Scenic Drives

roopesh_kohad

Recently drove down Bangalore -> Hassan -> Chikmaglur -> Sringeri -> Agumbe -> Udupi and it was a very good drive with little traffic, dense foliage, hilly terrain and very good roads if we take into account the recent monsoon. Also the drive from Karwar/Ankola to Hubli was very good.

Papaji

last month i was in Ramnagar (near Mohan) and to go to Kotdwar I had to climb all the way up to Dhumakot (via Mohan, Marchula, Salt) and then descend through Naini Danda to Dhontiyal & Dugadda.. Rathuadhab didn't fall on the route, as much as i can recall.

Would like you to tell me more about the Corbett back road; certainly missed it when biked..

Dilliwala

Wow! Dhumakot? That's a looong way round to go to Kotdwar; u certainly took the scenic route there.
Ok, after Mohan -- do u remember a fork where u must have taken a right turn to go to Durga Devi and Marchula? The road on the left goes to Domunda and Maidavan. Straight ahead thereafter is Rathuadhab, Sendhikhal and Dugadda. Are any of these names familiar?

I'm unable to figure out from the maps how u did Marchula-Dhumakot-NAINIDANDA-Dhauntiyal (mandir, right?). In this case all u did was a very long U turn from Marchula to Nainidanda to start with. But what puzzles me is the maps don't show any road from Nainidanda going in the direction of Dhauntiyal. But if u took it, it must be there! Certainly one can go from Dhumakot to Rikhnikhal and Dhauntiyal.

Now, from Dhauntiyal Devta did u go straight south? Do u remember seeing villages named Gariyonpul and Kandanala? At Kandanala, there's a bridge crossing the stream (Mandal Nadi) and the road meets the Mohan-Dugadda road at the T.
Right turn here leads to Rathuadhab, Vatanvasa (park entry, to the left), another DHAUNTIYAL (a village right on the road), Sendhikhal and Dugadda. Part of this road is kachcha by the way.
If u took the above route, u wud have passed Rathuadhab. If u went west somehow from Dhauntiyal Devta, OR from Dhumakot also westerly to arrive at Dhauntiyal village somehow (25 km before Dugadda) but without passing Kandanala, then u bypassed Rathuadhab.

Let me know which route u took, then I can tell u more.

Papaji

I know the fork which is Mohan.. the road to the right goes to Ranikhet via Bhatronjkhan & the road to the left goes to Marchula..

Marchula's another fork.. the road to the left goes to Dhumakot via Salt... the road to the right goes to Maulekhal & Manila patti..

I took the Dhumakot road... some 10 kms further on this road there is a jeep-road that cuts to the left and that goes straight to Naini danda (length - i'm forgetting).. i didn't take the jeep-road and proceeded straight to Dhumakot.. from Dhumakot- yes - i took a southern road that descended via Naini danda to the corbett park.. beyond Naini danda the road was a kuchha road.. for some 50kms..

I can't recall any of those names even though i might have passed by them... i was tired.... Dhontiyal - i remember as there's a village by the same name in Manila patti.. a place where i've spent nights, at times.

Dhauntiyal Devta is not where its shown on the map... i had chai at Dhauntiyal and asked the chai-wala how far was Tarkeshwar mahadev, which as per the map was around 6 kms (due west) via Chalukiya khal... he told me that i'd have to drive straight north and uphill to reach there...

so from Dhauntiyal devta to Dugadda was west.. and not south-west as per the map..

Dilliwala

Sorry for delay in replying. I had started to reply 4 days ago, then the PC shut down with the blue screen of death.
On the road since Monday - Muss right now, off to Badrinath soon.

Ok, now we both know that the maps are not always accurate!
Which one/s are u using by the way?

Correct.
I meant another fork AFTER turning off from Mohan.

Correct.
But before Marchula there shud have been another fork (Chimtakhal? - as per Nest & Wings map) with a road to the left going towards Maidavan. I'll let u in on a secret - I've only driven to the vicinity of Maidavan, the rest upto Mohan is still on my list. But I know buses coming from Dugadda go upto Mohan, and forest guards have told me u can drive thru.
But nothing like verifying for oneself, huh? Basically u're forcing me to do a recce in the near future, heheh.
Good to see someone making use of my posts though. Seems u like to explore little-known areas too.

This road is not shown on any map, but makes sense that it shud be there, otherwise it's a long way around to go anywhere from Nainidanda. The SOI district map does show a walking path, maybe it has been simply widened now.

Can't figure out the route after Nainidanda but I feel u must have ended up at Kandanala, then the next village is Rathuadhab, onto Vatanvasa and Sendhikhal. I can confirm that most of this stretch is kachcha. Somewhere between Vatanvasa and Sendhikhal the pakka road starts. Rathuadhab has a large janglat complex on the right as u arrive, first some staff quarters, then the FRH set back from the road, 2 gates at the road about 100 m apart and a fence running between the two. Next are a few shops on the right. Behind these u can see some houses and fields, beyond that the stream.

Yeah, that's DOTIYAL, 9 km from Manila Devi. Small difference in spelling/pronunciation, but enuff to confuse espesh when there's 3 places with similar names not far from each other (the one u passed, and the village on the road to Dugadda before Sendhikhal). Dotiyal u probably know is on the road from Marchula after Maulekhal, and yes, if u carry on u arrive at Manila Devi. I drove this in the opposite direction in July - coming from Bhikiyasain and Jainal. Wanted to use this to cross into Garhwal, the N & W map shows a 45-km straight road starting just west of Jainal going to Bironkhal - doesn't exist! U HAVE to go via Manila Devi upto Dotiyal, then take the road going west. And at Dotiyal I was told by a group of people that the road to Bironkhal is kachcha most of the way (30 km or more) and I'd be better off taking the pakka road to Baijro. Well, I wud have had to go to Baijro anyway to get to Satpuli, so that was not too bad an outcome in the end. Suffice to say it was a very long drive and delayed me a great deal and therefore somewhat unpleasant, but in the process I got to see an area where no tourists ever go.

That much I figured out too, though I haven't been that way. So much for accurate maps, huh?

nedhopkins

Udaipur to Ranakpur: the last hour of the 2.5 hour drive goes through awesome mountainous countryside -- and the Jain temple at the end of the drive is spectacular.

Papaji

a nest & wings map.. I like it a lot.. I tore it into 4 neat parts..that way it's easy for me to consult it while on the road..on my bike..(me don't drive a bolero like u you see)..


the n&w map does show a road turning west and entering the corbett park for Gairal at Chimtaghat.. but I think I never saw it..either that time or on the past occasions i've driven on that route..

there is a road going east from chimtaghat though, and it meets the ramnagar-ranikhet road at Chauri ghati.. this road is also shown on the n&w map.. and this was even confirmed from the locals who were waiting for a jeep/bus at the Chimtaghat T.. yes, a T is what it is, not a fork.

Therapy it is to me.. a friend of mine who had his village in Gujudu patti (nr Rasiya mahadev, if you ever have heard of the place) showed me around the place.. and I keep going back..

probably. It's too crude for a 2-wheeler.. i doubt yr jeep can handle it even.. i've a 100 cc splendour BTw

I remember passing through 3 such locations on the route... large janglat complex on the right as u arrive, first some staff quarters, then the FRH set back from the road, 2 gates at the road about 100 m apart and a fence running between the two. Next are a few shops on the right. Behind these u can see some houses and fields, beyond that the stream... yes yes

DOTIYAL it is

Dilliwala

Hey Papaji,
Just got back last night. Great trip - have a few more to add here, will do so by and by.

Ok, T instead of Y then.

Yes, I'm sure one of them wud have been Rathuadhab. The other Kugadda, which is a crew station now, the FRH is in disrepair and abandoned. Can't think of which the third one is right now.

Revan

Most of the Kerala roads are very scenic.
Munnar - Thekkady
Munnar - Kodaikanal via Top Station, Berijam
Munnar - Idukki
Ooty - Mannarkad (Kerala)
Chalakudi - Valparai via Adhirampalli falls.

Also try Mysore - Managalore via Hassan.

ashakasha

Doing the village circle out of Jaisalmer (Khuri, etc) was one of the highlights of my trip. The roads were fantastic (avoid just before sunset and just after as this time has many caravans going to the dunes).

Hardly any development at all, smiling, waving villagers, warm, sunny breeze- and having to occasionally stop to allow camels to cross...it was awesome!!!

You can rent a bike from any number of places in Jaisalmer, and we paid just Rs.200 per day, plus our petrol.

Also, just about anywhere in Sikkim- though the jeeps can be obnoxious at times.

blwetorch

Most of my fav drives have been mentioned here....just a few more...mostly from the eastern side:

1. Siliguri to Darjeeling ( 78 kms) - takes approx 2 to 2.5 hrs. Great view of the Kangchenzongha........the meandering toy-train rail-path adds to the quaint charm, with a chance encounter with the chugging train itself. Take a break at picturesue Kurseong, have some momo and coffee at the TRH.

2. Shillong to Cherrapunji ( 74 kms) - takes approx 2 hrs. Excellent road and excellent view, reminiscent of the British dales. No wonder, Shillong is called the Scotland of the East.

3. Guwahati to Shillong ( 102 kms) - takes approx 3 hrs. Excellent hill-roads as you enter Meghalaya. Meghalaya can be proud of it's roads ( despite all the rain, it endures). Take a snacks- break at Nongpoh, somewhere in the middle. The drive around the picturesque Barapani lake may make you believe, as if you are driving in Scotland!


I hope this above photo is small enough for page-loading purpose, otherwise I shall, put up only the link.

Aravinth

All I can think of is Chennai-Pondicherry....A scenic drive along the East coast. One of the best roads in india...

nakshatra

Hi,
I think some of you should try and drive in the western ghats in Karnataka.The roads are great and splendid nature around with think forest and streams flowing along. Not much of traffic too.

nakshatra

Agumbe is known as a great view point for sunrise and sunset. A drive there is worth it.

shahronakm

blwetorch, Thanks for the picture. Looks amazing.

Ronak.

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