Re: Bangalore to Wayanad with my long lost bud!

Thread approved!

Nice time of the year, nice place. Please continue.

Re: Bangalore to Wayanad with my long lost bud!

So here is what we decided before we started off:

Onward: Bangalore -> Srirangapatna -> Mysuru -> Gundlupet -> Berambadi State Forest -> Sulthan Bathery -> Kalpetta
Return: Not decided

Day 1:
Bangalore to Kalpetta -> Check-in -> Banasura Sagar Dam -> Pookode Lake -> Lakkidi View Point

Day 2:
Chembra peak -> Meenmutty Falls -> Neelimala Viewpoint -> Kanthanpara Falls -> Soochipara Falls (if time permitted)

Day 3:
Edakkal Caves -> Kuruwadweep (if time and energy permitted) -> Bangalore



Day 1:
I finished my work on 24th early. Decided to meet at Trinity circle at 0230 hrs on 25th morning. Managed to catch a quick 3 hr nap before I started. Woke up at 0130, packed up things and was off to pick a friend who would join the TT at Trinity.



Reached Trinity on time. Waited for the TT and tied my bag to the seat. Although the Tempo Traveler was with me I wanted to have a good independent ride

Finally we all started at 3 and decided to stop at Maddur CCD. It was dark and I followed the TT for sometime but thought to go ahead and follow a faster vehicle so that I reach faster and have more time to relax. I'd say some of the speed breakers on the road to Maddur are not well marked. I was following an i10 and it bumped real bad on one of the speed breakers. It halted for inspection so I carried on alone for sometime. An Innova cab helped me get to Maddur safe and fast. Reached Maddur around 5 am and had to wait for quite a while. Realized I had kept my wallet at the bottom of the bag and the bag was wrapped up in polythene. I was quite cold by then and the heated up CCD was a luxury

Finally the guys came. Had a short interesting conversation with the Tempo driver:

Driver: Sir, you will come with us all the way to Wayanad?
Me: Yes
D: Sir, you sure? It's so cold. I'm feeling cold inside sitting in the tempo. Why are you doing this?
Me: Yes, it's quite cold.
D: Come sir, sit inside and leave your bike here.
M: No thanks

Funny guy!
By the way, if you need a TT in Bangalore, ask for him, Mr. Basuraje on 9986147424. He was the best guy to take on a trip yet.

I had a coffee and we were off to mysore by 5:30. The dawn started to break and it got colder. This stretch was a long one where we stopped directly at entry of Berambadi State Forest at around 7:30. We crossed Mysore city and came out at the southern end. Roads from Mysore till Najungadh were bad in small patches. Najungadh to Gundlupet was just wonderful and I overtook the TT to enjoy the flat empty roads. We took a right from Gundlupet instead of going straight to Bandipur and Madhumalai National forests. By the time we reached the entrance of Berambadi reserved forest, my bladder was threatening me. I stopped there and the TT also had to get some permit stuff done. We waited for a good 30-40 mins. It was then that I realized that there were no toll booths on the Mysore road We got time to click some photographs there:







The sun was a friend as I sat down to take in the heat.







Roads through the forest are open between 6 am to 9 pm. We decided to meet directly in Kalpetta. The speedbreakers were well marked through the forest and it was a good ride through it. Did not see any wild animals. Soon Sulthan Bathery came. I was told by a friend in office that there would be some 30 hair-pin bends before I reach Kalpetta. I was waiting for them. They never came
The roads were good and a little winding. Reached our cottage at around 0930. Got freshened up and went out for breakfast. Udupi restaurant was nearby and we had authentic Kerala style breakfast. The water was reddish in colour and almost hot. The food was good, dosas, poori sagu, ghee roasts were all prepared very well and good for the pocket too


NH212 passing through Kalpetta

I decided to leave my bike in the cottage and join the gang in the TT. I had read in one of the blogs that the roads inside Wayanad are not good while the roads leading to it are great. We started for Banasurasagar Dam. And looking at the roads, I felt my decision was right. The weather was pretty hot though. Sun was shining pretty bright and we were not expecting this much heat. Reaching the dam we were in for a pleasant sight. The dam is huge and the water sparkled. The area is surrounded by mountains and helped us feel a lot relaxed. We walked further ahead and were in for a pleasant surprise. Highlight of the spot was surprisingly the swings hung to the trees where we enjoyed a lot. We played like kids under the shadow pushing each other off to get a chance on them
2 of my friends went for fish spa there. I didn't feel like doing something that I could do in the Total Mall on the Old Airport Road
Some pics from Banasurasagar Dam:











Wayanad was delighting us with the green and the views. Buoyed by the swings, we went back to TT. Next stop -> Pookode Lake. The route went through Vythiri-Tharuvana Road. The surroundings started getting greener and the roads windier. I started feeling uneasy and fidgety looking at the roads. This was our first view of the tea estates. The last 10 kms before Pookode Lake were full of tea estates and I felt really bad for not riding the bike on them. Everybody got down for a quick photo session on the way



We went to Pookode lake. It was nothing spectacular, just a simple lake and we did not feel like boating in it. So I finally decided to give fish spa a try


Me on the right with my friend Sazid having Fish Spa. And yes, I had a lot of dead skin on my feet

After that we went to Lakkidi view point. Spent a while there absorbing the views.



We started for Kalpetta and decided to start early for the Chembra trek next day. Meanwhile I felt so bad about leaving the bike behind that I took it out and started towards Meppadi late in the evening just to try and make it up It was a short 15 km ride and I came back to the room by 8. We knew chembra peak opens at 7 am so we had dinner at "The New Hotel" near the cottage. Unfortunately, not much was available for vegetarians. We slept at around 11, excited about the Chembra trek. We had seen the peak at Banasura dam and wondered if we would be allowed to go up there. And if we will be, can we conquer it? I laid down on the bed, thinking that atleast 2 out of 12 would not be able to wake up and will be left behind as the party was on in the next room. 2 more would not be able to make it beyond the Watch tower (1 km into the trek). Atmost 4 would have the courage and strength to carry on after the heart shaped lake towards the peak, if we are allowed. Between all this, I slept off, hoping to be fully charged up next morning away from the Bangalore pollution and stress

Re: Bangalore to Wayanad with my long lost bud!

Bro, Chembara Peak is always our Long drive Destination. We usually go same path you have rode. Photos are really awesome.

Re: Bangalore to Wayanad with my long lost bud!

Great narration mate!

Re: Bangalore to Wayanad with my long lost bud!

Nice. Keep going

Re: Bangalore to Wayanad with my long lost bud!

Great account madhav.. Keep us posted..

Re: Bangalore to Wayanad with my long lost bud!

Beautiful ride story. You opted to ride in chilling cold rather than TT, symptoms of a ride.

It's really a great emotional feeling when you get back your bike with still your name unchanged on the RC. You should have celebrated that.

Ride safe. Thanks for the share.

Re: Bangalore to Wayanad with my long lost bud!

Thank you for the encouraging words guys

Day 2:


Woke up at 0530 on Saturday. Others had started waking up but looked like many of them had no intentions to go for the trek Finally everyone was ready and we started at 0615 from the cottage. I did not want to repeat the mistake and took the bike this time Normal roal from Kalpetta to Meppadi was all dug up so we took a slight detour via the NH212 which was a scenic route. We took a left for Meppadi before Vythiri. Tea estates came one after another, roads were full of twists and turns, largely empty. Taking in that fresh air was a wonderful experience. We reached Meppadi in an hour and had tea. We had to turn right for the Chembra Peak starting point. It was around 7 km from Meppadi. We took the right turn and within around 2-3 kms we reached the ticket counter for Chembra Trek.

The trek is basically divided in 2 stages. 20 Rs ticket allows you to go till the Watch tower (1 km). It is just like a walk and can be covered in 15 mins. If you want to trek further, you will be assigned a guide. A guide takes up to 10 people and charges 750. We were told by our driver that we should take only the 20 Rs ticket and somehow get past the watch tower as nobody checked. We bought the normal tickets and rode the last 5 kms to the starting point. Roads are really bad in that stretch. Mine was the first private vehicle at the parking spot at 0730. Soon crowds followed. We started the trek around 8 after having Snickers. Reached the Watch tower pretty soon where the problem awaited. The guy actually checked our tickets and did not allow us to go past. We had to pay 750 bucks there to move forward. 2 of us stayed back as they were not feeling well.

Pics at the start point and till watch tower:




The trek from start point till watch tower was just a walk







After the watch tower, it got tougher


After arguing/requesting for atleast 10 mins, the guy at the watch tower didn't budge and we had to pay the money and carry on. The trek became more beautiful, dense and difficult. It was nature at its best. Trekking shoes helped a lot as some of the places were tricky. 1 hour into the trek I started wondering where the heart lake was. Suddenly I saw a very small heart shaped lake and thought to myself that it was much smaller than I had imagined. People in the other group told it is a baby in front of the real lake and the real one lay ahead.The terrain changed quite a lot from rocks to pretty short shrubs towards the end just like in the last scene of 300 where Leonidus dreams about his family Final uphill push and I reached the heart shaped lake at just above 10 AM. For the final 30 mins, sun's rays shone on us and it was just beautiful. The wind was so fast that when it broke against the sweat, it took away all the fatigue with it. The trek is not difficult but it is just long (Atleast 2 kms from the watch tower)

Pics of the uphill trek:












Finally made it to the lake.




I told you the winds were fast

We spent a good 90 mins at the top. We were not allowed to go any further. Clicked loads of pics and decided to turn back. It was a good decision to start the trek early as the crowd had started to climb while we went down. There were traffic jams at many places. In this heat if I had to climb and see that people are already climbing down, I'd not be a happy guy It was a very satisfying trek. It was just the thing that we came in search for. Beautiful views, working hard to reach a picturesque place like the Heart-shaped lake made our day. Soon we came down. Downhill trek seemed to be easier but more dangerous. The dry sand caused shoes to slip and the slope was steep enough to let us tumble down. But we all made it back safely.

We reached the parking at around 1 PM only to find that the exit was jampacked. Thanked Heavens for the bike where I wiggled my way out of that mess. Reached Meppadi in around 20-30 mins. I was hungry by then and knew the TT would take a lot of time to wade through the traffic. I carried on right from Meppadi towards Meenmuttu Falls. Not many eateries there, found one in a km just before the HP petrol bunk on the left. Biryani was good. I ate to my heart's content. The others found a restaurant near Meppadi Bus stand which I had missed.



Found a nice spot at Chembra Parking

I enquired about the falls and came to know that Meenmuttu had been closed 8 months back. This ruined the plan. I had to take bath in a fall, a bath was long due We enquired further, we had 2 options, Soochipara Falls and Kanthanpara Falls. I was told that Kanthanpara is better to have a bath. As we had left behind Soochipara so thought of going to Kanthanpara. By the way, Kanthanpara location is wrong on Google Maps as well as Nokia Here. It is not 2 kms away from Meppadi on the left, it is actually 6 to 7 kms on the right. It was now nearing 4 PM when we reached there. Kanthanpara would close by 5 so there was plenty of time to take bath


Kanthanpara Falls




Tried to swim in the waist deep water

Kanthanpara Fall itself was beautiful but we were not allowed to go till the base. We came back up a 100m and wasted no time to plunge in the water. The water was damn cold and took time to gather courage to go completely in. Soon it was war with everyone pushing each other in the water. It was refreshing. Here too the area allowed to swim was very less and was bounded by strings like in Water park Wave Pools. Soon it was 5 PM and we decided to leave. I noticed that a ticket counter seemed to be under construction. I guess they will start charging entry tickets soon and hopefully arrange better access to the falls. At the exit gate was a small shop where we had fags, Maggi, bread omelettes and tea. Bliss!

Having missed on Meenmutty and Soochipara, we decided not to miss Neelimala Viewpoint. We thought, rather hoped, that as it was just a viewpoint it would be open throughout. It was atleast 10 kms further ahead on the road from Meppadi to Ooty. Roads were good but on reaching there we came to know that the viewpoint closes at 5 PM. It was already 6:30. A good thing about Wayanad is that it is not so much about the final destinations, the roads and surroundings are beautiful enough to make you feel better Especially when you are on a bike We reached back to Meppadi and it started getting darker.

The TT stopped at Meppadi as the guys and gals had some shopping to do. It was enough time for me to get my bike ready for the next day's ride. Just wanted the chain to be checked and lubed. Soon the urges to get drunk started taking over. We enquired for a wine shop and to our horror there was no liquor shop in Meppadi and Kalpetta. Nearest one would be in Vythiri, a detour of 10 kms.

As it was dark and cold, it was difficult to ride. Realised the terror of Kerala bus drivers who take 75% of the full width of the roads even on turns Reached Vythiri and another surprise awaited. There was a liquor shop on the first floor whose line started down at the ground floor with atleast 150 people in that line. I am told that a liquor shop is the only place in Kerala where you can see people standing in a line



On my way back my enemies, the buses, became friends. Following them made it easy to travel through the dark cold night. We retired to our cottage, chit chatted and slept off late. We decided to take the scenic Tamil Nadu route via Meppadi-Gudalur to Gundlupet. It would require TN permit for the TT, yet everyone agreed. As everyone had slept late and we were taking a longer route back, we decided to not visit Edakkal and Kuruvadweep the next day. Everyone decided to move at 10 am. I did not want to miss the morning ride so made up my mind to start riding at 10 sharp. I was excited about the wonderful roads and scenery that I had read about in the blogs. Best moments of the whole trip were yet to come

Re: Bangalore to Wayanad with my long lost bud!

nice update.

Re: Bangalore to Wayanad with my long lost bud!

Well, it feels good to read about this special reunion.