Woodlands Town to Bukit Panjang via Ulu Sembawang Park Connector

The Route
This route came about to satisfy two criteria viz. to walk along park connectors with their well paved tracks and secondly along forests for their shade, greenery and away from traffic. We achieved this by starting from Woodlands (Causeway Point) after a hearty lunch and proceeding southward along the Woodlands Park Connector (Ave 2) to the Ulu Sembawang Park Connector (PCN) to the Mandai PCN. Then we travelled along Track 15 (Central Catchment PCN) in Mandai to the Gangsa Bike Trail to Bukit Panjang. See the GPS track below.

Open field at Woodlands Park Connector

Woodlands Park Connector
Walking along the Park Connector from Woodlands to Ulu Sembawang was uneventful except for the hot weather as we started walking at about 12 noon. After walking southward along Ave 2, we passed the Singapore Sports School where our elite athletes train and have their education. The path eastward from the school was blissful and reminded us of the Von Trapp children singing in the Austrian Alps as the track bordered a huge expanse of wide open field on high ground making us feeling liberated. On a previous trip one of our fellow walkers found a lost kite and ran with it and I sang "the hills are filled with the sound of music, etc." Unfortunately he suffered a minor injury as a result but is okay now. Before embarking on this stretch, one got to be careful of thunderstorms as it is exposed.

Ulu Sembawang Park Connector

Near the junction of Ave 12 and the SLE we headed southward along the Ulu Sembawang PCN. This track took us through the forests of Mandai used by Mindef for training their troops. On the west was the Mandai forest with the forbidding "Protected Area" sign and on the east were the farms. The track was just opened several months ago - kudos to the Nparks for building it and allowing us access through the Mandai forest. At the end was Mandai Road and the Seletar Reservoir. We turned west towards the Singapore Zoo direction. We could see the outline of durian trees as we walked, but no fruits as it was out of season.

Central Catchment Park Connector
At the Mandai Lake Road which led to the Zoo, we followed a track called the Central Catchment PCN. This narrow track is within the forest of Mandai and is left unpaved as close to its natural condition. There were occasional fallen trees due to heavy rain and wind but we were able to continue our trek. This trail roughly parallel Track 15  leading to the Mandai Rifle Range. On certain days we could hear the sound of gunfire. As we proceeded along, we could spot the silhouette of durian trees. This was dutifully recorded as a POI on our GPS track for a visit when the fruit is in season. The Central Reserve PCN had been realigned to join up with the Gangsa Bike Trail to which we emerged when we came to the end of the park connector.

Gangsa Bike Trail

Gangsa Bike Trail
We did a side trip to the PUB pumping station to clock up the mileage we wanted to achieve. The bike trail was easy going although we were accompanied by mosquitos but thanks to our buddies for whom they had more affection, the rest of us were spared the ordeal. Towards the end of our trek we arrived at the abandoned garden beside the BKE under which we walked toward Bukit Panjang Kim San Leng coffee-shop for a short rest before heading home.

See Also:
Admiralty Park to Sembawang
The Pipeline Trail
Woodcutter Trail

GPS Track

Map data ©2020 Google, Urban Redevelopment Authority

Yishun to Woodlands along the Mandai and SLE Park Connector

The Route

Map data ©2020 Google

We started from Chong Pang Village and headed south along Sembawang Road to Mandai Road, explored Track 15 at the junction of Mandai Road and Mandai Lake Road. Then backtracked to follow along Ulu Sembawang Park Connector turned left at SLE PCN to Singapore Sports School and the Woodlands Station.

This statue of a farmer hard at work is at the junction of Sembawang Road and Yishun Ave 5. This is also near the hottest Toto booth with the largest number of lucky winners.

We came across two fishing enthusiasts who had taken the day off from work to indulge in their hobby. One of the fish caught along the shore of Seletar Reservoir.

The start of the Central Catchment Park Connector. It runs parallel to Track 15 that leads to the rifle shooting range. Although at the start of this trail, the track looks comfortable but as we walked further in, it becomes more close to nature, with fallen branches,  less gravel, etc.
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At the junction of Track 15 and Central Catchment Park Connector. If we were to proceed further into the trail, it would lead to the Gangsa bike trail and Bukit Panjang area.

A billboard at the junction of Mandai Road and Mandai Lake Road, the road leading to the Zoo.

The Ulu Sembawang Park Connector. This trail was just opened. It provides a view of the Mandai forests and the nearby farming industries.

Along the SLE Park Connector. It runs along a wide open field before the Singapore Sports School. The sky was threatening to rain. We were worried about thunder and lightning as we were on raised and exposed ground.

A view of the Singapore Sports School from the SLE Park Connector. You can see the dark clouds behind the school. As soon as we reached the Woodlands MRT Station the sky opened up.

Mandai Road and Sungei Seletar

The Route

• Start from bus stop B22 on Mandai Road.
• Walk east on Mandai Road until the dam just before the Executive Golf Course.
• Walk across the dam at the Seletar Reservoir through the park then back to Mandai Road to the junction with Upper Thomson Road. Turn right and walk along Sungei Seletar until Lentor Ave then left to Khatib Station

Mandai Road

Along Mandai Road

On the left was a protected area used by the army for training. We spotted some durian trees here. About 1.5km from the starting point on the left was the beginning of the Ulu Sembawang Park Connector. One could see the view of the Seletar Reservoir from here. On one occasion we came across an angler with his just landed catch. He said he was on leave to spend his time indulging in his pastime. Another 1.5km and Mandai Road starts to veer southward to the right following the reservoir shoreline. We could walk along the dam that held back the Upper Seletar Reservoir to the park.

Seletar Reservoir

Sungei Seletar

Sungei Seletar

This river was recently developed to enhanced its eco-system - less emphasis on bare concrete and more on encouraging plants to grow on its banks. On the northern side is a strip of forest. But beyond that the land was being cleared for future development. A few anglers were found engaging in their hobbies here.

See Also:
From Seletar to Punggol via Pulau Punggol Barat and Timor
Along Lower Seletar Reservoir
Yishun to Woodlands along the Mandai and SLE Park Connector

Map

Map data ©2020 Google