Stuif's Adventures

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New Road to the Cameron Highlands
My Orang Asli friend Rahim is living in a kampung, north of Raub, near Felda Sg Koyan. When I visited him in 2006, he showed me a new road leading to the Cameron Highlands. A stretch of about 25 km was still missing.

Recently he told me that this road was almost finished and "even a Kancil could do it"

My friends Khong and Stephen are always interested in charting unknown territory, so we decided to explore this new road, combining it with some birding and waterfall hunting in the CH.

After breakfast in Bentong we proceeded to Felda Sg Koyan, where the new road started. No signage yet. The first part is in mint condition.The road passes several Orang Asli kampungs and follows the Jelai river valley. After about 60 km the tar road ends and continues as a laterite road. A few km further, we had to make a decision. A sign "Cameron" directed us to an old, bumpy, 4WD road. According to a local, the other option, following the road under construction, was easier, although officially "No Entry".
We choose this new road, hoping that there would be no blocking by bulldozers or other heavy machinery.
It was an interesting experience...:-)
Some parts were quite steep, but because the weather was perfect, we had no problem at all. And after about 20 km we arrived in Bertam valley, near Ringlet.

We celebrated our successful 'expedition' with lunch in the "Single Floor" restaurant, where the food was good and the waitresses pretty.

After checking in at our favourite hotel in Brinchang, we drove up to the mountain. I have visited Gunung Brinchang often, but this was the first time that there was a nice view.

Of course we had steamboat for our dinner..:-)
The next day the weather was still beautiful, so we went again to Gunung Brinchang, where my friends continued their birding activities, while Aric and I explored the Mossy Forest.
Unfortunately this magical, but vulnerable place is slowly being destroyed by too many visitors..:-(
Many pitcher plants and other flowers.

Before going back home, there was still one item on our wish list. A waterfall. I had information that there should be a waterfall near Ringlet.

Asking around we found the waterfall, but... it was located on private grounds. After talking with the owner, we got permission to proceed and have a look.
What a nice surprise. At the end of a beautiful flower garden, a short trail took us to a nice waterfall, completely unspoilt, with crystal-clear water.
A secret garden of Eden..:-)

No better way to conclude this nice trip, than to have tea and scones at the Cameron Bharat Tea house!

Sunrise near Gombak
 

Meeting our friends at Bentong
 

Breakfast in Bentong
 

The new road
 

Last part not finished yet
 

Orang Asli village
 

Atap roof & Solar panel
 

Logging still going on
1 comment

This road to Cameron?
 

Or this one?
 

Road under construction
 

Lots of work to do
 

House on a steep slope
 

A Kancil can do it
 

Even easier for a Pajero
 

This part was a bit scary
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Arrival in the CH
 

The GPS map *
 

The Single floor restaurant in Bertam valley
2 comments

Good food
 

Jasmine hotel in Brinchang
 

Tea plantations at Brinchang
 

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Climbing the watch tower
 

View from the tower
 

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A tiny beetle
 

Young fern leaves
 

Toilet facilites at Brinchang
1 comment

Brinchang at night
 

Pre-war car ?
2 comments

Steamboat dinner
 

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How to poach an egg
 

The next morning
 

The watch tower
 

View
 

Brinchang Mossy Forest
2 comments

Flowers
 

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Ptcher plants
 

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Flowers
 

Very tiny flowers
 

More flowers
 

Decorative leaves
 

Almost art
 

More tea fields
 

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Looking for the waterfall
 

End of the road
 

The flower garden
 

Flowers
 

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The waterfall
 

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Nice pool, crystal-clear
3 comments

The friendly owner and I
 

Beautiful house
 

The Cameron Bharat Tea house
 

wrote on May 17, 2008:
Wow!!! Nice photo album.

wrote on May 17, 2008:
I am used to ork horses. In East Malaysia, they swear that the Toyota Land Cruiser, a vehicle based on improvement of the Land Rover rules the world. They were right as more than one generation, no other vehicle has got near to that model.
Here in CH, history is re-written. Take it from any angle. Performance, ease of repair, durability and running cost. No other vehicle, including the Toyota Land Cruiser came close to second. Most of all, the Chasis on which the whole vehicle is built and the engine, which is the power house remain intact. Don't even mention - abuses.

Liz wrote on May 17, 2008:
Wow, big logs

wrote on May 17, 2008:
It looks VERY scary. The Kembara could actually handle this?

Kwai Loh wrote on May 17, 2008:
No problem...:-) Must be more difficult after rain

Liz wrote on May 17, 2008:
Great !!

wrote on May 17, 2008:
Depends what war it is "pre" of, it is a series 111, so will date from after 1968 and well into the late 1970's
During my Military Service I used the Fitted for Radio (FFR) Version, which being heaver than the standard landrover, was spoilt by it wishbone springs, when the series 111 was replaced by the Defender series, thing where much improved, as the whale bone springs were replaced with independent coil suspension

wrote on May 17, 2008:
And CH is the graveyard for landrovers, just watch the loads they carry, you have to admire the design to survive the abuse they suffer. hee hee

wrote on May 17, 2008:
How far in did you go?

Kwai Loh wrote on May 17, 2008:
Not very far, ~ 500 meter

wrote on May 17, 2008:
A dream indeed! having your very own waterfall in your backyard. Some lucky people. Don't know how lucky they were.
Congrats to the you, the latest finder.

wrote on May 19, 2008:
If you are talking about the old Land Rover, yes I agree.

wrote on May 19, 2008:
Yup a Series III LWB. Used to spend much time looking at the catalogue for part numbers

wrote on May 19, 2008:
very 'classic' way to promote the restaurant ;p

wrote on May 20, 2008:
The series 40 land cruisers, where a great tool, it you bent them parts where cheap and easy to repair, now the later ones because they have so much formed shapes, cost a arm and a leg to repair, and they are not so good offroad as the old 40 series.

Kwai Loh wrote on May 20, 2008:
Actually the name of the restaurant should be Restoran First Floor, because that was where it was..:-)

wrote on Oct 10, 2009:
is this sam yip leong waterfall?

Kwai Loh wrote on Oct 28, 2009:
Yes, it is

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