Lower Peirce Reservoir
Last Updated on 18 July 2020
What’s there not to love about Peirce Reservoir? One of the oldest reservoirs in Singapore, it has an enticing boardwalk trail snaking through a deliciously lush rainforest…
…and it is one of the choice locations for the monkeys to congregate for their picnic parties. How delightful!
Getting there is the tricky part, being out in the boondocks and all. But with a car anything is possible, and a free carpark at the entrance stands by to usher us in.
There are several bus options (#163, 167, 169, 855, 980), all of which will deposit us at the bus stop near Casuarina Curry where we can tank up on one of the best roti prata in Singapore, before expending calories on the walk along Old Upper Thomson Road to the Lower Peirce Trail Entrance.
Occasionally, the wild boar might grace visitors with a rare appearance. If he does, accord him with the dignified and calm respect that he deserves.
For the aspiring anglers, the tranquil Peirce waters is a popular location to fish legally in Singapore.
Look out into the calm reservoir waters and you might spot the Striated Heron (Butorides striata) meditating upon his next catch.
Look up into the forest foliage and you might spot the Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) keeping a close watch on his dinner.
If you’re here to get that butt moving, simply follow the boardwalk…
…and it’ll lead us on a meandering route along the waters edge…
…where we can stand still for a moment to enjoy the calmness of the scene and appreciate the source of the water that we use everyday.
But don’t stand for too long otherwise the mosquitoes will come for you.
Very soon the boardwalk will lead us right into the heart of the forest filled with many possibilities…
…and as we penetrate deeper and deeper into the dark secluded forest…
…and hear nothing but the sounds of crickets mingled with our own quickening heartbeats…
…we may occasionally hear suspicious rustling up in the trees…and perhaps catch a glimpse of a mysterious monstrous shape fly across the branches…
…or if we’re not careful, we might run headlong into the family of wild boar (Sus scrofa) and their watermelon-like piglets roaming around the thick dark forest.
If we do make it out of the forest unscathed, we will find ourselves deposited back to safety on Old Upper Thomson Road…
…but only for a brief moment before the road leads us back into the jungle on the Costus Trail, which will eventually bring us back the way we came.
At the end of that exhilarating journey is a pavilion where we can calm our nerves and steady our pulse…
…before heading back out to join the monkeys for a chillaxing brunch.