Bedok Reservoir Park - The Ghastly Night Run

The blog will not be completed without my regular haunting spot, Bedok Reservoir Park. This is the place that I got embarrassed, made my resolution to get fit and my training spot that I got some of my fitness back. I tend to do night runs after work and sometimes, even past midnight!! This is unthinkable for many of my friends as there were 6 suicides over a span of past year at the reservoir. The ghosts that are probably haunting the "the most haunted spot" of Singapore includes a mum in red who committed suicide with her toddler son, an Indian construction worker, an old lady and the lower half of a chinese male.

The Haunted Bedok Reservoir?

The reservoir itself is 4.3km with the official starting point at the WAWAWA bistro and most runners start in an anti-clockwise direction. The track is very runner friendly with distance markers every 500m. The track is actually quite brightly lighted with a lamp post every 50m away. The scariest "thing" I encountered is a couple sitting by the slope of the reservoir cuddling together probably doing interesting things to each other.

Do not come here after your run.
They do not serve free water and the salad taste horrible!

The Track at night

Interesting landmarks include a portion of the Berlin Wall right from Germany near the bistro, the toilet and the main carpark. Its a bit creepy at night though with the big lighted face.

Art or Horror show in the middle of the night??

 You will see a watersport club and an adventure circuit which will be filled with kids climbing on fixtures built into the trees during the day. Temasek Poly is just another 400 meters away on that side of the reservoir and if you do run in the day, you can visit the canteen which boast cheap and good food. After a long boring stretch, you will see the reservoir control and pump station with the Bedok Reservoir village further up on the hill. You can grab a nice cup of coffee or drinks from Sheng Siong or NTUC.

Must take note where the life buoys are in case I see someone attempting suicide

The creepy pump station at night

You will see a couple of broadwalk along the reservoir as you hit the 3.2km mark. It is not officially opened yet but it is a nice place to hang out. I have seen youths sporting a radio, poker cards and a few carton of beers having fun there. Other times, I see couples smooching away or sitting on each other laps having fun.

A great make out spot! Not too bright, not too dark. Nice clean benches.

The reservoir track itself is made up of mainly dirt tracks eroded down from a granite pebble track that I remembered during my younger days. If you like to run on asphalt, there is an outer rim which are planned for skaters and cyclists. This track is slightly more challenging as it takes you along the more hilly paths around the reservoir with a pretty steep slope near the pump area. However, a different view will unfold from the top of the hill. With the full moon glistering above the shinning water, it makes a breathtaking picture indeed. Sometimes I wished that I brought my DSLR and Tripod along for the run. The distance is slightly longer at 4.7km.

Reservoir from the top of the hill on a clear night with full moon

Personally, I feel that the reservoir is one of the better running spots around. There are no huge crowds like other parks I been to and there are no steps, traffic junctions or dangerous kids on wheels that will disrupt running momentum. The elevation is flat around the reservoir and hilly if you take the outer rim which will suit the needs of different runners. There are always a bustle of activities but night time is when you can feel the mood of lady reservoir. Well, that is if you do not mind the ghosts that reside in her waters.

Accessibility :  Bus from Bedok Interchange. 228, 66

Parking: 2 small carparks. One at the junction of Bedok North Road and another on the other side of the reservoir at the Viaduct to tampines road. Both lots are free. Lots of parking at nearby HDB. Free on Sundays

Type of tracks: Dirt Track, Asphalt

Elevation: Flat or hilly depending on the route.