Kranji Marshes and Thow Kwang Pottery

 

Raptor Tower at Kranji Marshes

Kranji Marshes

The Kranji Marshes is situated in the western part of Singapore. As it is far from where most of us live we decided to include a visit to the Thow Kwang Pottery for we have not been there for several years. 

To get there we arranged to meet at Lot One Shoppers' Mall in Chua Chu Kang for lunch first. Then from the front of the mall take bus service 975 to Lim Chu Kang Road where we alighted at the bus stop just before Lim Chu Kang Lane 1. An easier way is to take the Kranji Countryside Express bus from Kranji MRT Station that will take us to the Marshes. But we wanted to work in 10km of walking as part of our weekly routine. After alighting from the bus we walked along Lim Chu Kang Lane 1 at the end of which we turned right into Neo Tiew Road. About 400m on we turned left into LCK Lane 2. We stopped at D'Kranji Farm Resort for a short rest. This is also where the Kranji Express will make one of its stop. D'Kranji offers farm stays, gardening workshops and has a restaurant and pub. After the break we walked further in toward the Marshes. 

View from Raptor Tower

Only the Marsh Station and the trail leading to it from D'Kranji is accessible to the public. The rest of the areas are closed to allow the marshes to mature further.

Parking is available at the Kranji Gate. From here visitors have to hike their way to the  Marsh Station. Here there is the Raptor Tower for us to get a higher view of the areas and the wildlife. There are also hides on the ground for observing the birds feeding.

Thow Kwang Dragon Kiln

Thow Kwang Pottery

We left the way we came by walking towards Neo Tiew Road where we made a left turn to walk to Jalan Bahar to catch bus 975 to Choa Chu Kang Road. Along Neo Tiew Road we passed by Bollywood Veggies and a signboard leading to Seng Choon Farm one of the larger eggs producer. 

At the first bus stop after turning into Choa Chu Kang Road we alighted and crossed the road to take a bus to Nanyang Avenue where we alighted at the junction. We crossed Jalan Bahar and walked along Nanyang Avenue until we past JTC CleanTech One where the bus stop is. Just behind it is a path that took us all the way to Thow Kwang Pottery. One of their friendly staff welcomed us and showed us around and invited us to enter the dragon kiln. 

Inside the Dragon Kiln

We entered the kiln and were amazed by the size. The kiln is fired only 3-4 times a year. The public are welcome to bring their art pieces for joint firing and help in the firing as well.

A selection of porcelain ware

We walked around the place and saw many types of porcelain wares most of which are now imported. Thow Kwang is on a mission to educate the public on pottery and conducts classes accommodating more than a hundred students with 20 potter's wheels.

Potter's Wheels

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How to get there

For those going direct to the pottery take a train to Boon Lay Station and change to bus service 199 that will take one to CleanTech One.

Our Route to Kranji Marshes

Map data ©2019 Google

Walking the Green Corridor Former KTM Railway Track

Near Jalan Jelita

KTM Railway Track
We witnessed the last afternoon run of the KTM train from Singapore to Johor Sentral in 2011. That was a nostalgic ride. The cabins were full and passengers were hanging out to wave to passersby like us who were walking the track. One of us almost got knocked down as he underestimated the width of the carriage vis-a-vis the track. It was time to revisit the former KTM railway track now called the Green Corridor or the Rail Corridor.

Near Biopolis

So what has changed. The metal tracks and sleepers are gone except those at the Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Timah Stations and the iron bridges near Rifle Range Road and The Rail Mall. The bridge across Hillview Road was removed and also those at Junction 10 and the Mandai River.

Now the former railway track is more a grass covered trail for hikers and cyclists to travel along as they enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.

We walked the Green Corridor in two stages. The first one was from Bukit Timah Station southward to Tanjong Pagar Station and the second from Bukit Timah Station northward to the Mandai River. At the Tanjong Pagar Station a fence just after the Kg Bahru Flyover prevented us from reaching the station.

Cyclists on the trail

Bukit Timah Station to Tanjong Pagar Station
The day we walked this trail was Hari Raya, a public holiday. We expected and saw more hikers, runners and cyclists then usual but it was still generally quiet. The trail condition was dry except for a few wet patches but nothing to complain about. The obstruction by vehicles reported in the news forum were now cleared. There was planting of some young trees along the side to hide the road traffic so there were some construction vehicles around.

Because of the overcast sky providing cool weather, we were motivated to walk all the way from Bukit Timah Station (near the iron bridge across Bukit Timah Road) to Alexandra Village Food Centre without a break. We left the trail near Block 1002 to get to the food centre. After that we continued on to the end of the trail just before the Tanjong Pagar Station. Access to the station was blocked by a fence to prevent vandalism. We left the trail at a path just next to the Kg Bahru Flyover and headed for the New Bridge Road Bus Terminal to take the bus home.

Bukit Timah Bridge

Bukit Timah Station to Kranji
Again we started off from the iron bridge across Bukit Timah Road and walked along the trail that borders the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. This is the most 'close to nature' part of the trail due to its nearness to the reserve and wildlife knows no boundaries. As we walked along we could hear the calls of the birds and see the flitting of the butterflies and the foliage growing closer to us.

Very soon we passed the bridge near the Rail Mall and had to descend to road level at Hillview Road as the bridge over this road was removed. We found a path on the left that led us down (see GPS track below) then we crossed the road and accessed the trail again on the other side. One could either climb up the steep slope from the road or walk around the slope to the right to get to a more gentle path to the trail.

Cut Lallang

The lallang had grown taller to man-height and resembled a corn field. Luckily we came after they did some pruning so our path was unobstructed.

At Junction 10 we had a break then proceeded to walk the rest of the trail. We returned to the trail through the heavy-vehicle park north of Junction 10. The heavy-vehicle park is separated from the trail by a drain and vegetation but there are several places where one can get through.

Mandai River Bridge

We were stopped at the Mandai River. Here they built a dormitory for foreign workers on the bank of the river and there is a brightly coloured bridge that allowed workers to access Woodlands Road. We made use of this to get to Woodlands Road, then turned right toward Kranji station from where we took the train home.

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Woodlands Town Park

Round Island Walk Leg 6. Kranji to Sembawang

For this leg there were 5 of us as 2 were out of town. We gathered at Kranji Station. After finding out that there was no food here, we walked toward  Woodlands Town for lunch. We travelled along Woodlands Ave 3 to Woodlands Centre Road via Woodlands Town Park to Woodlands Town and had lunch at the hawker centre. After that we crossed the overhead bridge to the Marsiling Park Connector walking past Blocks 33 to 37 to Admiralty Road West that would lead us to the Woodlands Waterfront jetty.

The weather was hazy, hot and humid and it made us lethargic. We cut short our visit to the Woodlands Waterfront Park and went toward Admiralty Park. We entered Admiralty Park from the north entrance. Sungei Cina runs through the park from the Johor Straits. A short distance in the forest, we were blocked from crossing  the bridge over Sungei Cina as it was under repair. We had to walk around it via Riverside Road West Entrance. Here we had a choice of walking through the forest or cross the bridge to the exposed trail. We took the exposed trail east of Sungei Cina and eventually walked past the Sakura Restaurant and arrived at the Republic Polytechnic.

Republic Polytechnic

We found the students’ canteen next to the Reflecting Pool and took a break there as the hot humid air was energy sapping. They charge different rates for students and non-students.

After that we moved along Woodlands Ave 9 to Sungei Sembawang where we turned right, crossed the bridge and walked along the Sembawang Park Connector until we reached the overhead MRT Line. We turned left toward the Sembawang Station. There was light rain just as we approached the station. We ended this leg of our walk here.

Round Island Walk Leg 7. Sembawang to Khatib

From Sembawang Station we walked to Canberra Road and Wellington Circle. Opposite Block 506A on Montreal Drive was a staircase leading to Canada Road. Here are the black and white houses left behind by the British Government now managed by Singapore Land Authority. Usually these are leased out to expatriates who love the open space and greenery reminiscent of their houses in their home countries. We saw some Caucasians gathering for school or some social function. This estate has its own auxiliary police to maintain security. The staircase that we took has a door to keep out intruders at night.

Play Structure at Sembawang Park

At the end of Canada Road, we crossed East Admiralty Road to King's Ave to Malta Crescent where we cut across the lawn and aimed directly for the coast through Sembawang Park. Part of the park was being renovated - the area near the Beaulieu House and some of the shelters. Along the coast and at the jetty were some anglers. At Kampong Wak Hassan, we still could not go directly to the former Bottletree Village as it was still blocked despite more than 3 years of construction. We had to walk down Sembawang Road to Andrews Ave to Jalan Mempurong to reach it. The site of the former Bottletree Village was deserted awaiting further development. At the beach next to the mouth of Sungei Simpang Kiri we saw a group of Indians offering prayers and leaving a bundle floating in the sea.

We walked along the Simpang Kiri Park Connector to Yishun Ave 2. At Block 1001 food court we stopped for refreshment. Then we continued on through YIshun Neighbourhood Park, Northpoint Shopping Centre, Yishun Town Garden and finally to Khatib Station where we terminated our walk.

Round Island Walk - Boon Lay to Kranji

Round Island Walk Leg 4. Boon Lay to Jalan Murai

We assembled at Boon Lay MRT Station and had lunch at Jurong Point. After that we moved on to Pioneer Station and the nearby Yunnan Park at Jurong West St 93 to view the original Nantah Gate. This was where we had to drive through in the 1970's to enter Nantah from the old Jurong Road.

Old Nantah Gate

Thow Kwang Industry
After that we walked along Pioneer Road to NTU. We followed Nanyang Crescent northward to Nanyang Ave where we turned eastward past Cleantech 1 then into Cleantech View to Cleantech Loop to Lorong Tawas. Thow Kwang Industry is located here. They run the longest kiln in Singapore. It is operated only 3 times a year during which clay products from local potters are fired. The company also exhibits and sells products from China. However the kiln will be closed next year as JTC wants the place for Cleantech factories.

A garden has already being built next to the company and landscaped with granite streams and staircase to the Cleantech 1 building. Cleantech 2 is now under construction. A group of students from the Communication Class of NTU interviewed us for their class project. They wanted to find out what was our interest in the dragon kiln but missed the story of our Round Island Walk.

We moved on to Jalan Bahar where we walked past the Christian, Muslim and Chinese cemeteries. One of my friends told me he used to cycle among the cemeteries as he found the surrounding peaceful and serene.

Thow Kwang Industry

About 500m after the junction of Jalan Bahar and Old Lim Chu Kang Road, we turned into another stretch of Old Lim Chu Kang Road where bus service 975 also turn in to drop soldiers on their way to or from their camps. We did so because this stretch has more trees to provide shade.

This stretch of road finally turned back to Lim Chu Kang Road. Threatening clouds were fast approaching when we stopped at a bus stop opposite Jalan Murai. We powwowed and decided to stop our walk here because of the rain clouds and lightning that were fast approaching. As soon as we got on the bus the heavy thunderstorm descended on the bus. We were lucky this time and avoided a drenching.

Round Island Walk Leg 5. Murai to Kranji

We met at Choa Chu Kang Station and had lunch at the nearby Lot 1 Shoppers' Mall. After that we took bus no. 975 to Jalan Murai at Lim Chu Kang Road where we stopped our walk the previous week. As we alighted the bus driver was concerned and asked whether we were at the right place. We confirmed that it was and he left us. The bus would turn around after reaching the end of Lim Chu Kang Road. On the way back the bus driver waved to us as he recognized us walking toward the jetty.

Lim Chu Kang Jetty

Midway through our walk on LCK Road it rained. We were lucky to be at a bus stop shelter so we had a short break. When the rain slowed to a drizzle we continued our walk to the jetty.

Neo Tiew Road
After enjoying the misty scene at the jetty, we followed the path that we did earlier a few years ago (see Lim Chu Kang Farms). This way we reduced the distance we had to walk along Neo Tiew Road which was heavy with traffic, especially trucks carrying recycled building waste to and from the construction sites. Neo Tiew Road is a narrow 2-way road. With big trucks moving near the edge at times we had to step off the road to be safe. At Lim Chu Kang Lane 6, as we walked past one of the farms, the resident guard dogs gave us the obligatory barks, but seeing that we numbered 6, they decided not to go further.

Finally after passing the third Neo Tiew Cresent, we arrived at familiar territory, Neo Tiew Crescent led to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. By then, we were exhausted by the heat and the constant lookout for traffic, and walking single file that we went past this without comment. After a short break at a bus shelter, we proceeded to Block 259 next to the Chinese Temple at Kranji Loop for refreshments. Just before reaching the canteen, we were threatened by dogs again, this time they were more fierce and showed their teeth. But because we were a group of 6 and showed no fear, we continued on our way. However no more walking on this road what with the dogs, dust and noisy trucks. After the break we walked along Kranji Road to the Kranji Station where we ended this leg.

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