Hiking - Maju Forest & The Jurong Railway Hike

Good Morning Blog,

Today I took leave for today hike planned by Mrs R Goh, our retired teacher, she is an active lady despite her age. She knew that I always like to hike and she invited me to today event - exploring Maju Forest and Jurong Railway.

Like my usual days, I woke up early as normal.

Let me share with you this interesting journey today.

Mrs R Goh sent me this information for us to prepare ourselves well for the hike.

Hi Everyone! Want to hike through Maju and Clementi forest?
Here are the details.
Leader: Mr Loh Date: 15 March 2021, Mon.
Meeting place: Dover MRT station 8:30 Exit A

Be suitably attired. Best to wear long pants. Bring Water bottle, cap/umbrella/raincoat, towel, trekking stick and trekking gloves if you have, a spare pair of sneakers and shorts n T-shirt (very important as we may get too muddy to board public transport after that ) Clementi forest is not managed by Nparks. It’s literally a jungle with no clear trails or signs. Minor cuts and bruises are expected, so teamwork and resourcefulness will be put to test. Otherwise, it’s a satisfying adventure. Any questions you may raise in this chatgroup.

Mrs R Goh got me excited for the hike already!

I am ready! Let's go!

(Taken by Mrs R Goh without me aware) I guessed that I was too early.

Now every ladies had arrived and we will be taking a bus to Sunset Way

Introvert me surrounded by a group of ladies whom I have not known, don't know how to engage. I will just smile and be approachable.

Ooooo. Believe me, this is one place which I won't be able to visit unless someone showed me how to.

Mr Loh, our guide, briefed us on things we need to do - taking care of one another and I will help to look after the ladies from the back and while he will lead. Take note of the thorny stem plants as they are very horny. Wait...

let's go!

First stop, Mr Loh brought us somewhere since we were here.

Where were we heading to?

I decided to give my usual attire a try than trisuit. Some people told me why I don't wear normally... In fact I have a reason why I go for trisuit but just some shallow people assumed they know the reason or so-called hidden reason which I don't even have... I will share after the whole hike.

(Thanks Mrs R Goh for including me in some shots) I wondered what is ahead of me.

Hmmm... It was blocked.

ooo! This is an Old Jurong Line Railway Bridge!

This line was completed in early 1966 which establish better transport links for the import and export of goods. However, due to our new better transport options which led to the decline in demand of rail transport so the whole Jurong railway cased its operations in mid 1990s.

The majority railway has been removed or rusted away over years. This bridge over the Sunset Way is one of the best-preserved segments of the line.

So it is best to visit this bridge or the trail before it was taken down.

The ladies tried to walk on the rusty metal carefully.

Whoever live here, can enjoy this iconic scene

For me... I got a bit worrying...

One shot here.

This metal bar seemed fragile and not very safe to walk...

(Thanks Mrs R Goh helping) Mrs R tried to calm me down by snapping a picture of me.

I tried to walk further in and very scary...

(Thanks Mr Loh for helping) Smile while my legs were shaking.

help Mr Loh to take his pictures :) thanks to him for bringing me along.

Time to return back where we came from.

Walk carefully.

Have to lower myself to crawl out.

Time to explore the forested Railway portion.

Let follow me :)

So excited! My first exploration here! I doubt I will come here myself.

Can you spot the railway? It was well buried underground.

Oops. Don't leave me behind.

Distinctive path for the start :) I will be fine.

The plants here are rather special. I don't see this grow elsewhere.

there are many vines and struggler around this area.

The wilderness here is rather thick.

For the start, it seemed easy :)

That smug on my face explained :-J Piece of cake.

The ground was rather damp. I can imagine if it rained...

Hikers, please don't hike during or right after rain. It is very dangerous.

Because on this trail, there are a lot of ups and downs.

Our first blockage by the tree.

Plants here are rooting onto the muddy slide and every tree here have a rather short root system... 

For us, a perfect shoot for the day before we adventure deeper.

Have to lower yourself to get over the obstacles

Ah! Railway track again. :) We will just follow along.

Meanwhile, we need to be careful with the thorny plants...

Tree obstacles are quite common here... Either it helped you or we might have to make extra effort to get over it.

This place was very unique as compared to Wxxdcutter Trail.

The railway track had been taken over by nature, plants and trees grow wildly here, for the authority to do something for this area... will need a lot of funds to do so.

Okay no time to stop by here, I shall catch up with them.

Check out the root consume the railway track here

Check out how "Stubborn" life is here

Given another twenty years, this place will be different.

Look at how nature embraces what we left to them

Non-stop taking amazing nature

Ah! We came to the famous train tunnel!

Woooo~! I always want to visit this place! Credit Mrs R Goh for bringing me for this trip!

Everything here is still well preserved.

(Thanks Mrs R Goh's friends' picture) We tried to find our own spot for pictures

For me, I only can take this kind of pictures.

Beautiful tunnel

Make a few of Jeff's silhouette

(Thanks Mrs R Goh for taking for me) Having fun here!

(Thanks Mr Loh) There are some superheroes' silhouettes!

(Thanks Mr Loh) and We are the "Powder Ranger"!

We exited through another side of the tunnel and I realised this place can be accessible easily (here). :3

Clean shoes checked!

We will continue our trail here

As you lowered your head, it shows another type of trail which somehow similar to woodcutter trail but this one is raw. 

How raw you asked?

For woodcutter trail, these will be cut and made clearance for bikers to ride along the trail; but here, any fallen tree/plant will be left as it is.

I will say it is a 98% undisturbed and undisrupted trail..

Example, like this. You will have to find ways to get over the obstacles yourself.

You can imagine that, if this obstacle got a bit overwhelming, you need to be careful.

(Thanks to someone whom I forgot how to address her name) We are the Adventurer one! Further down the trail, the trail is not smooth.

Some fallen tree trunk surface were rather smooth, due to it had being seated on by hikers frequently. Very smooth surface to be honest. Yes, Blog? (Trying to hear what is my blog whispering about) WTH, BLOG! That is not my dxxk!

We had to climb to higher ground at the side of the railway track than walking along...

Because it is flooded.

Mosquitoes' and Swamp Thing's home

Along the side sloop, there are plants which equipped with thorns and be careful while holding to them to get balanced.

I am just a bystander to pose by your home, so please Ms Mosquitoes, leave me alone!

Can you imagine if you hiked during raining moment... All the best to your shoes.

(Thanks Mrs R Goh) After a slow hike in the raw trail, we finally made it out and...

met Mr Sun out here.

We reached Clementi Forest! (link for more amazing pictures)

A totally different forest look than other parts of Singapore - Natural and Amazing.

Amazing to see wild growing Alocasia aka elephant ear plant

(Thankks Mr Loh) How we feel towards the whole hike?

One of the iconic trees for wearing a leafy 'apron'

Have a closer look at it's 'apron'.

Warning sign.

They wanted to go down to the drain but I don't like to have my shoes wet so I skipped!

Good bye Forest :) I had a great time here!

YIPPEE! We made it safely! :D

I can't find that article anymore, as you can see... this patch of land was formed due to human activity... Sooner... Clementi Forest might become like this if we don't give Nature a chance to rest.

Time to go back home... Thinking over the whole hiking experience.

Hiking The Jurong Railway trail was a big challenge... Especially the raw state of the trail is risky and not easy. If you entered from Clementi Forest will confirm extremely challenging.

Jeff