Dairy Farm Loop: Stairway to the Summit

Dairy Farm Loop
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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

Dairy Farm Hut signFrom 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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Dairy Farm HutThis is one of two huts on the Dairy Farm Loop. The other hut is the North View Hut.

Choose your path on the Dairy Farm Loop
Choose your path

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

Dairy Farm Loop pathWe took the left path (not the path towards the North View Hut) which is pretty much a straight path.

Old tanks on the Dairy Farm Loop
Old tanks on the Dairy Farm Loop
Don't even think of climbing the crumbling ladder
Don’t even think of climbing the crumbling ladder

It passes by the back of the Wallace Education Centre and a trio of old-looking tanks.

Stairs along the Wallace Trail
Stairs along the Wallace Trail

As you trek along this path, you can expect some stairs leading up and down as it follows along the hilly terrain.

Walking along the Dairy Farm Loop
Walking along the Dairy Farm Loop

The 900-metre path is well laid out with boardwalks and guide ropes by the side.

Rengas Path, Dairy Farm Loop
Rengas Path, Dairy Farm Loop

Eventually, you will arrive at the Rengas Path – a steep flight of stairs that ascend upwards.

Follow the Rengus Path to Bukit Timah Hill SummitAt 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.

Fungi in the forestPath 2 – The North View Hut Path

North View Hut PathIf you choose to stay on the Dairy Farm Loop, you will be walking along the ridge of the foothill.

Vegetation along the Dairy Farm Loop

You can choose to divert to the Jungle Fall Path
You can choose to divert to the Jungle Fall Path off the Dairy Farm Loop

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.

Dairy Farm Loop's North View Hut
Dairy Farm Loop’s North View Hut

If you stay on the Dairy Farm Loop, you will eventually arrive at the North View Hut.

There isn't much of a view from the North View Hut
There isn’t much of a view from 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.

Steep stairs leading to and from the North View Hut, Dairy Farm Loop
Steep stairs leading to and from the North View Hut, Dairy Farm Loop

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.

Use the rope handrails
Use the rope handrails

Our advice is to take it slow when going downwards and to make use of the rope handrails at all times.

Raindrops on a fern leaf along the Dairy Farm Loop
Raindrops on a fern leaf along the Dairy Farm Loop

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.

Stairs leading up to the North View Hut
Stairs leading up to the North View 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.


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