Return to Taman Tugu
This was taken in the middle of the new extension, which featured a small stream. Refreshing …
It was tiring. But it was productive.
After more than a month of not doing any serious walking due to the combination of Ramadhan and lockdown, Anita and I decided to take our hiking shoes out of the cabinet and head for Taman Tugu. While we were getting set, suddenly, the heavens opened. It was a massive storm, and we decided to wait it out at the apartment to see if the weather improves after the rain.
And it did.
You can now only enter via a side entrance, while the main entrance were only used as exit. A one-way system is employed throughout.
You will soon be engulfed in greeneries …
Before noon, we were already at the parking lot. After checking with the guards on the do’s and don’ts, we checked ourselves in and hit the trail.
During the recent weeks, a new portion of the trail was opened. It is a one-kilometre addition to the main course, making a total hike of just over 4 km. As it was hilly and, after the rain, quite wet, the walk was a tiring one.
I always find the natural mushrooms sprouting around here charming …
Due to the pandemic, the swings were removed and walkers were discouraged from sitting along the path.
The new rows of bamboo tree along the newly opened pathway was absolutely mesmerising …
The rain helped, though, as it made the weather cooler. We spent a couple of hours from start to finish. Unfortunately, all the stops and benches were closed as part of the new SOP. We counted around ten cars at the car park when we started. We bumped into a few other trekkers, but on the whole, there were hardly any crowds.
The new trail has got a couple of attractions. The first was the bamboo walk which looked gorgeous. This created an additional issue as this part of the walk was exposed, and you can feel the heat here if it was sunny. Luckily, there was also a small stream which was refreshing ...
Anita attempted to play hide and seek. This opening in the ruins is part of the path. Plenty of charming finds, but unfortunately, the seats were covered due to COVID SOP.
I counted at least four ruins we had to go through along this new path.
I am sure this used to be somebody’s bathroom …
The second attraction was the house ruins you had quite literally had to enter as you made your way around. These must have been government quarters from the 1970s. Unfortunately, there was hardly any information about those houses. It would be interesting to learn more about them. They were undoubtedly charming.
Walking right after the rain also posed another challenge. Mosquitoes are best to use insect repellents during outdoor activities, but more so right after the shower.
The new trail was definitely a welcomed addition to an already exciting set of track. The extra one kilometre indeed open up another facet to the walk. It is not for the fainthearted and may not be suitable for everybody. Make sure you wear comfortable hiking shoes. You would appreciate it later ...
More hilly climb to reach the exit. We were quite tired by this time.
We enjoy climbing up this lookout when ever we pass by. Again, the SOP necessitates this to be cordoned off.
We were glad to find this sign when it was finally over … 4.06 km!
Highly recommended. The trails are opened daily during the MCO and employ a set of SOP you must adhere to. It may be crowded during weekends, but during the lockdown, hikers from out of district may not be able to cross over. Luckily my district included Taman Tugu, Bukit Aman and Taman Botani Perdana. No issues there ... so, make sure you check it out after the lockdown ends. Stay safe!