[bejoy]

Folks, I need to travel to Engandiyur (Near Vadanappally) from Bangalore. We can start only latest by 2PM on a Friday. Would like to stick to Selam -Coimbatore. Like to know how to proceed from Trissur and how are the roads.


Also, I am not keen, but is it worth taking Mysore - Calicut or Nilambur route?

[sansvk]

Originally Posted by bejoy

Folks, I need to travel to Engandiyur (Near Vadanappally) from Bangalore. We can start only latest by 2PM on a Friday. Would like to stick to Selam -Coimbatore. Like to know how to proceed from Trissur and how are the roads.


Also, I am not keen, but is it worth taking Mysore - Calicut or Nilambur route?

Starting at 2pm, you will reach Thrissur at around 10pm. From the NH turn into Thrissur at Mannuthy, travel straight into the Thrissur round, do a 180 deg round and then take the Kanjani road. This road will take you Vadanapally and then take a right towards your destination. These roads are narrow but good to drive. But at night you may not find any soul's to ask for directions. Hence take a peek at Google map before you start.

[nevinfrancis]

Hi guys, help needed

Next week i need to travel to kasargode. I am starting from kakkanad, and the furthest I have driven northwards is till guruvayoor - all our journeys are either to munnar side or towards south.

so a bit apprehensive, and we are planning to reach there by noon. so, reckon we might need to start by 4 am. we are coming back the same day itself.

any suggestions regarding the route? the whole of malabar is totally 'foreign' to me.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by nevinfrancis

Hi guys, help needed

Next week i need to travel to kasargode. I am starting from kakkanad, and the furthest I have driven northwards is till guruvayoor - all our journeys are either to munnar side or towards south.

so a bit apprehensive, and we are planning to reach there by noon. so, reckon we might need to start by 4 am. we are coming back the same day itself.

any suggestions regarding the route? the whole of malabar is totally 'foreign' to me.

Kakkanad-Aluva-Thrissur-Kunnamkulam(bypass via Pannimattom)-Kuttipuram-Valanchery-Chelari-Ramanattukara-Kozhikode Bypass-Vengalam(new stretch of the bypass would be open I guess by the time you take the journey) Koyilandy-Vadakara-Mahe-Telicherry-Kannur-Taliparamba-Payyannur-Cheruvathur-Nileshwaram-Kanjhangad-Chattanchal-Kasargode.

Roads are good almost all the way but expect heavy traffic and lot of congested towns once peak hour sets in. Towns like Koyilandy, Mahe, Telicherry etc are real pain to cross during peak hours. Kannur town is little better these days with dividers installed throughout the highway stretch passing through the town.

Google maps may point towards Pazhayangadi road between Kannur and Payyannur. Do not take that, instead follow the national highway via Taliparamba. Signage is good all the way.

Start at 4 AM would be absolute must if you want to return same day. Even then you would be dead tired reaching back as this is the most dense stretch of the national highway.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by nevinfrancis

so a bit apprehensive, and we are planning to reach there by noon. so, reckon we might need to start by 4 am. we are coming back the same day itself.

any suggestions regarding the route? the whole of malabar is totally 'foreign' to me.

Route as Sandsun7 has mentioned. Don't worry too much about Malabar, pretty much like rest of Kerala. 2 lanes roads, heavy traffic, crazy private bus drivers (This may be a Central/North Kerala specialty), congested towns. .

i feel 8 hours may not be enough. May need to budget ~9hrs even with a 4am start

Unless you have multiple drivers, would suggest to avoid a same day return if feasible. It will be a very draining and tiring drive.

[nevinfrancis]

thanks guys, for the very specific route suggestions. i think i ought to have a clear picture now, otherwise I would have relied too much on what google maps have shown.

we are five, making the trip and three of us can drive. so, fatigue wont be much of a trouble really.

I

[MSAneesh]

Originally Posted by nevinfrancis

thanks guys, for the very specific route suggestions. i think i ought to have a clear picture now, otherwise I would have relied too much on what google maps have shown.

we are five, making the trip and three of us can drive. so, fatigue wont be much of a trouble really.

I

Also watch out for low and mostly invisible dividers abruptly appearing near turns and busy stretches on Calicut - Kannur section. They are pretty dangerous and lack any paint/reflectors and may suddenly appear - especially be careful when you are on an overtaking manoeuver.

[nevinfrancis]

Thats one of the big troubles with our roads - unless you are really familiar with the roads, they can spring up nasty surprises everywhere, like invisible/unseen dividers, back breaking humps etc.

But, its a long trip and I do really like to drive. I have never been to these parts of kerala and I am really looking forwards to get some real good kozhikode, thalassery food too -

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by MSAneesh

Also watch out for low and mostly invisible dividers abruptly appearing near turns and busy stretches on Calicut - Kannur section. They are pretty dangerous and lack any paint/reflectors and may suddenly appear - especially be careful when you are on an overtaking manoeuver.

One such stretch is between Koyilandy and Vadakara and another one between Mahe and Telicherry few kms after crossing Mahe bridge. Both come as a surprise midway through sharp curves.
Also , the inauguration of the last stretch of the kozhikode bypass is scheduled on 22nd of this month. So if your travel is before that, you will have to deal with the bad stretch of road on the current 'bypass' between Pooladikunnu and Atholi. That is around 5-6 kms I reckon.

Try Telicherry Biriyani from Paris residency, Telicherry and if you have time, do visit the longest drive in beach in Asia, Muzhappilangad drive in beach. Just a couple of kms off the highway between Kannur and Telicherry. Refer this thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/team-b...ve-report.html

[Waxeloquent]

I have seen number of emails on the road condition between Palakkad and Coimbatore and I am sort of confused. Is it fair to state that in spite of on going road works on NH 47 it is better to take that in stead of Vadakkencherry - Kollengode - Pollachi route? Thanks and cheers

[couswheels]

It is better to take Palakkad Coimbatore rather than Kollengode.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Waxeloquent

I have seen number of emails on the road condition between Palakkad and Coimbatore and I am sort of confused. Is it fair to state that in spite of on going road works on NH 47 it is better to take that in stead of Vadakkencherry - Kollengode - Pollachi route? Thanks and cheers

The painful part is about 15km at most between walayar and madukkarai where L&T Coimbatore bypass starts.
Coimbatore bypass itself can be a pain in peak traffic with 2 signals, Undivided 2 lane road and need to keep showing your toll receipt.
I still managed to do pretty decent timing on this route (Bangalore-Palakkad) on 24th Dec.
BTW what's your origin and destination ?

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Waxeloquent

I have seen number of emails on the road condition between Palakkad and Coimbatore and I am sort of confused. Is it fair to state that in spite of on going road works on NH 47 it is better to take that in stead of Vadakkencherry - Kollengode - Pollachi route? Thanks and cheers

Vadakkenchery-Kollengode-Pollachi-Avinashi stretch is good on the surface, and there are small towns on the way, where the traffic can slow you down a bit during day time.
Neelambur-Madukkarai L&T bypass can be a PITA as NPV mentioned, with the 2-lane and traffic. Madukkarai-Chavadi is not that bad, though the diversions are rough. The areas where the 4-laning is over have good surface. Chavadi till Walayar has quite a few potholes, especially the junction.

Walayar and beyond is a breeze, thanks to the 4-lane highway. But watch out for two-wheelers and sometimes bigger vehicles that are driven against the traffic flow. Though the roads are very inviting, they can turn fatal too, thanks to the completely unscientific design of junctions. If you can find a KSRTC (not the Karnataka ones which simply hog the right lane) bus driven at moderate speeds, you can use it as a pilot. They're adept at tackling this terrain.

[Waxeloquent]

Originally Posted by NPV

BTW what's your origin and destination ?

Thanks NPV;

Start from Guruvayur and head to Vadavalli in Coimbatore before heading back to Bangalore. 15 kms of bad road is not bad considering the roads we handle daily here in namma Bengaluru

Cheers

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by Waxeloquent

Thanks NPV;

Start from Guruvayur and head to Vadavalli in Coimbatore before heading back to Bangalore. 15 kms of bad road is not bad considering the roads we handle daily here in namma Bengaluru

Cheers

FYI..I started from Chalakudi on 30th Dec at 4 am, reached wadkkanchery at 5am and reached Coimbatore bypass start at 5.55AM.

Hope that will give you some idea on the time taken part under light traffic conditions, 128 km in 1 hr 55 minute.

The same strech used to take 3 hrs before the 4 lane was made