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Monday 30 July 2018

The 'Four Sights' from Ken House

Ken House façade of Tudor design


Before Ken House, this privately-owned bungalow was known as Socfin Bungalow. It was sold off to Ken Holdings (date unknown). And before it was called Socfin Bungalow, it was Villa Adrien Hallet, named after the Belgian agricultural engineer who arrived in Malaya in the 1910s to plant oil palms. It is located along Jalan Mager, right after Kingswood Bungalow and before the turn-off to Methodist Centre.

I and my family had the opportunity to stay there twice! Thanks to Jeff, who invited us to experience the atmosphere at this villa.

Ken House has a very large and picturesque compound. With 5 rooms, it can accommodate 20 occupants comfortably. It also has a platformed-gazebo on its 3 o'clock and the peak of Mount Ulu Semangkok can be seen right across. 




Garden
  
The huge garden with a gazebo on top of a small hill. This was during a misty morning. The surrounding landscape is populated with assorted plants which are well taken care of by the gardener.
 


 
Gunung Ulu Semangkok

The peak of Gunung Ulu Semangkok which is just across the valley where Jalan Gap-Raub (previously Semangko Pass) is located. However, it is not possible to view Ken House from the Ulu Semangkok summit as it is surrounded by tall trees. Although looks near, it is about 5 km across in linear distance.  




Genting Highlands

This is one of the locations where you can photograph Genting Highlands almost at eye level with its grandeur during a clear sky. At 200 mm, it still looks small. I need a digiscope!



Gunung Rajah

The left lofty peak is Gunung Rajah whose height is 1,685 meter (5,526 feet) above sea level; on the right is Genting Highlands. Here, we are looking at Genting Highlands on one side and Bentong on the other. Both are located on the South-East of Fraser's Hill.




Gunung Rajah close-up at 200 mm



Gunung/Banjaran Benom


Benom Range where Gunung Benom (summit on the left before it slopes down towards North) at 2,107 meter (6,913 feet) is located, representing the tenth highest in the peninsula. The undulating terrain of this range form the mountain range outline as above. Looks far? Yes! It is located 41 km away North-East. This view is captured from the tiny hill where the gazebo is.




Photo credit: See Hooi Lan

That’s Yours Truly photographing Gunung Rajah and Genting Highlands (the latter not famously known as… Gunung Purun) from the edge of the flat compound outside Ken House.



Bearing at 158° confirming Gunung Rajah's peak location



The four locations

An overview with bearings of the 'four sights' from Ken House. I had more or less surveyed the nearby vicinity and found no other location than Ken House to be able to see the 'four sights'. Pine Tree Hill and Gunung Semangkok cannot be seen as they are blocked by the hill behind the villa and whereas Bukit Kutu is blocked by the trees on the right-side viewpoint of Genting Highlands.

Ken House (Villa Adrien Hallet) now owns a spot in Wikimapia (search up "Villa Adrien Hallet")!