Penang Hills and Trails - Bukit Batu Itam 2019
The Cheating Husband

This account is linked from my Penang Peaks page which lists peaks over 400 metres as well as other places of interest and viewpoints. To find other hikes which visit this peak please check the maps of this are using this link.

Yuehong told me she was ready to try 'one of the National Park Hikes again' and as we have no real interest in walking towards Pantai Kerachut or Muka Head, that left the hike up to Bukit Batu Itam from the Hokkien cemetery in Teluk Bahang and it made sense to continue to near the Tropical Fruit Farm. With Mavis, it was logical to park her at the TFF 400 metre sign and catch the 09.10 501 bus from Balik Pulau down the hill and having estimated 09.35 for its arrival, our new style tickets recorded just that.

This is the starting point, it's just before the Post Office in Teluk Bahang near the main National Park entrance. 

Now there are some who say that Malaysia is no longer a third world country. The screams of young children from the adjacent block of flats and the rubbish around it and next to the road up suggest otherwise. "Cleaner, Greener Penang" say the politicians but it's just hot air. Talking of which, it was a scorcher and it must have affected my judgement as I kept left instead of right at the top of the cemetery. It did give a good view of it, though.

"I told you so" said Yuehong as she headed up the steps to Heaven. At the top there had been a minor bush fire which made for interesting colours and we started to climb through the ferns. This was by far the least pleasant part of the walk, it's steep and eroded, a mini 'Moongate Trail' and the ferns were buzzing with horseflies which kept dive bombing us. Their bite is only serious if you grant them time after they land and we were constantly brushing them off for the next 20 minutes or so. 

We got some respite as we entered the forest and as we descended from a minor summit we came to a Hash junction, the path to the left must lead to somewhere near the dam and it's on my list to check when we have a quiet day, we'll have to go down it of course but potentially it's a much better route up than we had used today. 

Yuehong was enjoying herself, it was a much better path than she remembered and very soon we came to rain gauge 27 (RG 27). The final climb is through a mixture of ferns and forest to varying degrees and is well enough used to keep it clear but not enough to erode the layer of topsoil and leaves, ideal in other words.

Higher up it's nearly all trees and in rather less than two hours we came to the main junction. All the signs had vanished since our last visit, why I can't begin to guess but turning right would lead back into the more popular parts of the National Park. Even though it was a Sunday, we saw not a single other hiker. 

I would have to say that the campsite around rain gauge 26 (RG 26) looked rather more cared for than previously, not that it would have been difficult to achieve, there was even a dribble of water when I turned on the tap briefly.

We took a break, all my clothes were soaked with sweat and I laid them out to dry off. Yuehong grabbed her toy to record the scene and I grabbed the only thing within reach to cover my modesty. I just forgot to sit up straight to hide my Donald Trump beer belly.

The path on was an unknown quantity, it's never been well used and it was 2 years since we had hiked along it. We need not have worried, it's been taken under the umbrella of 'Ultimate Trails of Penang' and save the odd place where trees had come down it was in first class shape.

Part of the area around the peak was 'rich in ferns' but as soon as we got going a little bit downhill along the ridge, it reverted to proper forest. 

There was a major obstruction but the diversion was clearly indicated with masses of plastic and apart from hopping over the odd fallen tree, the next hour was all gentle relaxation with scarcely a section of uphill lasting more than a few metres.

One last patch of ferns announced that we were arriving at rain gauge 25 (RG 25). On a day like today, it was not an ideal resting place and with the junction with the path up from Pantai Acheh not 10 minutes away, we continued.

For some reason, this is a very wide track and it would be very easy to relax and carry on down it but it must end in the middle of nowhere... Instead I knew to look for an insignificant small path off to the right. I need not have worried, these days it is hung with plastic markers and in no time we were at our familiar 'break point'.

We had actually been hiking for barely three hours and Yuehong told me that I had cheated her when I described the walk as a 'Three Tiger Affair'. I mumbled something about 'quality rather than quantity' and I opened my next can. She also added "You can put the camera away now, we've been here often enough." I had to agree, I assume anyone seriously interested in this Batu Itam hike would have already been along the Secret Garden path, the link has our latest report, it's less than an hour from the last photograph unless, like us you take a further break.

This is a splendid walk, ideal for anyone of a nervous disposition as there are very few junctions and the path excellent throughout. Unless you are in a group with two cars available then you will need to consult the 501 bus times, the fare between Teluk Bahang and the Tropical Fruit farm is MYR 2. It visits the start point only going north, southbound you'll need to board at the Teluk Bahang 'Hub' if you are doing our walk in reverse.