Southern Ridges walk on 29-6-2009

Four days later, on 29-6-2009, we set off to finish our Southern Ridges walk.

Had brunch at the upper floor food centre at Telok Blangah Mall. Just before the office workers descended for their lunch. Nice place, clean and the drink stall has waitresses to serve at tables.

Then to the 7-11 for Panadol as Penny had a headache. Woo-hoo! Priced at $1.30 more than at FairPrice supermarket, so no buy. Bought it at a TCM shop opposite 7-11 at cheaper price, lagi can buy just one sheet.





Back onto Henderson Road passing Telok Blangah Heights where people used to stop on the roadside and wash their cars with pails of spring water collected from a hillside scupper drain. Wonder if that's still going on.

 
We parked at car park #1, the first one that you come upon in Telok Blangah Hill Park. Click on map above to enlarge to see location of car park #1. And note that there's only one road - Telok Blangah Green - into the park.

Took the Hilltop Walk (red coloured in map) which starts just opposite the toilet building. It runs along the side of the car park and was pretty steep incline (for us anyhow).

    

The path curved sharply right; up some steps (wheeze, pant!) and we were on the Henderson Wave. Luckily for us, there were loads of benches right there! Whew!

But this awesome structure wouldn't let us catch our breath.

Had to check it out immediately. And here are some shots. Nice shots, right?

 

Now that you've seen my shots of the Wave, click here for two more.



The sea could be seen from the Wave, as shown in photo on the left.







Here's Henderson Road below us.



And (photo below) here's a look back at the Wave as we step off onto Mt Faber Park.





What is that thing there on the left side of the path?

Not that green coloured thing in the hedge! Anyone can see that that's a litter bin.

The one that's cream coloured, lah! Behind the hedge! What is that?





Checked out the words and shape of one nearby. Ah so! a sign post. It says Telok Blangah Hill Park is in the direction where we came from ie behind me (photographer) and you (reading this).

So Penny had to go all the way right up to that next signpost to read it.

Great design, yes? No? For the ah peks and ah mmm's (oldies) with poor eyesight and old legs, I don't think.


 


Now where does this signpost point to?

The words face that way! If the signpost points "that way", shouldn't the words be on "this side"? So that we can be sure of where "there" is before we go there?

Do we want to walk all the way up to the sign just to find out?

That signpost pointed to Cable Car Station, so off we went thataways.

I still can't get over it; why does NParks prefer signposts that tell you where you came from?




Anyways, the path led out onto the road under a beautiful cluster of old Casuarina trees. Hmmm, first time for me, rhus on a hilltop; I thought they were seashore types requiring saline sandy soil.

We carried on towards the right, going downwards on a decline, to get up to the summit where the cale car station was. That's good, and weird.


 The road - Mt Faber Loop - steepened soon enough.

Here's a natural signpost tree! Looks just like those NParks signposts!


That gap in the 'armco' guard rails leads to Marina Deck.










What is it? We didn't risk going down there and a tough climb up. A photo or description would be useful.

Click on pic to enlarge to see Marina Deck pointer.


Above, a view of Kampong Bahru (can someone clarify?) in the foreground and the city centre beyond.

This is the view one comes upon on exiting Mt Faber Loop to get onto Mt Faber Road on the way down to Vivo City.






Left, a shot of the cable car building which abuts the highest point of Mt Faber.

As usual, nice buildings are always messed up when they are used as restaurants.





There is a lift but we took the stairs up to have a look around as we haven't been here for over 10 years. Still the same old tight little cable car turnaround where tourists get on and off. It could do with more lights or windows to brighten up the place which didn't look as happy as it should be.

Going down the same route, we couldn't find the stairs because it was hidden from view. Not a good idea being a fire escape route. Can you spot it?

 

Left: vehicle parking and tour bus drop-off area under the Jewel Box dining deck.

I dislike service vehicle parking areas. They never look good. Should be hidden from view.

 

Above : We are walking downhill; Mt Faber Road is a one way street coming up.






Now what do we have here?

Tree or stakes pulling down or supporting stakes or tree?

One of the metal stakes is bent by the weight of the tree; and the tree root ball has pushed the ground up. Check it out on your next walk here.







View of the World Trade Centre towers and a cable car tower. Spot a cable car or two?







 





Here we are on the Marang Trail, last section of today's walk.

Very happy as it's downhill all the way. Many flights of steps led the way down.

Just didn't want to think about the return trip.


The wooden staircases gave way to level boardwalks that twist and turn through the trees, each section dropping a few steps to bring us down from the trees. Ants on the handrails!


Once in a while, we came upon trail splits such as this; with no signposts.

You see one fork going down, and another going right.

Discovered that the side split was a gradually sloping path with at most 2 or 3 steps, but just a few metres longer.



But not to worry, cause they meet further down.

The side paths are great for the uphill return trip!

But a little notice would certainly be helpful.


Below : This is one of a few spots to rest our tired legs. They are some of the best sights we saw on the walk!


This is really the last lap. The end of the Marang Trail is in sight, at the end of that light coloured footpath.






Click to enlarge the photo (below) of the route map. See the Marang Trail, and the You are here indicator? And the little butterfly?

Here we go on the trip back.













The first of many steep flights of steps to be conquered.

Aiyoyo!


All of these newly planted trees looked dead.

Wouldn't surprise me if they were because they seemed to have been planted in very shallow holes.



Took a detour off Mt Faber Road to show Penny the ship restaurant.

The second smaller ship is the park rest rooms (doors on the left). The stairs go up to its deck top garden.






Here's the ship restaurant staff's smoking zone.

As I mentioned earlier, this is another typical service area, untidy with ugly temporary shade structure, cheap plastic chairs, and a litter bin that serves as an ashtray.


Why are they allowed to create this ugly staff smoking zone?

Above : This gate is locked!

One of the best hilltop viewing plateaus on Mt Faber is now prohibited to public access and enjoyment because it has been locked off by the Jewel Box restaurant management. Now why is this so?





Here we are again at the grove of casuarinas on Mt Faber Loop near the Henderson Wave. This time, we didn't retrace the way we came but took the roadside footpath towards the left.
 

We passed the entrance to the Henderson Wave (through those bollards) to check out if there was anyone in the car that was illegally parked on the roadside.









Left : Spotted that little structure on Telok Blangah Hill Park as we were coming down the Wave. What is it? A covered feeding tray for birds and squirrels?


Here's a nice shot of the Henderson Wave to end this story.