An invigorating Friday evening walk through the Southern Ridges

Nestled within the hilly landscape of the southern ridges, the NUS community has an excellent way to exercise after a tough week, amidst a unique landscape and much greenery. Alas, many of us are pressed for time! To provide some motivation, NUS Toddycats have been offering the Ridgewalk since 2017. The pandemic took us out for two years; and we were  glad to be back!

On Friday, 10th June 2022, 15 of us started our walk from the YIH Plaza at 5.40pm and made it to our destination at Hort Park, and well within our target end time at 7.00pm. The participants comprises of NUS staff, NUS students and a couple of our habitat enrichment volunteers. The camaraderie was evident, despite this being the first time many of us are meeting one another. Some helped set the pace; others helped make sure no one was left behind or lost amidst the turns within Kent Ridge Park.

Thanks to Airani, our solo guide who led the walk that evening! Sadly other guides were MIA due to health reasons, and hope to be back one day for more of the lovely briskwalks.

 

 

 

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Ridge Walk – five Friday evening briskwalks along the Southern Ridges (Sep – Nov 2019)

Join us on our briskwalk? Please register your participation at the Eventbrite webpage, thanks!

In 2008, a 9-km series of trails, bridges and walkways were unveiled, which reconnected the Southern Ridges which had been carved through by several roads (see map). An almost continuous traffic-free walk from NUS to HarbourFront became possible which takes two hours at a brisk pace.

This is an excellent way to get in some exercise at the end of a tough week, amidst a unique landscape and greenery. Hard pressed to find the time? Join NUS Toddycats on five walks from YIH Plaza through to Hort Park and HarbourFront MRT on the following dates:

1. Fri 6 Sep 2019 (we end at Hort Park; ~5km)
2. Fri 27 Sep 2019 (we end at Harbourfront MRT; ~8km)
3. Fri 18 Oct 2019 (we end at Hort Park; ~5km)
4. Fri 8 Nov 2019 (we end at Hort Park; ~5km)
5. Fri 15 Nov 2019 (we end at Harbourfront MRT; ~8km)

Please register your participation at the Eventbrite webpage – pick the correct date and register for that individually.

You may leave the group at any time. Some of the typical stop points along the way include:

• 2.0km, 22 mins – Science Park 1 (Kent Ridge MRT Station)
• 4.0km, 51 mins – Reflections at Bukit Chandu (near Pasir Panjang MRT Station)
• 5.3km, 1h 12mins – Hort Park (near Labrador Park MRT Station)
• 6.2km, 1h 22mins – Henderson Waves (near Telok Blangah) – Bus Stop no. 14051 & 14059
• 8.8km, 2h 5mins – HarbourFront (near MRT Station)

Your NUS Toddycats guides will be Kenneth Pinto, Xu Weiting, Airani S, Joleen Chan & N. Sivasothi (aka Otterman).

If there is threat of heavy rain, strong winds prior to a storm or haze, we will inform you via Eventbrite or if its too late, at YIH Plaza itself.

 

Click to view the larger map

Ridge Walk – a series of five Friday evening briskwalks along the Southern Ridges

Dear friends,

In 2008, a 9-km series of trails, bridges and walkways were unveiled – these reconnected the Southern Ridges which had been carved through by several roads (see map). An almost continuous traffic-free walk from NUS to HarbourFront became possible and takes two hours at a brisk pace.

This is an excellent way to get in some exercise at the end of a tough week, amidst a unique landscape and greenery. Get to know various points along the Southern Ridges and plan your future visits. But it all starts with a walk and we are hard pressed to find the time.

To get you going, NUS Toddycats, in conjunction with Ridge View Residential College are leading a series of brisk walks for NUS staff, students and friends from YIH Plaza through to HarbourFront MRT on the following dates:

1. Fri 24 Mar 2017
2. Fri 28 Apr 2017
3. Fri 19 May 2017
4. Fri 30 Jun 2017
5. Fri 28 Jul 2017

If you struggle to keep up initially, you can peel off at any time. Several popular stop points along the way are:

1. 2.0km, 22 mins – Science Park 1 (Kent Ridge MRT Station); [route]
2. 4.0km, 51 mins – Reflections at Bukit Chandu (near Pasir Panjang MRT Station) [route]
3. 5.3km, 1h 12mins – Alexandra Arch (near Labrador Park MRT Station); [route]
4. 6.2km, 1h 22mins – Henderson Waves (near Telok Blangah) – Bus Stop no. 14051 & 14059; [route]
5. 8.8km, 2h 5mins – HarbourFront (near MRT Station); [route]

Your guides frm NUS Toddycats will be Kenneth Pinto, Xu Weiting, Airani S & N. Sivasothi.

If there is threat of heavy rain, strong winds prior to a storm or haze, we will cancel the walk and inform you by email.

Register here!

Kent Ridge Heritage Trail Part 3 with the NUS Toddycats!

27 April 2015 – NUS Toddycats conducted the 3rd Kent Ridge Heritage Trail of the year.

Veteran Kok Oi Yee and N. Sivasothi aka Otterman, our Pasir Panjang Heritage Guides led a group of 31 NUS Staff on a walk along Kent Ridge Road from Central Library to Science Block S2.

The participants who met at the tables in front of the Chinese Library were enthusiastic and punctual. Oi Yee set off with the first group, and began with kampung stories of simpoh air (Dillenia suffruticosa) which line the secondary forest of the Ridge. Sivasothi set off with the second group and in pointing out the most common flora of the Adinandra beluakr, an their traditional uses was soon quizzing participants about local names!

We accompanied Sivasothi’s group and at one point, heard him relate highlights of the Battle of Pasir Panjang. The battle whiuch took place in the area, saw the Malay Regiment resist overwhelming invading Japanese forces. The chilling account of the brave defence opened our eyes to the horrors of war and unearthed secrets of the landscape we never knew were lurking in campus.

We walked towards the stairs leading to S2, where Sivasothi showed everyone a WW2 outpost now behind a fence. We ended the walk on a light note though, discussing the lives of several animals on campus, including the Toddycats mascot, the common palm civet, which has been seen in this area!

Brought to you by NUS Toddycats, volunteers with the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum as part of SG50 celebrations.

Kent Ridge Heritage Trail Training – Mapping the trail with lamp post numbers

The Kent Ridge Guide Trainees were told to report to the benches outside the Chinese Library for training. Despite the pouring rain, they arrived punctually. Once the rain abated, we set off!

At the very start, we saw a female Pink Necked Green Pigeon eating the fruits of a palm tree. Even though it was pretty cold, there was a Changeable Lizard sitting on a rock in the open.

We were told by Sivasothi aka Otterman to map out the Ridge, using each lamp post as a checkpoint and identifying important landmarks around them. This was to give us a better understanding of the biogeography of the area.

From the left: Lynn, Sankar, Hui Zhen, Becky, Ing Sind, Cherry and Shira

During the first training session, we learnt the common plants of the Ridge in theory. But walking along Kent Ridge Road itself gave us an opportunity to experience the place first-hand.

By mapping the Ridge, we learnt where the significant landmarks and plants where located, allowing us to develop our own individual styles of guiding. At the end, we walked past S2 towards Kent Ridge station. As we were passing by KE7 Hall, Becky turned around and saw an orange glow in the sky. “Let’s go see the sunset!” she exclaimed. Excitedly, we climbed the stairs to the carpark. And the view was simply breathtaking.

It was truly an unexpected, unplanned surprise.

Capacity building of our youth through NUS Toddycats, volunteers with the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, is part of SG50 celebrations.