Walk
on the wow side
The Tampines Mountain Biking Trail throws
up some surprises for first time visitor Tan Hock Lee.
Directly opposite the Tampines Town Park along Tampines Avenue 9, the
inhabitants of a mountain biking trail are quietly becoming a draw with
the residents of the area. Although less well-known than Pasir Ris Park
and definitely more 'low-key', the Tampines Mountain Biking Trail is
home to a wide range of flora and fauna, and especially delightful are
the feathered ones.
Getting there by foot is easy since it is just a 10-minute walk away
from the Tampines MRT station. But if you are thinking of driving there,
your best bet is to park at the HDB carpark next to Tampines Town Park,
and then walk to the mountain biking trail.
A good time to visit the trail is either during early morning or evening
when the birds are active and thus more noticeable. The white-throated
kingfisher, tailorbird, green pigeon, sunda woodpecker, sunbird, and
oriole, are some examples of resident birds that you will be able to
spot in the trail all year round. But if you are eyeing migratory birds
such as the ashy minibet and black baza, you will have to drop by between
October and April when these birds fly in from North Asia to avoid the
cold weather there, advises Tampines resident and bird lover Subaraj
Rajathurai, 40.
Surrounding the trail are three types of habitat - scrub, wooded and
grassland. Some of the more exotic plants and trees include arcadia,
albizia, billenia and melastoma, enough to excite any flora fans.
But you don't need to be able to pronounce any of these to enjoy the
place. For those of us who can't tell one tree or bird from another,
the trail is still a choice pick for a relaxing stroll, some fresh air,
and a chance to get closer to nature. The best part is, the rest of
the world hasn't got wind of it - yet.
