Cycle to Ulu Sembawang PCN if you like sunrise and mist. The pictures below will make your sweat and fatigue worthwhile.
I have briefly covered Ulu Sembawang PCN, when I blog about 50km North to Woodlands. This blog post will orientate the direction from Sengkang Punggol to Ulu Sembawang PCN
However, I would recommend folks to orientate the paths at least once during daylight.
This 2 km PCN stretch (between Mandai and Woodlands) has slopes and no lighting inside after sunset! It can get pretty eerie when you are cycling alone, even if you have a 1000 lumen torch!
Upper Seletar Reservoir
Take note of the long slopes along Mandai Road first. As I cycled along, the orange hue sky caught up with me.
*Do take the PCN path on the left side (with respect to direction from Mandai towards BKE). The other side of the road is narrow and littered with debris (tree branches and leaves).
Mandai Road entrance (taken during day time). Imagine staring into pure darkness at 0600 0r 2000! Not a pleasant thought to encounter a puncture deep inside.
Another reason for company is for added protection from wild boars and dogs.
As I struggled up the slopes, the ray of lights seem to welcome me. Breathless yet full of anticipation.
Below views will revitalise your energy, the effort and sacrifice of sleep is worth it!
Cycle to Ulu Sembawang
Love the mist floating over the horizon.
Avoid weekends unless you like to jostle with crowds.
Be there at 0630, expect orange and pink hues till 0645.
Sunrise (Egg Yolk) should appear after 0655.
The mist adds to the awesome experience!
Sunrise at Ulu Sembawang PCN
On days when the forest grounds are more wet, this corridor will be covered with thick mist.
You can Cycle to Ulu Sembawang PCN from Mandai road and Woodlands Ave 12. The slopes from Woodlands entrance are tougher to overcome.
View of PCN behind Singapore Sports School, be alert when crossing under SLE viaduct, the vehicles travel fast.
Ulu Sembawang Woodland entrance
If you cycle to Ulu Sembawang from Sengkang, distance would be 17km. Regular cyclists should take 60 to 90 minutes.
Factor extra time if you are less fit, the slopes can be challenging. We would not recommend new riders to use Seletar North Link, as road has heavy traffic and many pebbles.
Refer to Google Map below, cycle along Seletar West Park Connector, detouring South of Seletar Airport.
On the way back, enjoy the view of Yishun Dam. Vehicles are now packing the road. Look beyond and spot piers from “Last Fishing Village” (off access to public).
Last Fishing Village Singapore (nearest carpark at Rower’s Bay)
I have blog about cycling to the East and West, this post is about Cycle to Woodlands (about 20 to 25km from Sengkang).
Cycle Sengkang Punggol Park connector
I am training for my Round the Island trip (RTI), which will be around 130 to 150km.
By the time you read this post, I have successfully completed my first 100km target. Click on my Relive Video link on Youtube.
As I stay in Sengkang, I am more familiar with the East and North side, compared to the West side.
Refer map below, cycling route would be anti-clockwise Sengkang-Yishun-Woodlands-Mandai-Yishun-Sengkang.
Cycle to Woodlands
Starting from (Point 1) Sengkang Swimming Complex, head towards Yishun Dam. I would recommend (Route 3, Google Map above), as it is 80% Park Connector and 20% pavement. You will loop South of Seletar airport.
Seletar West PC
Alternate (Route 2) will bring you through sand and dusty terrain through Seletar North. The pavement is uneven and packed with construction sites (Previous experience looping around Seletar Airport)
Cycling on Seletar North road is not recommended for new riders, due to traffic and plenty of pebbles.
(Point 4) Yishun Dam. Take a breather and enjoy the sight, be it low or high tide.
Yishun Dam
Detour. I would recommend Rower’s Bay Park for the fantastic sunset.
This is actually one of the Coast 2 Coast checkpoints.
Sunset at Rower’s Bay
(Point 5)Sembawang Hot Springs. Since we cannot go to Japan or Taiwan for Onsen, this might be your open-air hot spring experience in Singapore.
(Read my Sento experience in Tokyo)
After Yishun Dam, just head North on Yishun Avenue 8 and turn left to Yishun Avenue 7.
Below photo is pre-upgrade from 2015. Only taps, no cascading pond and the kids were still so small.
Old Sembawang Hot spring
Meanwhile, my first foray North was caught in a thunderstorm!
It was too late to U-turn and the rain might last hours. Totally drenched but huge sense of freedom as no more reservations. Woohoo!
Could barely see JB’s skyline. So near yet so far.
Woodlands Waterfront
I did not expect to see so much rubbish across the straits.
If you are taking Marsiling PCN back towards Mandai or maybe Kranji. Take the path on the right side of Block 37 (picture below).
Head South along Marsiling PC followed by Woodlands PC (Park Connector), you will go behind Singapore Sports School and reach this junction (GPS).
Go across SLE and route behind MRT depot. Take note cars exiting/entering SLE travel fast, be careful. Secondly the direction from Woodlands towards Mandai, is packed with steep slopes.
Woodlands PCN
(Point 8) Lastly, Ulu Sembawang is totally dark at night, and eerie 🙂
Otherwise, you should enjoy the climb and scenery. (Ulu Sembawang PCN has nice Sunrise and mist, read post here)
(fyi, Sengkang to Woodlands, you can only choose cutting across Yishun or Ulu Sembawang)
Go easy on the down slopes as the bends might block your view from runners and visitors.
Scenic Ulu Sembawang
Once you reach Mandai, cross the road and cycle towards Yishun, Seletar direction.
I would recommend taking the Park Connector pavement (picture below), the other side of the road is pavement (not PCN), and can be slippery (mossy) and littered with fallen branches.
Mandai Road is famous for leg and lung workout. I would recommend newbies to go in a group (and you do not need to cycle on the road).
Mandai Park Connector
A few openings provide scenic photo opportunities. Do look out for Pumas and Chinooks from Sembawang Air base.
You are very near to Mandai Zoo and popular T15 trail (not recommended for foldies).
SLE image below. The rain never stopped for the 2nd half of my trip.
If you are only heading towards Mandai (and not Woodlands), you can reach Mandai area via Lentor Avenue too (Take note Lentor Avenue pavement is uneven and narrow)
*If you extend your trip to Pang Sua PCN , you can connect to Choa Chu Kang, Chestnut Nature Park, Bukit Batok etc. You can also hop onto the “Coast to Coast trail” towards Jurong West (Lake Side).
Singapore is that small!
(L-Yio chu Kang and R-Lentor avenue)
Lentor Avenue will run parallel to North-South MRT viaduct. Lower Seletar reservoir forms a nice backdrop (Location of image below).
Little kids would enjoy the wading pool at this corner, or just walk to the end of the bridge (our old blog post)
Bonus and warning, more leg trainings needed :p
If time and energy permits, you may wish to dedicate some time for the beautiful reservoirs nearby Lentor Avenue or Central Water Catchment.
Go google MacRitchie, Lower Pierce, Upper Pierce. Exercise caution along old Upper Thomson road, lookout for vehicles, monkeys and sharp hairpin turns.
Hope you and family will have fun exploring more corners of Singapore. I might try to share some essential upgrades and basic maintenance in the next post.
