Tag Archives: trail

Hiking essentials

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I run and work out more often than I hike, hence, I have never called myself as a “hiker”. Occasionally, I do enjoy being disconnected and off the grid for a few hours, and I find that Gunung Nuang is one of my favourite places to “escape” (it feels like a quick holiday!). As beginner, I learnt the hard way about some of the items that you must have. Based on my limited knowledge, I think that this list is very basic, yet I am still finding a balance between packing light and being prepared. Let me know what you think, and I’ll add on more to the list!

Disclaimer: This list is only suitable for day trips, not for overnight stays.

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Until next week,

The Weekender Runner and Newbie Hiker.

 

Re-discovering Kemensah

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Flicking through past week’s photographs in the trail, I realised that I longed for the muddy ground, ascending among the trees, the clear air, and the rush of the river. What I missed was spending time in the trails again. Taking advantage of the long weekend, I gathered a few friends who were familiar with a route in the Kemensah, Ulu Klang area for a leisurely trail “run” (it was hardly a run, more like walking with occasional spurts of running).

We weren’t aiming for anything ambitious for that day. We set off at a very leisurely pace, excited for what is ahead since most of us are not very familiar with this route. We walked non-stop, and ran once in a while. It was not a very challenging trail, with elevation gain for about 400m. Sometimes there were puddles and small stream crossing, but nothing too technical. We could hear some animals along the way, but we did not manage to spot anything. Frankly speaking, I think everyone just needed a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of the city which is always a good thing!

The highlight of any trail “run” is taking a dip in the river. After about 6km of walking, finally we heard the sound of water rushing. We finally made it! The river was knee deep, and the lush surrounding trees makes a good spot for a photo op. Some of us brought some snacks drinks, so we took our time by the river to soak in the nature.

 

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The highlight of any trail run!

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Heading back

Heading back

Despite its ease of accessibility and close proximity to the city, Kemensah is not a very popular site for camping unlike Gunung Nuang. Probably because it was not very challenging and not very big, so most people can explore other trails within a few hours. I heard that there is also a waterfall among these trails too, which gives me the perfect excuse to come back again! 

Until next week,

The Weekend Runner.

Unbelievable Achievement for Beginners

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Going to the mall every weekend can be quite boring; not knowing what to buy and experiencing the same thing in a concrete building. To make our weekend interesting, my sister and I decided to go on a trail hiking at Bukit Kledang, Ipoh. The place is quite famous for the residence living nearby.

Everyday, this place will be crowded with visitors, especially during holidays. The fresh face and friendly smiles from the young generations to the old ones given to each other spreading positive vibes are something that I don’t always get in the mall. Everyone is enjoying the view of nature.

 

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See that red circle? Yeah, that’s where our goal is.

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Stunning View from Up Hill

Along the way up to the hill, is well-equip with toilets on few checkpoints, outdoor exercise equipments and they also have a plant nursery where you can snap photos. All these facilities are only provided half way through the journey. The next half way won’t be any proper toilets for you to use.

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I would love to wake up to gardening every morning. It’s just so peaceful and refreshing.

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Half way there!

Based on what we’ve learnt from the others and my GPS, the distance is almost 14km total from going up to the hill and going down from the hill. It took us 2 hours to climb up to the top of the hill and almost another 2 hours to get down. Our legs were wobbly as we went down and we had to walk flaccidly to loosen up our muscles.

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Found a highly dangerous baby blue coral snake. We didn’t know it was venomous till we made research on it. So, avoid getting too close to anything that you know nothing about it. You don’t want to end up in a hospital.

Make sure you fill up your tummy before hiking up and bring enough drinking water or food (if required) as there is no stalls or places for you to fuel up half way up onwards. There are only stalls selling fruits at the foot of the hill. It is quite a shady walk, so you need not bring hats. Go up light! But do put on sunblocks just in case.

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Yay! Mission accomplished!

Alhamdulillah. We made it to the top! I never thought I could do it. The key to this achievement is to have a supporter or motivator that keeps you moving on because the only thing the stops you is your mind.

It’s a perfect place for a family weekend! So, what are you waiting for? 😀

Photo credits:

http://mohdreffi.blogspot.my/2010/08/bukit-kledang.html

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2014/03/22/nature-lovers-create-garden-group-clear-undergrowth-and-fill-it-with-beautiful-plants/