[ampere]

Originally Posted by SwatiS

I want to drive too. So looking to combine both. Any other places would also do, not necessarily lakes.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

A basic meal and some tea, sure. Personally I have never stopped on the way, but have seen a few places. Yup sunrise and sunset are visible.

This is the Makalidurga stretch, which many in the forum regularly visit for train spotting. This is on the Doddaballapur-Hindupur SH; after the Doddaballapur town. The lake is opposite to the hill where the railway line curves.

There was a also a BHP meet around at this place. Search for "Makalidurga" on the forum (and on Google maps for location) to know more.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by SwatiS

Can anyone suggest a place around Bangalore - 60 - 70 km where I can sit and paint on location. Any lake / waterbody/ structure with a background would do.

Manchanbele Dam off the Mysore Road (can go via Big Banyan tree also), Devarayana Durga hills (there is a waterbody/lake near the temples) off Tumkur Road (turn off at Dabaspete) may fit the bill as they're under 100Km from Bangalore.
Other places you can consider, slightly longer distance away from Bangalore are Kanva Dam near Channapatna/Ramnagar off Mysore Road and Tonnur Kere/Markonahalli Dam near Melukote, can be accessed via Mysore Road and Hassan Highway NH48.

[2500cc]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

This is my personal favorite spot in Bangalore with rolls of green on one side, lake on one side, and mountains with train track on the other side: 13.442522, 77.518448

PM me if you need any more help getting to the place

Am regular on this route and would totally avoid this place now, the road widening is in progress due to which the traffic is total chaos and roads are in total mess due to rains.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by 2500cc

Am regular on this route and would totally avoid this place now, the road widening is in progress due to which the traffic is total chaos and roads are in total mess due to rains.

Actually drove there recently in the WagonR. Yes there is road work going on and a few diversions, but still made it in pretty good time. This was in the evening.

[SwatiS]

Originally Posted by ampere

This is the Makalidurga stretch, which many in the forum regularly visit for train spotting. This is on the Doddaballapur-Hindupur SH; after the Doddaballapur town. The lake is opposite to the hill where the railway line curves.

There was a also a BHP meet around at this place. Search for "Makalidurga" on the forum (and on Google maps for location) to know more.

Thanks will check it

Originally Posted by NPV

Manchanbele Dam off the Mysore Road (can go via Big Banyan tree also), Devarayana Durga hills (there is a waterbody/lake near the temples) off Tumkur Road (turn off at Dabaspete) may fit the bill as they're under 100Km from Bangalore.
Other places you can consider, slightly longer distance away from Bangalore are Kanva Dam near Channapatna/Ramnagar off Mysore Road and Tonnur Kere/Markonahalli Dam near Melukote, can be accessed via Mysore Road and Hassan Highway NH48.

Manchanbele dam - we cannot go near so ruled it out

Originally Posted by 2500cc

Am regular on this route and would totally avoid this place now, the road widening is in progress due to which the traffic is total chaos and roads are in total mess due to rains.

thanks for the update

[ampere]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Actually drove there recently in the WagonR.

Originally Posted by SwatiS

Thanks will check it

This is how the lake looks on a warm winter morning. Nice place to be around.
(Taken in 3-4 years earlier)

[procrj]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

This is my personal favorite spot in Bangalore with rolls of green on one side, lake on one side, and mountains with train track on the other side: 13.442522, 77.518448

Originally Posted by ampere

This is how the lake looks on a warm winter morning. Nice place to be around.
(Taken in 3-4 years earlier)

This is so close to Ghati Subramanya, which I have been to many times. Do you have to get back on SH to get to this lake or should I take the small road from Ghati to the lake? Looks like a good spot for a quick drive next Wednesday.

[pramodpk]

I have a team outing at Discovery Village, near Nandi hils on July 5th.
Google maps shows this as the default route.

https://goo.gl/maps/UyhamsrVXYU2

Any update on the latest condition?

Thanks in advance.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by procrj

This is so close to Ghati Subramanya, which I have been to many times. Do you have to get back on SH to get to this lake or should I take the small road from Ghati to the lake? Looks like a good spot for a quick drive next Wednesday.

All you have to do is drive till the Makalidurga stretch. Just a few stretches beyond the foothill exit you will the exit to this lake. Google is accurate.

So basically dont exit from the SH for Ghati Subramanya.

[procrj]

Anyone here who has been to Gorur dam in the last few weeks? Want to understand road conditions between Arkalgud - Gorur dam. Planning to drive there tomorrow.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by procrj

Anyone here who has been to Gorur dam in the last few weeks? Want to understand road conditions between Arkalgud - Gorur dam. Planning to drive there tomorrow.

More than the road, please confirm if there is enough water in the damn. You may not want to end up in an anticlimax.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by ampere

More than the road, please confirm if there is enough water in the damn. You may not want to end up in an anticlimax.

Gates are not fully open - saw a few pics posted on facebook yesterday. Going there for a drive in a friends new car hence the focus is on the drive and not the destination

[NPV]

Originally Posted by procrj

Want to understand road conditions between Arkalgud - Gorur dam. Planning to drive there tomorrow.

Last I heard was Hassan-Gorur is bad/rough. We all know that roads upto Arkalgud are good, so Arkalgud-Gorur is the only unknown and I guess you can take a chance
Given that it's a drive in a new car, take the SH 121 via Agrahara (I think you tried this recently ?) for Channarayapatna-Holenarasipura.

*Gmaps also shows a route via SH109 from Holenarasipura which bypasses Arkalgud (in fact this is the gmaps suggested route for Bangalore-Gorur Dam!)

[procrj]

Originally Posted by NPV

Given that it's a drive in a new car, take the SH 121 via Agrahara (I think you tried this recently ?)

Yes I did take this route 2 weeks back on my way to Madikeri. Planning to take this tomorrow as well & risk the 7 km stretch between Arkalgud - Gorur. Also Hassan - Shettihalli turn off on SH21 was not bad when I drove in April.

[BeantownThinker]

Hey good people,

Need help. Planning to go for a drive to Ghati Subramanya to Makalidurga to Tondebavi to Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple to Sir M Visvesvaraya Memorial to Nandi Hills and back.

The problem I am facing is that I am not able to locate the Memorial on Google maps. Any help here will be appreciated.

If any one is familiar with these areas, would want to know if there are any good lunch options around this route?

Doing the drive tomorrow, so a quick help will be deeply appreciated.