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If you are a hiker who is looking for a new trail to explore, here is some good news for you.
From Feb. 11 to 26, 2023, visitors will be able to join exclusive tours of Fort Connaught on eastern Sentosa island on the weekends.
This will be the first time the historical site is open to the public since its construction in 1878.
The visits will be conducted via a guided tour, with information provided on the structures and the history of the abandoned fort, which has been a source of fascination of many outdoor enthusiasts here who are aware of the area's existence.
The tour also grants special access to a restricted site that the public should not attempt to visit on their own, for their safety, The Straits Times reported.
A medic will be on standby during the tour.
Image courtesy of Sentosa Development Corporation
Image courtesy of Sentosa Development Corporation
Image courtesy of Sentosa Development Corporation
Image courtesy of Sentosa Development Corporation
The fort's opening is part of the National Heritage Board's annual "Battle for Singapore" initiative.
It is to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the Fall of Singapore this year.
Fort with a rich history
Fort Connaught is part of Singapore's coastal defence system built under British rule that served to protect the city's shipping and coating facilities at Keppel Harbour, according to Roots.sg.
The fort is armed with 9.2-inch guns, which were the largest on Sentosa and were also used against Japanese troops during the Battle for Singapore, said the National Heritage Board in the press release.
Through the special access tour, participants will be able to explore the grounds of the only remaining gun battery of Fort Connaught -- there were three built -- and learn more about the roles the abandoned fort played in Singapore's defence during the Japanese invasion of World War II.
Along the way, visitors would also be able to see the ruins of a power station from WWII and an observation post with traces of bombing, reported Shin Min Daily News.
Registration starts Feb. 8, tickets at S$20
Registration for the Fort Connaught rediscovery tour, which lasts 2.5 hours, will open on Feb. 8 at 10am on a first-come, first-serve basis.
There will only be two tours available each day on Saturdays and Sundays between Feb. 10 and Mar. 5 — over three weekends — one in the morning from 9am to 11:30am and one in the afternoon from 1pm to 3:30pm.
Shin Min also reported that there would be a cap of 16 people per tour group due to limited space and complex terrain.
Tickets will be sold at S$20 each.
Bookings can be made here.
Transport will also be provided from Harbourfront MRT station to the site and back.
Details on the gathering point will be sent to participants upon registration.
Top images via Sentosa Development Corporation