[reachmallya]

I suggest to take the BLR-HAsSAN-ChickManglore-Balehonnur-Sringeri-SK Border-Karkala-Bhajgoli-Moodbidri-Mangalore

Avoid mudigere Belur-Mudigere roads are not good.

BLR-Chickmanglore is highway. Chickmanglore-Sringeri Good road but with lot of curves and turns amidst coffee estates.

Total distance is 460 Kms.

[Samurai]

Yesterday I drove the stretch between Chikmagalur-Belur-Mudigere-Charmadi-Ujire-Beltangady-Karkala-Udupi route.

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Later there is a horrible patch of road which is reduced to rubble.
You need to drive for 15 - 20 km on this road

This photograph is very misleading. This shows a better stretch of a hugely screwed up road. In most places the road is 10 times worse than this.

I don't recall driving through more horrible road than this, that too this long. I haven't been through Sampaje or Shiradi ghats recently though.

The stretch between Mudigere-Charmadi Ghats is simply horrible, if you love your car, don't bring it here. Since I had a SUV, I could easily jump in and out of every crater, I often had to use the skills learnt in Kelambakkam quarry. But I simply didn't enjoy this 25kms long driving hell, it was a torture, I could feel the pain of sedan/hatch drivers limping along the road, I hope our collective curse affects whoever responsible for this state of affair.

[lohithrao]

Yes this stretch is been bad for long and am sure now it would hav got worse, shiradi was in a "PATHETIC" stae no words to explain how bad it was:(

OT Btw samurai sir how was chicmaglur(Green dale) am sure you would got to do some offraoding there into the estate

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by lohithrao

OT Btw samurai sir how was chicmaglur(Green dale) am sure you would got to do some offraoding there into the estate

Check this: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-of...tml#post667730 That half KM 25-30 degree descent I mentioned there is the short-cut to the estate, which avoids 3 Kms of extra road. You probably remember that.

[DerAlte]

Even I did this stretch (Belur-Mudigere_cross-Charmadi-Ujire-Beltangady-Karkala-Udupi) on Dec 21 and 25 with my family in my Safari. Till now I had thought that the worst roads on this planet were the ones that BDA "maintains" in Bangalore.

From Mudigere_cross to the beginning of Charmadi ghat took 90 minutes while going. It took less while coming back, but I guess I knew what to expect and do. It reminded me of running with the ball in a football match through a packed defense. I spent more time going from one side of the road to the other, rather than along it.



Even the flora seems to have changed color permanently from all the dust that is kicked up:


Exchanging notes with other drivers who had driven down to Udupi, I realized this was by far the better option than Madikeri, Shiradi, Kudremukh, Agumbe or Shimoga. This happened to be the shortest of bad stretches.

While going we had had lunch at Hassan, but after this stretch we were ravenously hungry by the time we reached the Charmadi ghat proper. It was like a full-body workout with a trainer determined to break you down. While coming, thinking we wouldn't last till we reach Belur, we went to Mudigere for lunch. Parota and omelette never tasted so good.

The most ironical part was that ALL the roads that branched out from this road were in pristine condition!!!


But, the whole thing is worth it - some of the views take your breath away:

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by reachmallya

I suggest to take the BLR-HAsSAN-ChickManglore-Balehonnur-Sringeri-SK Border-Karkala-Bhajgoli-Moodbidri-Mangalore

Avoid mudigere Belur-Mudigere roads are not good.

BLR-Chickmanglore is highway. Chickmanglore-Sringeri Good road but with lot of curves and turns amidst coffee estates.

Total distance is 460 Kms.

Chikmagalur would be way off-course. Even on the Sringeri route, about 25Km near Jayapura is a nightmare!

The Belur-Mudigere-Charmadi-Ujire route is far better and shorter. Only the relatively short stretch between Mudigere cross (Kottigehara) to the beginning of the Charmadi ghats is bad. Otherwise, it is easy to maintain a leisurely 70-80Kmph (barring the ghats, of course).

You don't even have to go up to Karkala - just continue down NH13 from Belthangady to Mangalore (instead of turning towards Karkala at Guruvayanakere). This connects with NH48 near Bantwal (B.C.Road), bypassing the Shiradi mess.

[magiceye]

Hey guys,
Please tell me which would be a better route
Puttur-shiradi-sakleshpur-hassan or
puttur-bantval-belthangdi-charmadi-mudigere-belur-hassan.
will be staying overnight in hassan to do belur/halebid and shravanbelagola on way to Bangalore.
am confused. having scanned through all threads cant make up my mind as to which route would be comparitively easy on our car and our old bones
should be doing this stretch around mid jan. thanks very much.

[DerAlte]

Originally Posted by magiceye

Hey guys,
Please tell me which would be a better route
Puttur-shiradi-sakleshpur-hassan or
puttur-bantval-belthangdi-charmadi-mudigere-belur-hassan.
will be staying overnight in hassan to do belur/halebid and shravanbelagola on way to Bangalore.
am confused. having scanned through all threads cant make up my mind as to which route would be comparitively easy on our car and our old bones
should be doing this stretch around mid jan. thanks very much.

Which vehicle will you be using?

Hobson's choice, really! In the first (via Shiradi), the ghat section is FUBAR. In the second (via Charmadi), the section between Charmadi and Mudigere is moonscape - the Charmadi ghat is OK.

In my experience, the Charmadi route is lesser of the 2 evils. Reckon with 60 min. to negotiate the 15-20Km bad stretch. After Mudigere (Kottigehara, to be precise, where you will turn right towards Belur; Mudigere is off-course to the left at this point).

[magiceye]

Thank you DerAlte. Will be driving Indica V2 TC.
Samurai had some terrible things to say of the Mudigere Charmadi route. So am hanging between Charmadi and Shiradi.

[Samurai]

This should help: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...tml#post674440

[magiceye]

Thank you so much for the link Samirai. That clinches it. Will be going via the Shiradi ghat and will live to tell the tale!

[sushrutha]

Guys some good news .
The stretch between Mudigere - Kottigehara is being tarred , just closing the potholes, still not complete. I just checked out on Moday 31- Dec.
That brings some sigh of relief.

[lohithrao]

SHiradi...then and now....

[praJEEP]

Shiradi as on 16/01/08, our poor omni had a nightmare, my toe is still still under treatment.

[lohithrao]

praJeep, i thought onmni has a better ground clearnce. but yes her torque of the vehicle gets tested well