For those who love climbing stairs as part of their fitness regime, the Dairy Farm Loop would probably be a walk in the park. For the rest of us, this trekking route among the foothills of Bukit Timah Hill is a challenging work out.
Accessible from Dairy Farm Nature Park and close to the Wallace Education Centre, the Dairy Farm Loop is a backdoor to the Bukit Timah Hill Summit.
While most hikers make their way to the top of Bukit Timah Hill up the Main Summit Road from Hindhede Drive, the Dairy Farm Loop provides a more intense walking-only route to the top.
Getting to Dairy Farm Loop
From tarmac road that leads to the Wallace Education Centre, it is a deceptively short flight of stairs up to the Dairy Farm Hut.
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This is one of two huts on the Dairy Farm Loop. The other hut is the North View Hut.
From the Dairy Farm Hut, you can choose from two paths, one that leads off towards the Summit directly or another that heads to the summit via the North View Hut.
Path 1 – The Straight Path
We took the left path (not the path towards the North View Hut) which is pretty much a straight path.
It passes by the back of the Wallace Education Centre and a trio of old-looking tanks.
As you trek along this path, you can expect some stairs leading up and down as it follows along the hilly terrain.
The 900-metre path is well laid out with boardwalks and guide ropes by the side.
Eventually, you will arrive at the Rengas Path – a steep flight of stairs that ascend upwards.
At the top of the stairs, you have to make another choice. Continue along the Rengas Path stairs and it will eventually join the Main Road leading to the Bukit Timah Hill Summit. Choose to carry on along the Dairy Farm Loop and head back down to Dairy Farm Nature Park via the North View Hut route.
Path 2 – The North View Hut Path
If you choose to stay on the Dairy Farm Loop, you will be walking along the ridge of the foothill.
Midway to the North View Hut, there is the option to divert to the Jungle Fall Path which leads back to the Main Summit Road.
If you stay on the Dairy Farm Loop, you will eventually arrive at the North View Hut.
While it is advertised as the “North View Hut”, don’t expect much of view as most of it is obscured by trees and vegetation.
From the North View Hut, you will need to steady yourself for a steep flight of stairs down the hillside. This dizzying set of stairs thankfully comes with guide rope handrails by the side.
Our advice is to take it slow when going downwards and to make use of the rope handrails at all times.
At the bottom of the stairs, you will need to cross a small valley with little bubbling stream before arriving back at the Dairy Farm Hut.
Those who want a stair-climbing workout can attempt the North View Hut path in reverse.
Loop In the Dairy Farm Loop
The Dairy Farm Loop is classified by NParks as “Difficult”. You can expect to spend about one hour to one-and-a-half hours on the Dairy Farm Loop. Take your time and be sure to enjoy this different side of Bukit Timah Hill.
