5 walking trails near school to start your healthy lifestyle!

Source: iStock

Amidst the stressful finals period, why not take a quick walk or hike near school to clear your mind? Walking is an underrated way to keep your body healthy. Below we will be introducing 5 walking trails close to school that are easy to access and friendly for all!

Note: before visiting any of the trails, you can use this website to see if it is crowded!

one-north Park

Starting with the easiest route on the list, the one-north Park is situated within one-north’s research & business park area. The park is separate into 3 segments: Biopolis, Fusionopolis North and Fusionopolis South.

If you are looking for a quick stroll or a glance of greenery, this quaint park is meant for you! Starting your trail near Buona Vista, you will find yourself ascending onto a small hill, and soon get a full panoramic view of the surrounding high-rise buildings.

Source: NParks.gov.sg

If you started in Buona Vista, you should theoretically end up in one-north after 30 minutes! Of course, feel free to take as long or as short as you like – the whole point is to enjoy the process. Feeling thirsty or hungry after you walk? No worries, there are plenty of cafes available for you to visit!

Total distance: 1 - 2 km

Closest MRT station: Buona Vista

West Coast Park

As the smaller west-side counterpart of East Coast Park, West Coast Park is also a long coastal stretch to exercise and walk around in. A 5-minute walk away from the supper stretch, the park comes with a bicycle rental stop and multiple trails to set foot on.

Have a front-row seat of the sunset at their boardwalk or jetty! There you would be able to spot ships from the nearby pier and, just further up, a sneak peak of Jurong Island.

Source: TripAdvisor

Total distance: 2 - 3km

Closest MRT station: Haw Par Villa

Rail Corridor (South segment)

Rail Corridor is one of the most well-recognised walking / hiking trails in Singapore. Did you know it goes all the way from Woodlands to Outram Park? The 24km-long trail actually has an entrance in Buona Vista!

Entering the Rail Corridor at Buona Vista, you could choose to either walk northward towards the famous Old Bukit Timah railway station, or southward towards Tanjong Pagar railway station, which is still closed for construction. If you walk towards the north, you will see greenery that you don’t expect in a city, the famous train tracks, and the more forested trail beyond (i.e. the north segment!). If you choose the latter direction, you will end up in Outram Park, an area super close to the city, and has a lot of food courts and cafes to offer. The two directions offer very different sights, so do try walking both sides when you have time.

Source: TripAdvisor

Note: the entrance to Rail Corridor can be found at the end of this MRT exit!

Source: Art-Noise Beauty Salon Singapore

Total distance: 3 - 4km (towards Old Bukit Timah railway station) OR

7 - 8km (towards Outram Park)

Closest MRT station: Buona Vista

Kent Ridge Park & Hort Park

Now, these two parks are mentioned together because they are connected! This one is my personal favourite. Hort Park is less of a trail and more of a large garden that comes with 10 different themes.

Source: Little Day Out

Meanwhile, Kent Ridge Park offers a more exciting route, with an elevated route and unpaved trails that you can try exploring.

Source: TripAdvisor

The highlight of these parks is certainly Reflections of Bukit Chandu, a museum that commemorates the Malay regiment that have fought in the Battle of Pasir Panjang in World War II. Situated in a large bungalow, Reflections of Bukit Chandu houses many artefacts and provides an immersive experience for visitors about the wartime experiences 80 years ago.

Source: The Straits Times

If you are looking for an enriching walk beyond physical gains, take a short train ride to visit Hort Park and Kent Ridge Park!

Total distance: 4 - 5 km

Closest MRT station: Labrador Park / Buona Vista

Southern Ridges

Yes, the last one on the list is the one everyone has heard of. The Southern Ridges is the longest trail in this list, with starting points at Harbourfront and Gillman Barracks.

Take your walk here if you’re up for a bit more of a challenge! Southern Ridges, as the name suggests, has plenty of elevated walk paths. It means they have a lot more stairs and visitors will have more climbing to do compared to the other parks. For instance, if you take the ‘Marang trail’, the amount of stairs you would climb would be the height equivalent of 24 storeys of a regular HDB building! The Southern Ridges is also the longest trail of this list, and it should take you close to 3 hours to conquer.

You can visit the famous Henderson Waves bridge, Telok Blangah Hill Park and Alexandra Arch during your walk. (Note: the Alexandra arch actually connects you from the Southern Ridges to Hort Park! It is up to you if you would like to complete the entire trail :)) After your walk, you can also head to Vivocity or Alexandra Retail Centre (ARC) to rest!

Source: Visit Singapore

Total distance: 8 - 11 km

Nearest MRT station: Harbourfront / Labrador Park

There are still plenty of trails close to NUS; our school’s location is fantastic for developing an exercising or walking habit! So next time if you need a break from the school campus, visit one of these parks for a refresher or go with your friends to create shared memories too!

Now that we have looked at the various walking trails near NUS, here is an overview of the trails by its distance (shortest to longest):

1. one-north Park (1 - 2 km)

2. West Coast Park (2 - 3 km)

3. Hort Park & Kent Ridge Park (3 - 4 km)

4. Rail Corridor (4 - 8 km)

5. Southern Ridges (8 - 11 km)

We hope you feel more encouraged to head outside and take an easy stroll!