[Latheesh]

Planning another Kannur trip this weekend.

[sbr1304]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Planning another Kannur trip this weekend.

Hi , i am also planning for another trip during dec 1st week, hope the rains havent spoilt the roads. Last time i went in sept beginning and the roads were pretty ok.
Anyone recently done this road ?

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by sbr1304

Hi , i am also planning for another trip during dec 1st week, hope the rains havent spoilt the roads. Last time i went in sept beginning and the roads were pretty ok.
Anyone recently done this road ?

Me also planning for first week of Dec'10 (mostly on 6th Dec'10).

Latheesh, pls post the latest update after your travel.

Thanks
Rajesh

[ad75]

Im told by some one in coorg that, to avoid the bad stretch between hunsur and goinkoppa, on can take the following route

hunsur -piriyapatna-siddapur-virajpet route
its supposed to be "better" than the former route

has anyone taken this route?

[Kairalee]

Just came back from Virajpet (yesteday). Hunsur Gonikoppa is very bad with huge craters on the road, so we thought of returning via Periyapatna and that was much better. The roads were nowhere as good as the one between Hunsur and Elivala, but its doable. Please do not take the Hunsur-gonikoppa road, if you are in a sedan/hatchback.

[ad75]

Originally Posted by Kairalee

Just came back from Virajpet (yesteday). Hunsur Gonikoppa is very bad with huge craters on the road, so we thought of returning via Periyapatna and that was much better. The roads were nowhere as good as the one between Hunsur and Elivala, but its doable. Please do not take the Hunsur-gonikoppa road, if you are in a sedan/hatchback.

thanks for the update.
whats the distance from hunsur to virajpet via the periyapatna route? how many kms extra?

would be great if you add directions.

[Kairalee]

The difference is just about 6-7 kms more than the Gonnikoppa route. The road from Periyapatna to Virajpet is narrower, so speeds may get reduced, but since the roads were better, you can drive more comfortably.

From Hunsur, take the SH90 and proceed towards Periyapatna. Its around 25 kms and you will cross a small village called Kampalapura just halfway through.

Just after passing by Periyapatna town (do not go into the town though), two kms into the SH88, at the place where the road forks, take the left towards Siddapura. This is a single lane road with not much traffic and its about 30 kms.

Pass by Siddapura and drive left onto Ammathi town. (You will see a board that says Orange County Resorts and Beetle rock, etc. Take left here towards Ammathi). The road from Siddapura to Virajpet (around 20 kms) is quite narrow. You should reach Ammathi quickly (about 10kms). Its a hilly terrain and very picturesque. Drive on for another 10 kms or so and you will reach Virajpet.

The weather is lovely out there, so enjoy the drive!

[ajithbr]

Need to make a Bangalore->Iritty->Calicut trip later this month.
A few questions in this regard:
1) What is the route-condition and distance-wise break-up of the standard route "Bangalore->Srirangapattanam->Eliwala->Hunsur->Gonikoppa->StateBorder->Iritty->Mattannur->Thalassery->Calicut" between the places mentioned here?
2) Suggest good places (decent food, good toilets) to take a break for breakfast and later for tea-n-snacks since we plan to start around 5 AM (may become 6 AM too). I know of all places on the Mysore Road (since it is my regular Calicut route only) and hence need to mention only after turn-off at Srirangapattanam. Please mention all good eating places till we hit NH-17 and beyond that I am familiar till Calicut.
3) Where exactly is the left fork around Hunsur from Mysore->Madikeri road towards Gonikoppa/Iritty?
4) Where exactly the road from Iritty hits NH-17? In particular, do we need to enter Thalassery town or can we bypass the same towards Calicut?
5) Is there a good alternative route from Iritty to Calicut?

I may not be able to skip Iritty and so not thinking of Bathery or Nilambur route for this trip. Also, both are my regular routes towards Calicut/Guruvayur as well.

[Latheesh]

1) Pl refer road condition in previous posts
2) We normally take Breakfast @ Coorg cafe , Hunsur. Its on Mysore-Madikeri road near Hunsur. Its on left side, you will see the signboards.
3) Gonikoppa left turn is around 5-7 KM from Coorg Cafe - Pretty easy to locate it.
4) When you reach Thalassery town - ask people for Mahe/Kozhikode road.
5) No idea

Take left turn @ Vittingal to skip Virajpet town and join Peruvambadi check post. Its a single lane road and condition is not that good but manageable.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

1) Pl refer road condition in previous posts
2) We normally take Breakfast @ Coorg cafe , Hunsur. Its on Mysore-Madikeri road near Hunsur. Its on left side, you will see the signboards.
3) Gonikoppa left turn is around 5-7 KM from Coorg Cafe - Pretty easy to locate it.
4) When you reach Thalassery town - ask people for Mahe/Kozhikode road.
5) No idea

Take left turn @ Vittingal to skip Virajpet town and join Peruvambadi check post. Its a single lane road and condition is not that good but manageable.

Thanks for the reply.
Someone mentioned that patch-works are going on in many stretches on this route inside Kerala. Just wanted to know whether conditions are becoming better. Needless to say, will be keen to read the latest updates in this forum.
Now, where exactly "Breakfast @ Coorg cafe , Hunsur" comes? Before or after Hunsur?
Am familiar if I get into Thalassery town to move towards Calicut (used to be a regular in Kannur->Calicut a few years back) but more keen to know where exactly the road from Iritty hits NH-17? Also, coming from Iritty side, can we bypass Thalassery and join NH-17 somewhere south?
Am familiar with left turn to bypass Virajpet as I have seen this while travelling by a private bus to Payyannur.
And it will be helpful if you can provide a distance-wise break-up of the points mentioned in my earlier post. As mentioned, I know Bangalore->Srirangapattanam and Thalassery->Calicut stretches. So, keen to know about the remaining part of the planned route.

[sbr1304]

Originally Posted by Kairalee

Just came back from Virajpet (yesteday). Hunsur Gonikoppa is very bad with huge craters on the road, so we thought of returning via Periyapatna and that was much better. The roads were nowhere as good as the one between Hunsur and Elivala, but its doable. Please do not take the Hunsur-gonikoppa road, if you are in a sedan/hatchback.

Wish this post had some a few days earlier..
guys , am just back from kanhangad - b'lore trip !

from Srirangapatna to yeliwala - the road conditions are ok..few potholes , but the rains havent spoilt the roads yet.

but from hunsur to gonikoppal..its the worst road ...potholes everywhere, pls avoid and take the other route suggested, i could not go beyound 20kms speed. u have to be extra careful as the approachings buses ar every arrogant and they ont leave u space.

Another bad patch is from Vellithode to iritty bridge , but better than hunsur-gonikoppal.

from iritty to nileswaram the roads are beautiful , via thalliparamba and sreekandapuram. its a breeze . they are laying new tar also , i guess it due to approaching elections in kerala .

one shortcut suggested is you dont haev to enter Gonikoppal. just before you enter the town there is a bypass after "Hotel cortner view" ..thsi takes you staright to the lake ! narrow road but its not bad.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by Kairalee

The difference is just about 6-7 kms more than the Gonnikoppa route. The road from Periyapatna to Virajpet is narrower, so speeds may get reduced, but since the roads were better, you can drive more comfortably.

GM shows a difference of 13 kms on Gonikoppal(96 kms) vs Siddapura(109 kms) from Virajpet to Iritty. But from what I read here, believe it is still worth taking it. Can you pinpoint the location of CafeCoorg@Hunsur please, before or after and how far from Hunsur?

Originally Posted by Kairalee

From Hunsur, take the SH90 and proceed towards Periyapatna. Its around 25 kms and you will cross a small village called Kampalapura just halfway through.

Just after passing by Periyapatna town (do not go into the town though), two kms into the SH88, at the place where the road forks, take the left towards Siddapura. This is a single lane road with not much traffic and its about 30 kms.

How are the road conditions of (a) Hunsur->Periyapatna and (b) Periyapatna->Siddapura ? Can you cover this in decent speed? Is there any indicator for the left turn that we need to take or will it be obvious enough?

Originally Posted by Kairalee

Pass by Siddapura and drive left onto Ammathi town. (You will see a board that says Orange County Resorts and Beetle rock, etc. Take left here towards Ammathi). The road from Siddapura to Virajpet (around 20 kms) is quite narrow. You should reach Ammathi quickly (about 10kms). Its a hilly terrain and very picturesque. Drive on for another 10 kms or so and you will reach Virajpet.

The weather is lovely out there, so enjoy the drive!

How are the road conditions inside Virajpet town ? Can you pass through the town in decent timings? Or any good byepass available? Last time, I remember taking about 20 to 30 minutes to cross Virajpet town (less than 2-3 kms) because of numerous vehicles parked everywhere on all roads there due to some shopping season. Are there good indicators to direct towards Iritty?

Finally, do you know good spots for snacks break beyond Hunsur till Iritty?

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

GM shows a difference of 13 kms on Gonikoppal(96 kms) vs Siddapura(109 kms) from Virajpet to Iritty. But from what I read here, believe it is still worth taking it. Can you pinpoint the location of CafeCoorg@Hunsur please, before or after and how far from Hunsur?

CafeCoorg is in your leftside on SH just after the left turn towards Hunsur Town. You may tend to be in good speed at this area, so please be watchful just after the road fork left.

Originally Posted by ajithbr

How are the road conditions of (a) Hunsur->Periyapatna and (b) Periyapatna->Siddapura ? Can you cover this in decent speed? Is there any indicator for the left turn that we need to take or will it be obvious enough?

How are the road conditions inside Virajpet town ? Can you pass through the town in decent timings? Or any good byepass available? Are there good indicators to direct towards Iritty?

Finally, do you know good spots for snacks break beyond Hunsur till Iritty?

I am planning to take this road on this Monday. Will post the update and details. As per our fellow T-Bhpian Nitin, this road is not suggested in nights as there could be elephants on the roads.

Thanks
Rajesh

[Kairalee]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

GM shows a difference of 13 kms on Gonikoppal(96 kms) vs Siddapura(109 kms) from Virajpet to Iritty. But from what I read here, believe it is still worth taking it. Can you pinpoint the location of CafeCoorg@Hunsur please, before or after and how far from Hunsur?
Yeah I guess around 13 kms would be correct, but it definitely did not feel that much
Cafe Coorg is just after the turn towards Hunsur town, on the left side of SH88 itself. It has a signboard very similar to that of CCD.


How are the road conditions of (a) Hunsur->Periyapatna and (b) Periyapatna->Siddapura ? Can you cover this in decent speed? Is there any indicator for the left turn that we need to take or will it be obvious enough?

When I drove back last month, they were just about OK but certainly nowhere as good as the Elivala-Hunsur stretch. You will find intermittent bad stretches which may slow you down a bit. You can do an average of about 60-70kmph - comfortable driving.

How are the road conditions inside Virajpet town ? Can you pass through the town in decent timings? Or any good byepass available? Last time, I remember taking about 20 to 30 minutes to cross Virajpet town (less than 2-3 kms) because of numerous vehicles parked everywhere on all roads there due to some shopping season. Are there good indicators to direct towards Iritty?


Finally, do you know good spots for snacks break beyond Hunsur till Iritty?

Driving through Virajpet town is always pretty slow with a lot of vehicles parked on the road and people walking all over the place - irrespective of any shopping seasons. The area near the clock tower will completely slow you down. I have not heard of a bypass for Virajpet and I dont think one exists.

[RajeshK]

All,

I have taken this road yesterday in my NHC. I was welcomed by a huge roadhump at the turn off at Periyapatna to Siddapura. You have to cross Periyaptna town for this turn.

Periyapatna - Siddapura => Road is narrow and many patholes.
Siddapura -Ammathi => Take left turn at Siddapura. Roads are wider and occassional patholes.
Ammathi - Virajpet => Roads are wider and occassional patholes.

I took almost 2hrs to reach Perumpadi Checkpost from Hunsur. Km wise, I belief this is around 15km more than the regular gonikkuppa road.

Thanks
Rajesh