[sivadas]

Lot of good information. Since I would be starting late from Kannur, I might not prefer experimenting too much. Will try to stick to a more known route. Hence would prefer Virajpet-Ammathi-Siddapur-Periyapatana route. Let me see, Thanks again.

[zoombiee]

Just came back from a trip to Kannur.

Onward route -
Bangalore - Mysore - Hunsur - Gonikoppa - Virajpet - Iritty - Mattanur - Kannur
Hunsur to Karnataka/Kerala border is pathetic. Road is full of potholes. It took us about 7 hours to get from Hunsur to Kannur. Roads in Kerala are much better on this route.

Return route -
Kannur - Thalaserry - Nadapuram - Kutiyad - Korome - Velamunda - Sulthan Bathery - Gundlupet - Mysore - Bangalore
Kannur to Thalaserry to Nadapuram road condition is very good. Nadapuram - Kutiyad is very bad. The ghat section from Kutiyad to Korome is excellent. Then road to Velamunda quite bad. It has lot of potholes and is uneven. From Velamunda to Sultan Bathery road is very good. Sultan Bathery to Karnataka border at Muthunga is quite bad considering its a NH. The road in Karnataka side is much better (seemed freshly laid). But true to our tradition in Karnataka, there is a road hump every half a km. After about 10 kms it seems to slow down vehicles the road builders have cut the road. After that road to Bangalore seems like a soft cushion.

We took same time for both journeys which was around 10 hours. The onward journey was 320 odd kms as per gps and return was 400 as per gps. Another route which one can try is Kannur - Calicut - S Bathery - Bangalore. This is the longest route but road conditions should be better since its completely on NH and the Bangalore-Mysore SH. Again this could be wrong.

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by sivadas

Lot of good information. Since I would be starting late from Kannur, I might not prefer experimenting too much. Will try to stick to a more known route. Hence would prefer Virajpet-Ammathi-Siddapur-Periyapatana route. Let me see, Thanks again.

Please do not leave late from Kannur. Leave as early as possible. There are lot of railway crossings and you may be delayed more than expected. Also, road conditions are bad. If its late and your car has problems you could get stuck.

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by zoombiee

Please do not leave late from Kannur. Leave as early as possible. There are lot of railway crossings and you may be delayed more than expected. Also, road conditions are bad. If its late and your car has problems you could get stuck.

Railway crossings...!!! between Kannur - Bangalore...?? Are you referring to some other road? I hope there is only one crossing, that is in the Srirangapatna bypass just before joining the Mysore - Bangalore road

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

Railway crossings...!!! between Kannur - Bangalore...?? Are you referring to some other road? I hope there is only one crossing, that is in the Srirangapatna bypass just before joining the Mysore - Bangalore road

Kannur to Thalaserry there are atleast 2 of them. Thalaserry to Wayanad there are another 2 of them.

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by zoombiee

Kannur to Thalaserry there are atleast 2 of them. Thalaserry to Wayanad there are another 2 of them.

You could have bypassed the 'Thazhe chovva' and 'Edakkadu' gates by going via Chala. To reach Sulthan Bathery, easy route will be Kannur - Koothuparamba - Manathawadi - Panamaram - Beenachi - Sulthan Batheri. Beyond Sulthan batheri, between Muthanga and Gundalpet forest check post is closed between 9pm to 6am (don't know the current timings).

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

You could have bypassed the 'Thazhe chovva' and 'Edakkadu' gates by going via Chala. To reach Sulthan Bathery, easy route will be Kannur - Koothuparamba - Manathawadi - Panamaram - Beenachi - Sulthan Batheri. Beyond Sulthan batheri, between Muthanga and Gundalpet forest check post is closed between 9pm to 6am (don't know the current timings).

I was made aware of the Koothuparamba route, but no one could assure me of the road condition. Hence took the other route. I was even ready to go via Calicut (anything to avoid the kind of bad roads we faced in onward journey). Car break down in middle of nowhere with a 2 year old kid would be tough.
First part, unless you know that area well, its difficult to find. I just followed the NH.

Thanks for the advice . I will keep in mind when I visit Kannur next.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

To reach Sulthan Bathery, easy route will be Kannur - Koothuparamba - Manathawadi - Panamaram - Beenachi - Sulthan Batheri. Beyond Sulthan batheri, between Muthanga and Gundalpet forest check post is closed between 9pm to 6am (don't know the current timings).

Going via Wayanad to Bangalore, this would be the best option currently. Or even Kannur-Mananthavady-Kattikulam-Tholpetty-Kutta-Hunsur-Mysore route, but night time restriction from 2100 to 0900
Roads from Kannur to Nidumpoil via Kuthuparamba is in good condition. RajeshK, any idea how are the roads from Nidumpoil to Mananthavady? Especially perya ghat?
And yes, timings are right. Forest gates closed from 2100 to 0600 on SBY-Gundlupet road

[Aston.Martin]

Did BLR-Kannur 3 times last week tried all options and HUNSUR-PERIYAPATNA-SIDDAPURA-AMMATHI-VIRAJPET-KOOTUPUZHA-IRITTY is marginally better. others are in very bad state.

[sivadas]

Hello all, just came back from Kannur..
As mentioned earlier, took the Hunsur-Nagarhole-Kutta-Kattikkulam-Mananthavady route while going. Except for few bad stretches here and there, roads are reasonably good (Srirangapatana-Yelawal part is deteriorating fast).
While returning, wanted to use the same road. Hence did my best to start early (after attending a marriage), eventually started by 1pm. This was more than sufficient! Even after taking a break at Mananthawady, comfortably crossed Nagarhole and reached Hunsur well before 6pm. I could see wild elephants during both the trips. It was little scary too see a a big tusker almost on the road during my return trip. Also had a glimpse (through thick bushes) of few wild buffaloes. And as usual saw plenty of deers!!

As expected, Mysore-Bangalore road was totally crazy with thousands of people (returning after Pooja/Dussera vacation) wrestling each other for every inch of space.

Bottom line is, 'at this moment Nagarhole route is the best we have' to go to Kannur!!!

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by sivadas

As mentioned earlier, took the Hunsur-Nagarhole-Kutta-Kattikkulam-Mananthavady route while going. Except for few bad stretches here and there, roads are reasonably good (Srirangapatana-Yelawal part is deteriorating fast).
Bottom line is, 'at this moment Nagarhole route is the best we have' to go to Kannur!!!

How did you reach Kannur from Mananthavady. Was it viz Kuthuparumba? If so how was that road condition. Also good to hear the Nagarhole road is in good condition. Thats usually the road in the most pathetic condition.

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by Aston.Martin

Did BLR-Kannur 3 times last week tried all options and HUNSUR-PERIYAPATNA-SIDDAPURA-AMMATHI-VIRAJPET-KOOTUPUZHA-IRITTY is marginally better. others are in very bad state.

Yes, this route is marginally better than other options.

[kala]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Or even Kannur-Mananthavady-Kattikulam-Tholpetty-Kutta-Hunsur-Mysore route, but night time restriction from 2100 to 0900

I think the allowed timings for the Nagarahole WLS road between Hunsur and Kutta is 0600 to 1800 hrs and not 2100 hrs. (Unless they relaxed it in the last 8 or 10 months, which seems quite unlikely).

On the other hand, the forest checkposts on the Gundlupet-Muthanga and Gundlupet-Gudalur stretches do remain open upto 2100 hrs.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by kala

I think the allowed timings for the Nagarahole WLS road between Hunsur and Kutta is 0600 to 1800 hrs and not 2100 hrs.

Oops, yes, mistake! that route is restricted from 6PM to 6 AM, i e 1800 to 0600. Thanks for correcting!

[sivadas]

Originally Posted by zoombiee

How did you reach Kannur from Mananthavady. Was it viz Kuthuparumba? If so how was that road condition. Also good to hear the Nagarhole road is in good condition. Thats usually the road in the most pathetic condition.

Yes, I travelled by Kuthupramba route only. Within Kerala, roads are in very good condition.
But dont expect Nagarhole route to be super smooth It is decent for a forest route.