We are having good weather this Sunday, for which I’m thankful, as it has been rainy in recent months. I didn’t want to waste such a nice day, so I decided to visit one of the nature parks that’s been on my list. Although I still had a few options, I ultimately chose to go to Windsor Nature Park. The nearest MRT station is Bright Hill Station, and it's also close to MacRitchie Nature Park and Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, offering plenty of options to explore if I have the energy.
For today, I planned to focus on walking along the trails inside Windsor Nature Park.
I arrived at Bright Hill MRT Station around 10:00 AM, which is quite late considering that many people typically start their walks at 6:00 or 7:00 AM. I expected to be alone at this later hour, but to my surprise, there were still plenty of visitors at the park.
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I noticed a group of elderly people gathering at the exit of the MRT station, and I suspected they were heading to the park as well, especially since some of them were dressed in trekking gear. I think this is a great example of a healthy lifestyle, especially for older adults, as they remain active rather than staying at home. Regular trekking or walking exercises like this are likely beneficial for their health.
I decided to go ahead of them, as it seemed they were still waiting for others to join.
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It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the MRT station to the park at a leisurely pace. The walk there was already a pleasant experience because I liked the development in the Bright Hill area. It has a modern feel, but there are still plenty of open spaces that give it a suburban vibe. Even the apartment buildings seem to have designs from 20 to 30 years ago.
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However, as I reached the halfway point and got closer to the Upper Thomson area, I noticed more new condominium buildings emerging on that side of the estate.
Finally, I reached Windsor Nature Park! The first thing that welcomed me was the sight of monkeys! I saw them following a man who was also about to enter the park. At first, I thought he might be their trainer, but I quickly realized that couldn’t be the case, as these monkeys are wild and protected by the nature reserve.
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The entrance to the park is where the public restroom is located, and that’s probably why the monkeys tend to hang around here. They know that this is where people go, and where there are people, there’s a chance to get food. These monkeys have become smarter and have figured out how to get extra food from visitors.
Although it’s not allowed to feed them, I saw one monkey holding a banana, which means someone must have given it a piece of fruit.
It’s funny because one lady was complaining about the monkeys, saying they had entered the restroom while she was using it. She got scared and said she would never use the public restroom again. The restrooms have raised roofs, so the monkeys can easily climb in from the top of the wall. While I feel sorry for the lady who was annoyed by the monkeys, I can’t help but find it amusing that the monkeys have learned to extort food from people in such an awkward way.
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After watching the entertaining monkeys at the entrance of the park, I decided to explore the park itself and see what changes had been made. One major difference between Windsor Nature Park and others I’ve visited is the design of the boardwalk. It’s made of metal coated with paint that resembles the natural colors of the surroundings, allowing it to blend seamlessly with the environment.
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There’s a bridge that crosses over a fish pond, where I could clearly see snakehead fish swimming alongside fingerlings. I also spotted turtles swimming or feeding on the plankton at the surface of the water. The pond looks very natural, with a buildup of algae and underwater plants enhancing its authenticity.
The parts of the park I explored were the Hanguana Trail and the Squirrel Trail. There are many more areas to explore, extending all the way to MacRitchie Nature Park, but I’m saving that for my next visit.
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The Hanguana Trail is a relaxing walk along a boardwalk, surrounded by nature. The main feature of this trail is the Hanguana plant, a type of aquatic plant that thrives in swampy areas like this section of the nature park.
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I could hear plenty of birds in the area, but they were too elusive, hiding in the dense foliage of the plants and trees, which made it difficult for me to spot them. I came across several bird photographers, which shows that this is a popular spot for bird photography. At that moment, I wished I had the proper gear and camera to capture the birds in photos. But for now, I’ll share the nature photos I took during my walk.
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The next part I explored was the Squirrel Trail, which is supposed to be the area where squirrels roam. I did spot a few while walking along the boardwalk, but I believe the squirrels tend to hang out in the farther areas where the trees are denser. However, I did see one squirrel jumping from one tree to another. I didn’t know they could perform such stunts, even though it was just a regular squirrel.
I also saw wild chickens foraging on the forest floor, which was really cool to watch. I expected there to be a predator nearby, but in broad daylight like this, it would be nearly impossible to witness one in action.
Another wildlife encounter I had was with a salamander searching for food. It froze when it saw me, which was strange because I know that salamanders usually run away when humans are nearby. This one just stayed in place, even as I slowly approached to take a photo.
After enjoying both trails, I decided to grab some lunch as I was feeling really hungry. It was already 11:30 AM when I finished the walk, and since lunchtime was approaching, I decided to retrace my steps back to the spot where I entered the park.
Just as I thought the walk back would be uneventful, I noticed a group of people gathered, pointing at something. They seemed very cautious as they tried to take a photo of whatever it was. When I approached, one of them said, "It's a viper!" and that got me excited because I had never encountered such wildlife in a nature park before. I knew there were snakes in nature reserves, but I never imagined they would be found in areas where people walk by.
If someone isn’t careful enough to spot a snake, they might easily miss this one. It appeared to be poisonous, so I was cautious while taking a photo. This is the part of the experience where I really wished I had a camera or phone with a good zoom feature so I could capture the beautiful patterns on the snake's skin. It was a great way to end my exploration of Windsor Nature Park!
Windsor Nature Park offers a peaceful retreat into nature, with its unique trails and diverse wildlife making it a memorable experience. Whether you're a seasoned nature lover or a casual visitor, there's something for everyone to enjoy. I look forward to returning soon to explore more of what this beautiful park has to offer!
