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MacRitchie
forest trails 100ha, with trails and boardwalks through secondary forest and along the reservoir Over 100 ha of primary forest still flourish in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve today, particularly around MacRitchie. Rubber trees, remnants of the plantations there in the 19th century, can still be seen along the fringes around MacRitchie. There are boardwalks skirting the edge of the scenic MacRitchie Reservoir and walking trails through the forest. They range in distances from 3 km to 11 km. Interpretative signboards along the boardwalks allow for a self-guided tour along the fringes of the MacRitchie forest. MacRitchie Walking Trails Route 1 (Green) about 1.5-hour walk Trail grade: Easy Route 2 (Purple) about 2-hour walk Trail grade: Easy Route 3 (Blue) about 4 to 5-hour walk Trail grade: Moderate to difficult Route 4 (Yellow) about 4-hour walk Trail grade: Moderate Route 5 (Pink) about 4 to 5-hour walk Trail grade: Difficult Check the NParks website for latest status of trails. Trails are sometimes affected by landslides, tree falls or other developments. Let a guide really show you the forest! Going on a tour with a volunteer guide is the best way to see and learn more about this special forest. Check the NParks website for the latest information on guided walks. History of MacRitchie Reservoir Before the early 19th century, most of the island was covered in primary forest. Between 1820 and 1870, a substantial portion of virgin forest was cleared to develop the island as an important trading post. Prior to this, many Chinese planters had also worked the land for timber and the cultivation of crops like gambier, pepper and rubber. By 1886, only 10% of the original forest cover remained. MacRitchie Reservoir is Singapore's first reservoir, built in 1867-68. The development of the Reservoir brought the forest devastation around the area to a halt. The forest around the reservoir was protected as a water catchment reserve. The forests surrounding the other two reservoirs, Peirce and Seletar, were also protected when these reservoirs were developed later. |
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