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I have been a member of xbhp since quite a good time, but never got the time to post a travelogue. With this being my first write-up, forget me for any mistakes which may have crept in.
Introduction
So, it was the morning of April 15, 2017. A Saturday. I had just finished my breakfast and was planning to ride to the nearby city Ramnagar which is just 60kms away from my home. Suddenly I changed my plan and thought of riding to Nainital, visiting Bhimtal, Bhowali, Saat Taal, Naukuchiyatal etc on my way. This ride was all about attending the nature's call and the call of hills, just around 300-325kms.
Ride Day
15 April, 2017. Saturday.
The Route
Haldwani - Kathgodam - Gulab Ghati - Ranibag - Jeolikote - Nainital - Bhowali - Sat Tal - Bhimtal - Naukuchia Tal - Bhimtal - Ranibag - Kathgodam - Haldwani.
My motorcycle
Bajaj Pulsar 150 ug4.5 aka BlackThorn
Preparation
Route Planning
The easiest part. Turned my GPS on and opened google maps, letting my phone do the rest. Also, the route is well known for me since I travel to Nainital almost on a daily basis.
Checking my motorcycle for any niggles
It was a short trip so nothing much on this part. Had got my motorcycle service done just a few 100kms before this ride. Did the usual check of engine oil, tyre pressure, brakes, clutch and accelerator cables, lights etc.
Things I carried
Budget
Not much since it was a short trip. Spent money on fuel, food only.
Let's Start
I started at 9:30 am and let the motorcycle idle for a few 30 seconds and began to ride. Reached Durga city center in no time and took a right turn to NH109. The weather was hot here but I knew the hills would be cooler. Rode past Vishal Mega Mart and Walkway Mall to reach Kathgodam. Crossed Kathgodam Railway station riding on Ranibagh Haldwani road NH109. Here the roads of hills started to show their turns and winds. Reached Gulab Ghati and took a little stop here just to drink water and hydrate myself.
Reached Ranibagh at 9:52am. Stopped in front of the RE showroom just to take a picture. Took the road on right hand side (Nainital-Jeolikote-Haldwani road). Rode past Dolmaar resort and reached Dogaon. Kept riding on NH109 twisties and I was in Jeolikote by 10:25am.
The dwarf of Jeolikote sings tales of its colonial past with Victorian style cottages and cemeteries. Two famous cottages include the House of Warwick Sahib, a retired major of British army and one cottage of a lady who was the descendant of Napolean Bonaparte. Jeolikote is famous for its bee-keeping centres and the renowned 'Murge ka Achaar'. Renowned philosophers like Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo used to meditate in the calm and salubrious environment of Jeolikote.
Kept my ride to NH 109 instead of the Bhowali Sanitorium road since the road was in a bad condition. Paid a visit to the Hanumangarhi temple just near Nainital.
Reached Nainital by 11:15am. Had a break and rode from Tallital to mallital beside the well-known Naini Lake and back to tallital.
Nainital is a paradise for nature lovers like me, situated 2084mts above sea level. The most captivating aspect about Nainital is its hilly surroundings and the poised Naini Lake, a pear shaped lake often referred to as the 'Queen of Lakes'. The places to visit are GB Pant High altitude zoo, Snow View, Naina Peak, the Mall (now renamed as GB Pant marg), thandi sadak, Raj Bhawan, The Eco Cave Garden, Cliffs etc. ( I live in Nainital so let me know if you want a thread on these places)
Here I took the Nainital-Bhowali road of NH109. Bhowali is just half an hour away from Nainital. Made a stop at the Pines aka PineForest that comes on the way to Bhowali and clicked a few pictures. An idiot almost hit my bike from behind while overtaking !! Nevertheless, I escaped untouched and rode past Bhwanipur Greens to reach Bhowali.
Bhowali stands in utmost grandeur at an elevation of 1704mts above sea level. It is very close to the famous Kainchi Dham Temple and the temple of Golu Devta, a local deity of Kumaon, the Temple of Neem Karoli Baba whom Steve Jobs wanted to meet in 1974, only to find that the Guru died last September.
Took a very brief stop and started to ride on Bhowali Bhimtal road. Met a few fellow bikers here who were riding all the way from Bhimtal. Saw a few bus and force travellers with banners of SBI Nainital Trip ( Aao Nainital Chalein). Took a right turn near shivalik home decor and now I was on Kutani-Sattal Road. The road was very lonely and had no barricades or barriers on its edges. It was a downhill neutral and soon I was looking at a lake on my left hand side. Winding down I started to see a few cars and bikes. Rode past Hotel Happy home, happily cornering down the hilly winded road, reaching Garud Tal. Made a brief stop to drink water and rode all the way to Saat Taal lake. Parked the motorcycle and walked alongside the lake, taking a few pictures and selfies on the way. Had a glass of refreshing 'nimbu-paani' and I was ready for another lap uphill.
Sat tal is a cluster of mysteriously interconnected seven freshwater lakes, located at an altitude of 1370mts above sea level, the group of lakes is set amidst dense forests of oak and pine trees. It is one of the few unspoiled and unpolluted fresh water biomes of India and is often compared with Westmoreland of England by British. The names of seven lakes are Purna Tal, Ram Tal, Sita Tal, Laxman Tal, Nal Damyanti Tal, Sukh Tal and Garud Tal.
Took the same road of Kutani-Sattal and rode back to the Bhowali-Bhimtal road. This time I saw many tourists driving back to the main road. I decided to take Bhowali- Bhimtal road and rode past the Graphic Era Hill University. I soon reached the lake of Bhimtal. Stopped here to take a few pictures. The weather was cool yet sunny. I took a brief round of the Bhimtal lake and came back at the mile-board of Naukuchiatal Road.
Bhimtal is a lake city named after Bheem from Mahabharat, situated at an altitude of 1370mts. The lake has a beautiful small island in its centre with a large aquarium which was previously a restaurant.
From here, I took the Naukuchia Tal road and had a brief stop at The Ram Temple and Bhakti Dhaam temple.Clicked a few pictures of the giant statue of Lord Hanuman. Young kids were trying to peep inside my helmet and I at first gave them a scary look and later took my lid off and they waived at me, getting a waive back from me. Saw many rock climbing and paragliding spots on the way. Stopped at the Factory shop of Uttarakhand Textile Development Corporation (UTDC) and clicked a picture. I was back to my bike, put my lid on and started to ride further to reach Kamal Tal. Took a stop and clicked a few pictures. Here I revved my bike a little hard and fishtailed on dry soil (wooh it was fun though). Soon reached Naukuchia Tal and parked my bike, took my gloves and helmet off and took a few pictures of zorbs and the lake. Had another glass of lemon shikanji here.
Naukuchia Tal literally means a nine-cornered lake situated at an elevation of 1220mts above sea level. It is said one who can look at all the nine corners of the lake standing on foot attains Nirvana, which means it is impossible to look at all nine corners of the lake standing on foot. Boating, Paragliding and Fishing are common activities.
Started my motorcycle and went back to the winding hilly roads. There was a road junction where I almost slipped to the lower road from the main road !! Escaped by a few feet and thanked the invisible power that saved me and ofcourse my motorcycle. I rode back to Bhimtal which I described above. Here I saw a guy asking for lift. Stopped and told him to get on the bike. The road from here was downhill and I took to neutral gear. The guy was quite chatty and told me he just finished his twelth and his dad runs a hotel named 'Welcome Family Restaurant'. I remember, his name was Saurabh Bhatt. I dropped him at Salari and rode past the Amritpur, on Bhimtal-Haldwani uphill road to the deserted factory and staff houses of once famous 'HMT Watch Factory'.
From here I came back to the Haldwani road (road to home),rode past Kathgodam Railway station to Durga City Center and back to my home ! I wont call it sweet since I found the hills just sweeter
.
Pictures coming once the thread gets a nod and an approval
Introduction
So, it was the morning of April 15, 2017. A Saturday. I had just finished my breakfast and was planning to ride to the nearby city Ramnagar which is just 60kms away from my home. Suddenly I changed my plan and thought of riding to Nainital, visiting Bhimtal, Bhowali, Saat Taal, Naukuchiyatal etc on my way. This ride was all about attending the nature's call and the call of hills, just around 300-325kms.
Ride Day
15 April, 2017. Saturday.
The Route
Haldwani - Kathgodam - Gulab Ghati - Ranibag - Jeolikote - Nainital - Bhowali - Sat Tal - Bhimtal - Naukuchia Tal - Bhimtal - Ranibag - Kathgodam - Haldwani.
My motorcycle
Bajaj Pulsar 150 ug4.5 aka BlackThorn
Preparation
Route Planning
The easiest part. Turned my GPS on and opened google maps, letting my phone do the rest. Also, the route is well known for me since I travel to Nainital almost on a daily basis.
Checking my motorcycle for any niggles
It was a short trip so nothing much on this part. Had got my motorcycle service done just a few 100kms before this ride. Did the usual check of engine oil, tyre pressure, brakes, clutch and accelerator cables, lights etc.
Things I carried
- First Aid Kit
- Tool Kit
- Puncture repair kit
- A backpack
- Wallet ofcourse
- My phone
- Powerbank and a cable
- Scissor
- Pen and notebook
- Tape
- Water Bottle
- Sunscreen lotion
- Shaded goggles
- Sandpaper
- Full face cross helmet with tinted visor
- Rubber water-resistant shoes
- A half jacket
- Riding gloves
- Face towel
- 1 jeans
- Polyester Tshirt
- Usual Undergarments
- 2 set handkerchiefs
- 2 set socks
- Driving license
- Registration Certificate
- Insurance papers
- Secondary ID
- Usual papers
- Selfie stick and remote
Budget
Not much since it was a short trip. Spent money on fuel, food only.
Let's Start
I started at 9:30 am and let the motorcycle idle for a few 30 seconds and began to ride. Reached Durga city center in no time and took a right turn to NH109. The weather was hot here but I knew the hills would be cooler. Rode past Vishal Mega Mart and Walkway Mall to reach Kathgodam. Crossed Kathgodam Railway station riding on Ranibagh Haldwani road NH109. Here the roads of hills started to show their turns and winds. Reached Gulab Ghati and took a little stop here just to drink water and hydrate myself.
Reached Ranibagh at 9:52am. Stopped in front of the RE showroom just to take a picture. Took the road on right hand side (Nainital-Jeolikote-Haldwani road). Rode past Dolmaar resort and reached Dogaon. Kept riding on NH109 twisties and I was in Jeolikote by 10:25am.
The dwarf of Jeolikote sings tales of its colonial past with Victorian style cottages and cemeteries. Two famous cottages include the House of Warwick Sahib, a retired major of British army and one cottage of a lady who was the descendant of Napolean Bonaparte. Jeolikote is famous for its bee-keeping centres and the renowned 'Murge ka Achaar'. Renowned philosophers like Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo used to meditate in the calm and salubrious environment of Jeolikote.
Kept my ride to NH 109 instead of the Bhowali Sanitorium road since the road was in a bad condition. Paid a visit to the Hanumangarhi temple just near Nainital.
Reached Nainital by 11:15am. Had a break and rode from Tallital to mallital beside the well-known Naini Lake and back to tallital.
Nainital is a paradise for nature lovers like me, situated 2084mts above sea level. The most captivating aspect about Nainital is its hilly surroundings and the poised Naini Lake, a pear shaped lake often referred to as the 'Queen of Lakes'. The places to visit are GB Pant High altitude zoo, Snow View, Naina Peak, the Mall (now renamed as GB Pant marg), thandi sadak, Raj Bhawan, The Eco Cave Garden, Cliffs etc. ( I live in Nainital so let me know if you want a thread on these places)
Here I took the Nainital-Bhowali road of NH109. Bhowali is just half an hour away from Nainital. Made a stop at the Pines aka PineForest that comes on the way to Bhowali and clicked a few pictures. An idiot almost hit my bike from behind while overtaking !! Nevertheless, I escaped untouched and rode past Bhwanipur Greens to reach Bhowali.
Bhowali stands in utmost grandeur at an elevation of 1704mts above sea level. It is very close to the famous Kainchi Dham Temple and the temple of Golu Devta, a local deity of Kumaon, the Temple of Neem Karoli Baba whom Steve Jobs wanted to meet in 1974, only to find that the Guru died last September.
Took a very brief stop and started to ride on Bhowali Bhimtal road. Met a few fellow bikers here who were riding all the way from Bhimtal. Saw a few bus and force travellers with banners of SBI Nainital Trip ( Aao Nainital Chalein). Took a right turn near shivalik home decor and now I was on Kutani-Sattal Road. The road was very lonely and had no barricades or barriers on its edges. It was a downhill neutral and soon I was looking at a lake on my left hand side. Winding down I started to see a few cars and bikes. Rode past Hotel Happy home, happily cornering down the hilly winded road, reaching Garud Tal. Made a brief stop to drink water and rode all the way to Saat Taal lake. Parked the motorcycle and walked alongside the lake, taking a few pictures and selfies on the way. Had a glass of refreshing 'nimbu-paani' and I was ready for another lap uphill.
Sat tal is a cluster of mysteriously interconnected seven freshwater lakes, located at an altitude of 1370mts above sea level, the group of lakes is set amidst dense forests of oak and pine trees. It is one of the few unspoiled and unpolluted fresh water biomes of India and is often compared with Westmoreland of England by British. The names of seven lakes are Purna Tal, Ram Tal, Sita Tal, Laxman Tal, Nal Damyanti Tal, Sukh Tal and Garud Tal.
Took the same road of Kutani-Sattal and rode back to the Bhowali-Bhimtal road. This time I saw many tourists driving back to the main road. I decided to take Bhowali- Bhimtal road and rode past the Graphic Era Hill University. I soon reached the lake of Bhimtal. Stopped here to take a few pictures. The weather was cool yet sunny. I took a brief round of the Bhimtal lake and came back at the mile-board of Naukuchiatal Road.
Bhimtal is a lake city named after Bheem from Mahabharat, situated at an altitude of 1370mts. The lake has a beautiful small island in its centre with a large aquarium which was previously a restaurant.
From here, I took the Naukuchia Tal road and had a brief stop at The Ram Temple and Bhakti Dhaam temple.Clicked a few pictures of the giant statue of Lord Hanuman. Young kids were trying to peep inside my helmet and I at first gave them a scary look and later took my lid off and they waived at me, getting a waive back from me. Saw many rock climbing and paragliding spots on the way. Stopped at the Factory shop of Uttarakhand Textile Development Corporation (UTDC) and clicked a picture. I was back to my bike, put my lid on and started to ride further to reach Kamal Tal. Took a stop and clicked a few pictures. Here I revved my bike a little hard and fishtailed on dry soil (wooh it was fun though). Soon reached Naukuchia Tal and parked my bike, took my gloves and helmet off and took a few pictures of zorbs and the lake. Had another glass of lemon shikanji here.
Naukuchia Tal literally means a nine-cornered lake situated at an elevation of 1220mts above sea level. It is said one who can look at all the nine corners of the lake standing on foot attains Nirvana, which means it is impossible to look at all nine corners of the lake standing on foot. Boating, Paragliding and Fishing are common activities.
Started my motorcycle and went back to the winding hilly roads. There was a road junction where I almost slipped to the lower road from the main road !! Escaped by a few feet and thanked the invisible power that saved me and ofcourse my motorcycle. I rode back to Bhimtal which I described above. Here I saw a guy asking for lift. Stopped and told him to get on the bike. The road from here was downhill and I took to neutral gear. The guy was quite chatty and told me he just finished his twelth and his dad runs a hotel named 'Welcome Family Restaurant'. I remember, his name was Saurabh Bhatt. I dropped him at Salari and rode past the Amritpur, on Bhimtal-Haldwani uphill road to the deserted factory and staff houses of once famous 'HMT Watch Factory'.
From here I came back to the Haldwani road (road to home),rode past Kathgodam Railway station to Durga City Center and back to my home ! I wont call it sweet since I found the hills just sweeter
.Pictures coming once the thread gets a nod and an approval
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