 65, the less fit. 80, 93, 97, 100, 131, 10, 30, 57, 61, 93, 97, 100, 143, 145, 166, 188, 963 131, 143, 145, 166, 188, 963 Vivo City 6, 10, 30, 57, 61, 64, 65, 80, 93, 97, 100, 131, Telok Blangah Road 143, 145, 166, 300, 855 Difficulty level : moderate to Harbour Front challenging MRT Station Distance : 0.8km Marang Trail Walking time : 15 min Cable Car Car Park Stop MRT Shelter Toilet Sculpture Station Faber Walk At the end of Marang Trail lies Faber Walk. If you wish to give Marang Trail a miss and head straight for Faber Walk, TheDo note naming that theof MountMarang Faber Trail covers an you can get your transport to drop you off at Mount Faber elevation of 70 metres (or the equivalent Road, or park at one of the car parks at Mount Faber Park. Inof 1823,a 24-storey Sir Stamford building), Raffles so this gave trail orders may fornot the be removalsuitable offor the young former children, Chief ofthe Faber Walk, of which many parts are sheltered, meanders theelderly Island, and Temenggong the less fit. Abdul Rahman, through Mount Faber Park and ends at the start of a prince of the House of Johore. Together Henderson Waves. The slopes of this 56-hectare park are with his followers, he was moved “lock, covered by dense secondary rain forest, and are home to stock and barrel” to Telok Blangah. an amazing array of flora and fauna. The Temenggong and his entourage were allotted space along the beach from The trail, which takes you on a loop around the peak of to Telok Blangah covering Mount Faber Hill, offers spectacular views of the southern an estimated 200 acres of ground. part of Singapore and the Southern Islands. For a close-up view, use one of several telescopes situated at Palm Plaza 57, 145, 175, At the same time, one of the first western 195A, 195, 272, 273, 176 and along some parts of the trail. You can catch sight of merchants, a native of Scotland named Depot Road Mount Faber Park Alexandra Guthrie, acquired a piece of passing ocean liners and cruise ships in the far distance. 124, 131, 195 This trail will also take you to small landmarks at Mount land behind Telok Blangah Hill. 124, 131, 195 Faber including the Merlion Sculpture and the Danish 272 Telo K Prior to this the site was known as Telok k Blan a gah m Seaman’s Church. Rise p Blangah Hill. Loop on Faber g unt Ba Mo hr u At night, the park is one of the more popular romantic Ro The park was renamed after Captain ad spots on the island. Join several couples and families in Charles Edward Faber, a British engineer A enjoying breathtaking sights of the city’s twinkling lights. who cut a road up to the summit in 1845 Parks 409 Parks 409

d C Mou d to set up a signal post. This ship to shore a B nt F oa o aber R 124, 273 R communication post was constructed to n o D direct ships through the water channels. s Highlights r e 131, 145, 648, 176 This Signal Post was eventually demolished d n 10, 30, 57, 61, 65, • Bird’s eye view from Mount Faber e 80, 93, 97, 100, 131, during the redevelopment in 1994 due to H Pender Road 143, 166, 300, 646, 855 • Merlion Sculpture 10, 30, 57, 61, 65, the unstable condition of the structure. 80, 93, 97, 100, 131, 143, 145, 166, 188, 963 • Jewel Box 10, 30, 57, 61, 93, 97, 100, 131, 143, 145, 166, 188, 963 (Extracted from the Oral History Department) Vivo City 6, 10, 30, 57, 61, 64, 65, 80, 93, 97, 100, 131, Telok Blangah Road 143, 145, 166, 300, 855 Harbour Front MRT Station Difficulty level : Easy Distance : 0.8km Faber Walk Merlion Cable Car Car Park Bus Stop MRT Shelter Toilet Walking time : 15min Sculpture Station Henderson Waves Henderson Waves is a stone’s throw from Faber Walk. You can also park at Mount Faber Carpark D. Alternatively, take the staircase from Henderson Road up to Mount Faber Park.

Admire the beautiful skyline as you stroll across this 274 metre-long pedestrian bridge that spans Henderson Road to connect Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park.

The bridge is also worth visiting for its artistic, distinctive wave-like structure consisting of a series of undulating curved “ribs”. These “ribs” also double up as alcoves providing shelter to the public. Slats of yellow bakau wood, an all-weather timber found

57, 145, 175, in South-East , are used in the decking. 195A, 195, 272, 273, 176 Mount Faber Park Joggers, couples and families with children are Depot Road 124, 131, 195 At 36m above Henderson Road, 124, 131, 195 a common sight on Henderson Waves during 57, 175,165 272 weekends. The bridge has also become a popular Henderson Waves is the highest Te lok Blan gah photography location in recent months for wedding pedestrian bridge in Singapore and one 131, 145, Rise 648, 176 r Loop Fabe couples posing against the scenic skyline. of several recent projects to improve Mount connectivity between nature areas. 2 1 124, 131, 145 The bridge takes on a different look at night, with 176, 273 Mt Faber 3 the wave-form illuminated with attractive LED light Service Reservoir Parks 409 Parks 409 Look out for carvings on the slats d C from 7pm to 2am daily. a B

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n various points on the bridge. Telok 124,Blangah 273 Height o D s r e d 131, 145, 648, 176 n 10, 30, 57, 61, 65, Highlights e 80, 93, 97, 100, 131, H Pender Road 143, 166, 300, 646, 855 10, 30, 57, 61, 65, 80, 93, 97, 100, • Highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore This bridge is disabled-friendly. 131, 143, 145, • Distinctive architecture of bridge 166, 188, 963 Henderson Waves Vivo City • Good point for viewing migratory birds-of-prey 6, 10, 30, 57, 61, 64, 65, 80, 93, 97, 100, 131, Telok Blangah Road 143, 145, 166, 300, 855 Harbour Front Difficulty level : Easy MRT Station Distance : 0.3km Walking time : 5min Merlion Cable Car Car Park Bus Stop MRT Shelter Toilet Stream Terrace Sculpture Station Garden Garden Hilltop Walk From Henderson Waves, you can continue on to Hilltop Walk that runs through Telok Blangah Hill Park. This park was once a gathering place for trading communities in the area in the early nineteenth century. This is an easy trail to walk on as you will be walking downhill until you reach Terrace Garden.

Make your way to the top of the park via Terrace Garden and stop for a moment to enjoy a stunning 360-degree view of Singapore and the decks of bougainvillea at the Garden.

Highlight 57, 145, 175, 195A, 195, 272, Terrace Garden – highest point in Telok Blangah 273, 176 Mount Faber Park Hilltop Park Depot Road 124, 131, 195 124, 131, 195

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131, 145, 648, 176 r Loop Fabe Difficulty level : Hilltop Walk in Mount 2 Telok Blangah Hill 1 124, 131, 145 Park (easy) 176, 273 Mt Faber 3 Service Terrace Garden Reservoir d C (Moderare, long a o

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Merlion Cable Car Car Park Bus Stop MRT Shelter Toilet Stream Terrace Sculpture Station Garden Garden Forest Walk From Hilltop Walk, you can proceed to Forest Walk either by walking along the main road or through the Terrace Garden at Hilltop Walk. If you wish to begin your Southern Ridges Walk at Forest Walk, you can park at Carpark 3 on Telok Blangah Hill Park. There are two trails on the Forest Walk (just cross over from Carpark 3 to get on either trail) – the Elevated Walkway and the Earth trail.

The Elevated Walkway, accessed by the metal bridge, offers you the experience of walking through the secondary forest of Telok Blangah Hill at eye-level with the forest canopy. The triangular metal gratings on the floor of the elevated walkway were an On the right of Carpark 3, steps going down lead you to inspiration from the triangular-shaped 57, 145, 175, the Earth trail. If you prefer a more rugged experience, leaves of the fast-growing “Mile-a- 195A, 195, 272, 273, 176 this is the trail for you. Steps have been built at some Minute” plant that grows freely in the Mount Faber Park parts of the trail in view of the steep terrain. forest. These gratings have closer gaps Depot Road 124, 131, 195 124, 131, 195

to prevent wheels of baby prams and 57, 175,165 The dense secondary forest found here, the adinandra wheelchairs from getting stuck. belukar, is home to Singapore’s rich . The 131, 145, 648, 176 r Loop Fabe Dillenia, also referred to as the “rojak” tree, is one of Mount several native trees that are prominent here. 2 The Elevated Walkway is an excellent 1 124, 131, 145 platform for spotting birds, dragonflies 176, 273 Mt Faber 3 and butterflies. Service Reservoir d C

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iora, brown-throated sunbird, black- Alexandra R n e Arch Gillman o a H naped oriole, spotted dove and straw- Village d Pender Road ad Ro headed bulbul. Hyderabad

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(Earth trail) o Pepys Road a Distance : 0.8km d Merlion Cable Car Car Park Bus Stop MRT Shelter Toilet Stream Terrace Walking time : 15min Sculpture Station Garden Garden Alexandra Arch Conceptualised as a “Gateway to Nature”, Alexandra Arch links Forest Walk and Floral Walk.

Walk on this 80m long bridge and admire its unique architecture - it looks like an opened leaf across Alexandra Road, with its curved deck intersecting an arch that is tilted at a 70-degree angle.

Like Henderson Waves, Alexandra Arch is lit up by LED lights at night. The lights change colour at intervals from 7pm to 12am daily, displaying varying shades from the colour spectrum of dusk to complement the nature On the Hyderabad Road side of the settings of the forested hill parks nearby. bridge lies HortPark - The Gardening hub, via the Floral Walk. 57, 145, 175, 195A, 195, 272, 273, 176 Highlights Near the bridge is Gillman Village, a former British military camp in the early Depot Road • Open leaf structure of bridge 124, 131, 195 20th century. Grab a bite or drink at any 57, 175,165 • Changing LED lights at night Telok Blangah Hill Park one of the restaurants and pubs there. 131, 145, 648, 176 r Loop Fabe Mount 2 Difficulty level : Easy 1 124, 131, 145 Distance : 0.08km 176, 273 Mt Faber 3 Walking time : 15min Service Reservoir d C

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d na Vi Bukit Buo sta th R ou o S a Merlion Cable Car Car Park Bus Stop MRT Shelter Toilet Stream Terrace d Sculpture Station Garden Garden Floral Walk and HortPark At the base of the bridge at Alexandra Arch lies Floral Walk, a hot spot for floral diversity with more than 100 About HortPark species of flowering shrubs and trees. HortPark is a gardening showcase centre made possible by 80 key Beautiful scented flowers, trumpet-shaped flowers with industry partners from the local crimson petals, stunning pink flowering clusters – these horticulture and landscape industry are some of the interesting blooms you can see here at coming together to create a beautiful Floral Walk. public community space.

This short trail forms the gateway to HortPark – The It comprises 40 showcase gardens Gardening Hub, South East Asia’s first one-stop centre created by several individuals and for gardening related recreational, educational, research companies, and offers a myriad of and activities in a park setting. Floral Walk offers a exciting ideas and suppliers’ contacts delightful stroll along a path lined with flowering plants. for gardening enthusiasts. Stop here to take a few picturesque shots of Floral Walk. 57, 145, 175, The gardening hub has garnered 195A, 195, 272, 273, 176 several distinguished architectural Floral Walk, together with HortPark, is the experimenting awards to date, most notably the Depot Road ground for different types of plants. This differentiates 124, 131, 195 International Architectural Award 2008 57, 175,165 Floral Walk and HortPark from the rest of the Southern awarded by the Chicago Athenaeum Telok Blangah Hill Park Ridges, which focus on the heritage and conservation of Museum of Architecture and Design. 131, 145, Floral Walk 648, 176 r Loop Fabe native trees. Mount HortPark aims to energise the local and HortPark 2 1 community to be passionate about 124, 131, 145 176, 273 Mt Faber 3 horticulture and community gardening Service Highlights Reservoir d C

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Reflections o Distance : 0.3km of Pepys Road a d na Vi Bukit Buo sta th R Walking time : 5min ou o S a Merlion Cable Car Car Park Bus Stop MRT Shelter Toilet Stream Terrace d Sculpture Station Garden Garden Canopy Walk At the back of HortPark is a gate that leads to a park connector linking HortPark and Kent Ridge Park. You can About Kent Ridge Park reach Canopy Walk via this park connector. Alternatively, Kent Ridge Park is rich in historical value - one if you wish to start your walk at Canopy Walk, you can of the last battles for Singapore was fought head straight for Kent Ridge Park by alighting at any of on this hill, which oversaw the harbor and the the three spots - by bus at South Buona Vista Road (after British military depots in the Ayer Rajah area. which you proceed by foot via Vigilante Drive); at the end of Science Park; at Road (after which you To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the proceed by foot via Pepys Road). end of WWII, a plague is installed at Carpark B. Visitors can also view two decommissioned Kent Ridge Park stands out from other parks in that its M114 Guns and an AMX-13 Light Tank design takes full advantage of the site’s surrounding which are displayed in the park. natural vegetation and topography. Breathe in the fresh air and enjoy panoramic views from the ridge. Reflections of The museum houses the history of the Opium 57, 145, 175, The Canopy Walk is the other trail on the Southern Ridges Hill and the battalion of the Malay Regiment 195A, 195, 272, 273, 176 that offers you the experience of walking through a in the Pasir Panjang Area during WWII. secondary forest at eye-level with the forest canopy. Depot Road This is a 280-metre long boardwalk that links Kent Ridge 124, 131, 195 Park to the museum “Reflections of Bukit Chandu”. Flora at Canopy Walk Telok Blangah Hill Park 57, 175,165 The Canopy Walk cuts through dense 131, 145, Listen out for the sounds of birds and insects breaking secondary forest filled with groves of 648, 176 the silence and serenity of the park on the Canopy Walk. Tembusu, Acacia and Dillenia. The Tembusu, 2 easily recognized by its heavily fissured bark Canopy Walk 1 Sunbirds, doves, squirrels, lizards and white-crested 124, 131, 145 and low branching points, flowers in May and 176, 273 laughing thrushes are also part of the rich biodiversity Mt Faber 3 November. Other flora such as pitcher plants Service thriving here. Incidentally, Kent Ridge Park has the highest Reservoir

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