[Latheesh]

I did my Kannur trip last week (left Bangalore on 30th Aug) and came back on 4th Sep. Took Kushalanagar-Siddapura route.

you can take right turn @ Srirangapatna to join Hunsur road - condition is average except few potholes.

Condition of Kuttupuzha-Mattanur road is bad.

Wish you all "HAPPY ONAM"

[~~VinZ~~]

Originally Posted by RSUDARSANAN

Back from my Kannur trip 3-4 Sep.,'11. Nithin's detailed update dt 30 Aug.,'11 was spot on. My two cents of edit, BAD = off roader's delight. My so called 'braving' the Gonikoppa challenge was nothing short of foolhardiness, despite all the red signals in the thread .
A mis-adventure to say the least. So avoid Gonikoppal at any cost and via Kushalnagar is THE better option to Kannur...

Some pics:

Caught up with a fellow bhpian in white swift who initially didn't catch my flashing headlight (nor did I persist with it), so tailed him for a while till he pulled over at Vallithode n I passed him with my hazard lights flashing. He did catch up with me but did not react to my LTD on my rear windscreen. Missed saying hi to you buddy.

Haha . A lot failed in the Gonokoppa challenge i heard. Thats exactly why i did not chose to, tho i wanted to give it a try. Well, by seeing the picture i feel soo happy that i heard my fellow BHPians and couple of other well wishers i would say.

Thanks for the pics, it will definitely help everyone.

Originally Posted by epvineesh

Hi All,

First of all thanks for the update on the Gonikoppal rd,when i rode down in Feb 2011 its was manageable but by seeing the pics its definite no at any cost.

I'm planning to ride down solo on my RE C500 from Bangalore to Thalaserry

So I believe the best route for me is similiar :

From Kalyan nagar towards Mysore Road > Srirangapatna > Round about sharp turn to right > Elivala > Bilikere > Hunsur > Kampala pura > Periya patna > (Mysore - madikeri road) Kushalnagara(follow orange county board) > Siddapura > Ammathi town > Virajpet > Koottupuzha Bridge, Thalassery Coorg Road > Iritty > Kutuparambu > Tellicherry .


Please let me know if this is the best route if anyone has been to Thalaserry recently ....Happy Onam every one

Yes, i took that route and reached home today morning. I will be posting a detailed story in some time (preparing now), please read through.

[~~VinZ~~]

Well, I am bamboozzled right now and astonished how the roads in kerala could screw up like this. Tho I am not someone who is in to writing, this time around I could not stop myself. Read on!!

I reached sweet home in the morning 6 AM after a 12 hours unforgettable and adventurous drive. And scary too in one stretch (I know!!), details coming up.

Got my friend to sit in the passenger seat (had to ask him to to board the train) and hence the statement in the previous post is not valid anymore (“I am alone and it’s not fun to be lost when alone”). And we ended up completely lost in some dark corner with no GPS, no network and no sign any human inhabitation. It is the route between Destination C to D in the map below was scary like some dracula movies with a rocoad wide for only one car and mud walls and forest both sides. And the scariest part was when I got GPS signal for a moment i noticed the road was not even in the BING map (damn you, Bing). Oh!! forgot to mention that in one place i almost lost control while trying to escape a pot hole and then again my attentive mind helped me to gain the steering wheel control back

See the map attached, to see where we got bamboozzled by circling back to Kushalnagar wasting my 70 KMs and 1hr 20 mins. Hence, we proved “The world is round” clap clap!!

Now some details: We missed the turn towards SH 91 (destination E) towards siddapura (through destination), eded up going further and further (a guys said the left turn is ahead) and took left at C (police fellow guided saying it is SH 91). Fun is not over, when we reached D we saw Orange County towards right 10 KM (small bridge) and the other road was slight deviation to left. Stupid ME decided to not take Orange County right and said it is just the entry to resort. That circled us back to Kushal nagar madikeri road. Stopped the car on the side and got out and we both could not stop laughing and you know why, because we were in a trisection where one road is which we came from bangalore, other is the road we went and 3rd is the road which we just came from, now what in the world got us in there?.

Alright, back to some serious business, see the complete map I drove. Started from bangalore at 6 PM, got lost around 11 PM, back to the rite route by 1 AM, dropped friend at kannur by 5:10 AM and home sweet home at 5:55 AM. Finally on to bed after a long missed team from my mom at 6 AM and to bed like a falling tree at 6: 10 AM.

No photos of the routes sorry, will try to take some on the way back to Bangalore.

• Bangalore to Srirangapatna (SH 17) – Very Good
• Srirangapatna to Hunsur (SH 88) – Good
• Hunsur to Periyapatna (SH 88) – Good
• Periyapatna to Kushalanagar (SH 88) – Excellent
• Kushalnagar to Siddapura (SH 91) – Good (manageable with some pot holes and lesser width) – Take the left from circle where you see board toards DUBARE Camp (do not miss)
• Siddapura to Virajpet (SH 91) – Good (more potholes than kushalnagar to siddapura)
• Virajpet Kuttupuzha Bridge – Good.
• Kuttupuzha Bridge to Iritty – Not Good
• Iritty to Mattannur – Worst (Just hated the road and lost all the thrill we had, damn)
• Mattannur to kannur – Excellent (loved it)
• Kannur to Payangadi (home) – Worst (I almost wished I never chose to drive)

I hope i got the route correctly.

See the complete map for the 456 KM I drove down total (including the extra distance covered)

HSR Layout 9th Main Rd to Aduthila, Payangadi, Kannur - Google Maps


NOTE: I think the map might not show up the route to kannur through koodali (I tried opening it and it was showing diff route)

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ~~VinZ~~

See the map attached, to see where we got bamboozzled by circling back to Kushalnagar wasting my 70 KMs and 1hr 20 mins. Hence, we proved “The world is round” clap clap!!

No photos of the routes sorry, will try to take some on the way back to Bangalore.

• Bangalore to Srirangapatna (SH 17) – Very Good
• Srirangapatna to Hunsur (SH 88) – Good
• Hunsur to Periyapatna (SH 88) – Good
• Periyapatna to Kushalanagar (SH 88) – Excellent
• Kushalnagar to Siddapura (SH 91) – Good (manageable with some pot holes and lesser width) – Take the left from circle where you see board toards DUBARE Camp (do not miss)
• Siddapura to Virajpet (SH 91) – Good (more potholes than kushalnagar to siddapura)
• Virajpet Kuttupuzha Bridge – Good.
• Kuttupuzha Bridge to Iritty – Not Good
• Iritty to Mattannur – Worst (Just hated the road and lost all the thrill we had, damn)
• Mattannur to kannur – Excellent (loved it)
• Kannur to Payangadi (home) – Worst (I almost wished I never chose to drive)

Am a bit puzzled in seeing many people touching Kushalnagar on the way towards Kannur. I had taken the direct route of Periyapatna->Siddhapura->Virajpet which was a left turn just after Periyapatna bus stand. This is also a single-lane forest road with "Orange County" board leading you all the way for 25 kms stretch from where you take diversion from Mysore-Madikeri route till you join the Madikeri-Virajpet road at Siddhapura. At this junction, you will see a big board that says Kannur=100 kms apart from a few other towns. From CafeCoorg@Hunsur to Virajpet, it was about 70 kms and it took about 75-80 out of which about 30-40 minutes was inside the deep forest area (extension of the same forest range on Hunsur->Gonikoppa route).
But I admit that my trip was done just before rains intensified and hence cannot vouch for this route condition for now. Only thought was that this will be still better than Kushalnagar->Siddhapura route. Someone please clarify !

[Latheesh]

Ajit: Periyapatna - Siddapura route is bad now. It was comparatively better before monsoon.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Ajit: Periyapatna - Siddapura route is bad now. It was comparatively better before monsoon.

Being bad is understood ! I think except SH-88, almost all roads on Coorg is bad now. I was just trying to see the relative merit of going via Kushalnagar. Was thinking (numbers are only indicative and not realistic) like this - if 10 out of 25 kms in direct Periyapatna-Siddhapur route is bad, that is 40% while when 10 out of 50 kms on Periyapatna-Kushalnagara-Siddhapur route, it is only 20% bad. Just wondering !!!

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Just wondering !!!

Kushalnagar-Siddapura route is better with few potholes, I did not face any issue during my night drive last week.

People used Periyapatna-Siddapura route when Gonikoppa stretch damaged during monsoon. Now this route also damaged and I see lot of vehicles taking Kushalnagar-Siddapura route last week. Soon this route also will become like other two.

Time to start checking for fourth option

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Kushalnagar-Siddapura route is better with few potholes, I did not face any issue during my night drive last week.

People used Periyapatna-Siddapura route when Gonikoppa stretch damaged during monsoon. Now this route also damaged and I see lot of vehicles taking Kushalnagar-Siddapura route last week. Soon this route also will become like other two.

Time to start checking for fourth option

I guess Sulthan Bathery->Mananthavady->Nedumpoyil route is still an option. Or is this route or a variant of the same too bad or too long to drive towards Kannur?

[~~VinZ~~]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Ajit: Periyapatna - Siddapura route is bad now. It was comparatively better before monsoon.

Some of the members who travelled recently suggested not to, so i am hoping that route is bad too now.

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Kushalnagar-Siddapura route is better with few potholes, I did not face any issue during my night drive last week.

People used Periyapatna-Siddapura route when Gonikoppa stretch damaged during monsoon. Now this route also damaged and I see lot of vehicles taking Kushalnagar-Siddapura route last week. Soon this route also will become like other two.

Time to start checking for fourth option

True, i just came thru that route yesterday night and like i mentioned it had few potholes but manageable at the moment. Didint face any issue driving at night.

Fourth option would be the route i was lost (see my post for details)

Periyapatna - kushalnagara - madikeri - left towards siddapura - turn right from orange county board.

[Importtuner]

Hi guys
I am planning for a road trip from Bangalore to Madikeri by final week of September,would be halting at madikeri for day or two and would proceed to Kannur via Virjapet>Irity,is this the best route now considering the monsoon,and upon reaching Kannur which would be the best possible return route to Bangalore.My transport will be a e-zenKindly advise Bhpians,Thanks in advance.

[ajitkumarlb]

The route to Kannur via Kushalnagar was the 'best' choice during the mid of Aug and the same for return as well.

[RajeshK]

Any pothole filling happening in the Hunsur - Gonikkoppal stretch..? Any one has update?

I am planning to take this route on 1st Oct'11.

Thanks
Rajesh

[RajeshK]

Dear All,

Today I have taken the Hunsur - Gonikkoppal route. Started from Bangalore by 3.30am and reached Payyanur by 11.45 with 1hr30m break in between. In my openion, Hunsur - Gonikkoppal stretch is not as bad as described in the earlier discussion. There are bad stretches, but defenitely it is driveable. Big potholes are present till the Coorg district entrance, afterwards roads are rough, but not bad.

But I would suggest all to avoid the short cut to Perumbadi checkpost from the Gonikkoppal - Virajpet road. Some part of the road is hugely damaged and if you are not familiar with such roads, you will have problems. So better is to drive up to Virajpet town and take deviation to Perumpadi check post.

Thanks
Rajesh

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

Dear All,

Today I have taken the Hunsur - Gonikkoppal route. Started from Bangalore by 3.30am and reached Payyanur by 11.45 with 1hr30m break in between. In my openion, Hunsur - Gonikkoppal stretch is not as bad as described in the earlier discussion.

Thanks Rajesh, I am planning to drive on this Wednesday. Starting from BLR at 4 PM, so will reach Hunsur by 7-7.30, Is Gonikoppa route doable in the night with tiny spark!!? :-). I heard that all tourist buses are now taking Kushalnagar route, is it true?

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Thanks Rajesh, I am planning to drive on this Wednesday. Starting from BLR at 4 PM, so will reach Hunsur by 7-7.30, Is Gonikoppa route doable in the night with tiny spark!!? :-). I heard that all tourist buses are now taking Kushalnagar route, is it true?

Latheesh, you can surely take your car in this route. There are big potholes till you reach Coorg entrance, afterwards roads are better. So drive carefully in this section. If you compare this bad roads with the makkutta road of 2years back, this is like heaven.

Near to Gonikkoppal, many of the potholes are filled up, so you can cover this section easily. Please drive till Virajpet town and take deviation to Perumpadi.

Thanks
Rajesh