[sarinkumar]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

Hey, the ghats still aint patched up!.

but then, its just ~12kms.

True. But the problem is only there at one or two hair pin bends. At lease that is what I noticed.
Regards,
Sarin

[kala]

Originally Posted by AvinashKeezh

Folks who have recently used the kanakapura Road to Gundlupet, is it worth giving a shot. I've always used the Mysore SHw to Calicut and wanted to see if the Kanakapura-> Kollegal-> Chamarajnagar-> Gundlupet is good enough. I would be travelling post lunch on 22nd and didn't want to go through the harrowing traffic on Mysore road.

Recommended. Even during a "non-peak" time my Sunday mid morning drive through Mysore turned out to be about 15 minutes longer than the drive via Kollegal on Friday evening. (Travelled Friday evening from Bangalore to Calicut via Kollegal and got back in Bangalore by noon on Sunday via the Nanjangud-Mysore route). So apart from the stress-free drive, even the time taken looks to be lower (at least till my place near Kanakapura road)..

[AvinashKeezh]

Originally Posted by kala

Recommended. Even during a "non-peak" time my Sunday mid morning drive through Mysore turned out to be about 15 minutes longer than the drive via Kollegal on Friday evening. (Travelled Friday evening from Bangalore to Calicut via Kollegal and got back in Bangalore by noon on Sunday via the Nanjangud-Mysore route). So apart from the stress-free drive, even the time taken looks to be lower (at least till my place near Kanakapura road)..

The over all journey was close to 10/12 KMS longer than Mysore road, till Calicut from Bangalore, can't vouch for the figures though. But the time taken was much lesser. It's so much stress free as well. Only thing that we need to lookout for is directions; there would be very few sign boards.

Also the road through Kanakapura town is being re-laid and would have to take a diversion.

All things included, I would definitely prefer taking the Kanakapura road to Calicut/ Ooty than taking Mysore road.

[ranjitp1]

How long is the thrissur to kengeri drive expected to take via the thrissur-kuttipuram-ramanattukara-batheri-gundulpet-mysore-blr route.I havent driven this stretch in a very long time so was thinking of re-discovering this route.What are the other options?I drove into kerala via nilambur so that option to return is ruled out and the nh47 route is something that i frequent very often.

[sarinkumar]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

How long is the thrissur to kengeri drive expected to take via the thrissur-kuttipuram-ramanattukara-batheri-gundulpet-mysore-blr route.I havent driven this stretch in a very long time so was thinking of re-discovering this route.What are the other options?I drove into kerala via nilambur so that option to return is ruled out and the nh47 route is something that i frequent very often.

Ranjitp1,
Calicut -- Bangalore can be done in 6 hours non stop and Thrissur -- Ramanattukara may takeanother two to three hours, depending on what time you are planning to start. So total 8 to 9 hours driving time is needed. Also, you may take new bye pass road upto Malaparamba from Ramanattukara. This will save lots of your time by bye passing the Calicut city.
Regards,
sarin

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by sarinkumar

Ranjitp1,
Calicut -- Bangalore can be done in 6 hours non stop and Thrissur -- Ramanattukara may takeanother two to three hours, depending on what time you are planning to start. So total 8 to 9 hours driving time is needed. Also, you may take new bye pass road upto Malaparamba from Ramanattukara. This will save lots of your time by bye passing the Calicut city.
Regards,
sarin

Thanx Sarin,is this bypass well marked while coming from Thrissur side?

[sarinkumar]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Thanx Sarin,is this bypass well marked while coming from Thrissur side?

I think so. You will see it before Ramanattukara itself.
Regards,
Sarin

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Thanx Sarin,is this bypass well marked while coming from Thrissur side?

Very much.In fact, the actual NH takes a left curve and the bye-pass (which is in fact broader than NH) will be the arrow-straight road. The fork is about a couple of kms before reaching Ramanattukara. There will be distance indicators for Kannur/Mangalore for sure. I think you may also see for Mysore and Wynad as well. If you want to know when you get to this junction a bit early, watch out for the welcome board to Calicut district that will be just before this junction.
The main junctions/landmarks that you will cross are:
1) NH-213 (Calicut to Airport and Palakkad route)
2) Toll gate and the bridge over Chaliyar (just at the toll gate, on the right side you have Kadavu Resorts where you can stop over for lunch if you are there at the right time)
3) Calicut city to Medical College Road (there is a traffic signal here)
4) NH-212 (Calicut to Wynad/Mysore route).
You need to take right at the point#4 above.

As an alternative, you may consider Kottakkal->Malappuram->Manjeri->Areekode->Mukkam->Thamarassery route to join NH-212 too. That road was fine with lesser traffic too.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Very much.In fact, the actual NH takes a left curve and the bye-pass (which is in fact broader than NH) will be the arrow-straight road. The fork is about a couple of kms before reaching Ramanattukara. There will be distance indicators for Kannur/Mangalore for sure. I think you may also see for Mysore and Wynad as well. If you want to know when you get to this junction a bit early, watch out for the welcome board to Calicut district that will be just before this junction.
The main junctions/landmarks that you will cross are:
1) NH-213 (Calicut to Airport and Palakkad route)
2) Toll gate and the bridge over Chaliyar (just at the toll gate, on the right side you have Kadavu Resorts where you can stop over for lunch if you are there at the right time)
3) Calicut city to Medical College Road (there is a traffic signal here)
4) NH-212 (Calicut to Wynad/Mysore route).
You need to take right at the point#4 above.

As an alternative, you may consider Kottakkal->Malappuram->Manjeri->Areekode->Mukkam->Thamarassery route to join NH-212 too. That road was fine with lesser traffic too.

Many thanks Ajith,this is really helpful,any reccomendations to stop for food after Calicut?

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Many thanks Ajith,this is really helpful,any reccomendations to stop for food after Calicut?

Adivaram -> A reasonably big hotel (sorry, forgot the name) on the right side, just before the ghat road begins. This would be mainly non-veg hotel. Good parking place and toilets are okay too. I usually stop there for Tea-break just before/after the ghat roads. Maybe there is a family room too.

Kalpetta -> Woodlands (Hotel accommodation for a comfortable stay in Wayanad - The Woodlands Hotel -) on the right side, just on the main road inside the town.

Kalpetta -> Harithagiri (Haritagiri Hotel kalpetta wayanad -wayanad tourism-Pookote Lake,Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary,Thirunelly Temple,Edakkal Caves,kerala tourism india ,Waterfalls ,Wildlife ,Wayanad tourism) on the left side, just about 200 meters from the main road. You will see a big board on the main road.

Kalpetta -> Green Gates (Green Gates Hotel | Green Gates Hotel Wayanad, Green Gates Hotel at Wayanad, 3 Star Hotel, Hotels in Wayanad, Green Gates Hotel in Wayanad, Greengates Hotel in Wayanad, Greengates Hotel at Wayanad, Greengates Hotel Wayanad) on the left side, just after the Civil Station (that comes on the right side close to a left-curve on the main road). This is also about 200 meters from the main road. Highly recommended for lunch, esp. for their non-veg dishes.

Sulthan Bathery -> Jubilee hotel on the right side just on the main road.

Sulthan Bathery -> Regency (http://www.issacsregency.com/) on the right side of the main road. You need to enter the parking through a small road next to a cinema theater.

Sulthan Bathery -> Mint Flower (Hotel Mint Flower - Hospitality Redefined - The Three Star Luxury Hotel in Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad) on the left side just on the main road. This is right after the junction where Ooty-Bathery road joins NH-212 and just before the junction to KSRTC bus-stand. Good parking facilities, good buffet lunch and clean toilets. A/c Family rooms also available and staff had been friendly too. Added advantage will be that the location is right after all the busy stretch of roads inside town. So, right after lunch, you can proceed quickly towards Muthanga and then have a leisurely drive through the forest during afternoon too. Usually, this a good place for lunch-break when we start very late in the morning from Bangalore. Or for a dinner if we start late in the evening.

Beyond Bathery, it is the usual list of hotels that you can see in other threads too, e.g. Bandipur/Ooty/Nilambur routes

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Adivaram -> A reasonably big hotel (sorry, forgot the name) on the right side, just before the ghat road begins. This would be mainly non-veg hotel. Good parking place and toilets are okay too. I usually stop there for Tea-break just before/after the ghat roads. Maybe there is a family room too.

The hotel is named Luncheon. After descending the ghats and going towards Calicut, this will come immediately on the left side.

[ranjitp1]

Thanx a ton Ajith for all the info,I am still undecided whether to stick to the boring NH7 via Salem or drive via Thamarasserry,I would be driving this coming Saturday,so shall keep the thread updated

[ajithbr]

Did a quick run to Calicut and back. Was amused to see clocking very similar (with about 15 minutes of deviation on timings noted) timelines on both the drives.

Quick notes compared to the drive a couple of months back:
1) Bangalore->Mysore section seems better this time. Lots of speed-breakers are either flattened or smoothened out. The main irritants that still remain are mostly between Mandya and Srirangapattanam. Of course, Mandya and Channapatna towns have frequent humps in short stretch and would be painful driving during peak-hours.
2) Mysore->Nanjangud is in the best of state compared to the last couple of years. Super smooth till Mysore Airport turn-off and pretty decent till Nanjangud. Was able to cover the stretch in about 20 minutes on both directions.
3) Forest and ghat roads are also better this time. There are still a couple of hair-pin bends that need better patch-work. I think it is the 2nd and 3rd from Lakkidi side (from uphill starting point). Again, decent timings of less than 30 minutes on both directions for the ghat section. Got stuck for about 10 minutes on descending time.
4) As always, went straight through Mysore city and could easily cross the same in less than 15 minutes (Ring Road Signal to Kamat Madhuvan Hotel)

And now left with a feeling that 6 to 7 hours of decent driving is enough these days. Was deliberately driving somewhat slow all the time.

[ranjitp1]

Thanx for the info,just a curious question,are there petrol pumps that accept cards between Calicut and Mysore?

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Did a quick run to Calicut and back. Was amused to see clocking very similar (with about 15 minutes of deviation on timings noted) timelines on both the drives.

Quick notes compared to the drive a couple of months back:
1) Bangalore->Mysore section seems better this time. Lots of speed-breakers are either flattened or smoothened out. The main irritants that still remain are mostly between Mandya and Srirangapattanam. Of course, Mandya and Channapatna towns have frequent humps in short stretch and would be painful driving during peak-hours.
2) Mysore->Nanjangud is in the best of state compared to the last couple of years. Super smooth till Mysore Airport turn-off and pretty decent till Nanjangud. Was able to cover the stretch in about 20 minutes on both directions.
3) Forest and ghat roads are also better this time. There are still a couple of hair-pin bends that need better patch-work. I think it is the 2nd and 3rd from Lakkidi side (from uphill starting point). Again, decent timings of less than 30 minutes on both directions for the ghat section. Got stuck for about 10 minutes on descending time.
4) As always, went straight through Mysore city and could easily cross the same in less than 15 minutes (Ring Road Signal to Kamat Madhuvan Hotel)

And now left with a feeling that 6 to 7 hours of decent driving is enough these days. Was deliberately driving somewhat slow all the time.

[jeeva]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Thanx for the info,just a curious question,are there petrol pumps that accept cards between Calicut and Mysore?

At Mysore, most of them accept cards. Then at Nanjangud, the one just after the Kabini bridge on the right, they accept cards. Better to fill it up at Mysore or Bathery, I am wary about the quality of fuel sold in between.
At Bathery, when you are driving down from Mysore, there is one company owned pump on the right side towards the end of the town (Dhottapankulam).Petrol Bunk

The COO pumps at Thamaraserry/Adivaram don't accept cards though, as I learned the last weekend.