[raghuinc]

I am planning to do this route next week. It will be great if somebody can answer the queries I have.

1) Bangalore - Nilambur (via Gudalur)

I did this last January and enjoyed it. See the last post on http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...te-help-6.html

* The Gundalpettu - Bandhipur was under construction then. Is any other part of this stretch under repair?

2) Nilambur - Thrissur (via Perinthalmanna-Pattambi-Shoranur-Wadackanchery)

* Can I take the road from Nilambur to Perinthalmanna via Wandoor-Pandikkad-Pattikkad, instead of the one through Manjeri?

* Any hotel in Thrissur to recommend?

3) Thrissur - Wadakkenchery -SH25- Pollachi -SH21- Dharapuram -SH21- Karur -NH7- Namakkal

* How are SH25 and SH21? Seem to be the sort of roads that will have no traffic and great scenery.

ranjitp1 said in September, in this thread, that SH25 is in good condition.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...condition.html

Is SH21, from Pollachi to Karur, a good road too? This thread, in July, says yes.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...e-enquiry.html

thanks
Raghu

[Wind]

Originally Posted by raghuinc

I am planning to do this route next week. It will be great if somebody can answer the queries I have.

1) Bangalore - Nilambur (via Gudalur)

I did this last January and enjoyed it. See the last post on http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...te-help-6.html

* The Gundalpettu - Bandhipur was under construction then. Is any other part of this stretch under repair?


thanks
Raghu

Gundalpetu Bandhipur stretch is still under construction ( as on Dec 24th) . One lane is open for traffic and asphalting is in progress in the other lane. Nothing much to worry about in this sector except that you will have give way to oncoming traffic since there is only a single lane.

-- Wind

[ampere]

Originally Posted by raghuinc

I am planning to do this route next week. It will be great if somebody can answer the queries I have.

1) Bangalore - Nilambur (via Gudalur)

I did this last January and enjoyed it. See the last post on http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...te-help-6.html

* The Gundalpettu - Bandhipur was under construction then. Is any other part of this stretch under repair?

Did this 3 weeks back. Asphalting still not completed. You will need to drive in gravel for about 3-4lkm. Other than that no issues at all. Again for some stretch, one lane is up. You will need to give way. But this is a small stretch only.

Originally Posted by raghuinc

2) Nilambur - Thrissur (via Perinthalmanna-Pattambi-Shoranur-Wadackanchery)

* Can I take the road from Nilambur to Perinthalmanna via Wandoor-Pandikkad-Pattikkad, instead of the one through Manjeri?

* Any hotel in Thrissur to recommend?

Instead of Shornur, you can take the route via Kalikavu and Melatoor through to Pattambi and then via Kunnankulam you can go to Trichur. I am not sure of the other route. I took the above mentioned one. It is very decent.

Hotels to recommend: Joys Palace, Ashoka Inn, Das Contental. All very close to the railway station.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by raghuinc

2) Nilambur - Thrissur (via Perinthalmanna-Pattambi-Shoranur-Wadackanchery)

* Can I take the road from Nilambur to Perinthalmanna via Wandoor-Pandikkad-Pattikkad, instead of the one through Manjeri?

the bus route was via Manjeri.[/quote]

Originally Posted by raghuinc

* Any hotel in Thrissur to recommend?

if you are looking for hotels closer to town,then Elite,Trichur Towers,Pathans,Luciya Palace,Siddhartha Regency are the reccomended ones.Sidhartha Regency is apparently classified in the luxury category.Pathans is more of a bed & breakfast kind of category.Trichur Towers is near the Sakthan Bus Stand.The extra luxury one would be Casino at Kokkala.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by ampere

Instead of Shornur, you can take the route via Kalikavu and Melatoor through to Pattambi and then via Kunnankulam you can go to Trichur. I am not sure of the other route. I took the above mentioned one. It is very decent.

Route through Kalikavu-melattor-Pattambi can be little tricky, and I *feel* its longer too.
Instead you can take the route through Nilambur- Wandoor- Pandikkad - Pattikkad - Perintalmanna - Pattambi - Kunnamkulam - Thrissur.

Note:- Google maps give *wrong* info about Perintalmanna - Pattambi route. It shows the route though Cherpulassery, which is a much longer route. Don't take that.

[raghuinc]

Thanks to everybody for all the info. I took some of the advice and risked some :-) Here is an update.

Bangalore-Nilambur
Road condition is quite good all throughout. The short Gudalur-TN border stretch is pothole ridden. The stretch right after that, till Nilambur, is one of the most beautiful stretches that I have driven on. Flat, well made roads with no traffic and great scenery!

Stayed at the KTDC easy hotel at Nilambur: good location (outside the town, on a river bank, in a forest area), friendly staff and bad maintained (its a government hotel!).

Nilambur-Thrissur
Took the route from Nilambur to Perinthalmanna via Wandoor-Pandikkad-Pattikkad (after the Kerala strike closed on the 29th). Its as bad, or as good, as the Manjeri route. Road is okay, but narrow and traffic-ridden. Took three hours to reach Thrissur (120kms).

Hotel update: Luciya palace is under renovation. Staying at the strangely named Casino hotel. Fell for the free wifi (using it right now :-)

Raghu

[prasad14]

Hi,

A group of us (Bikers) are driving to Valparai via the standard BHPians route from Bangalore.

On the way back, we would like to return via Chalakudy-Thrissur-Gundlupete-Bangalore. I need help on the following:

1. For the Thrissur-Gundlupete section, is it better via Nilambur or via Kalpetta? (in terms of traffic, road conditions and scenery).
2. If its via Nilambur, which is suggested way from Thrissur?
3. Would the traffic be less or more on the Onam day in Kerala?

Thanks,

Prasad

[ampere]

Originally Posted by prasad14

1. For the Thrissur-Gundlupete section, is it better via Nilambur or via Kalpetta? (in terms of traffic, road conditions and scenery).

Both routes are equally scenic. But I hear Gudalur-Bandipur is quite bad.

2. If its via Nilambur, which is suggested way from Thrissur?

Trichur-Kunnamkulam-Pattambi-Perinthalmanna-(either Pandikkad or Melatoor)-Nilambur-Gudalur-Gundlupet
Or
Trichur-Kunnamkulam-Kottakal-Malappuram-Manjeri-Edvanna-Nilambur-Gudalur-Bandipur-Gundlupet

Please check with regulars if Gudalur-Bandipur is so bad that you need to take the route via Kalpetta. Else I would suggest this option for the views.

3. Would the traffic be less or more on the Onam day in Kerala?

Traffic is mostly less on this side of geography I think. But I dont know whats case on Onam.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by prasad14

Hi,

A group of us (Bikers) are driving to Valparai via the standard BHPians route from Bangalore.

On the way back, we would like to return via Chalakudy-Thrissur-Gundlupete-Bangalore. I need help on the following:

1. For the Thrissur-Gundlupete section, is it better via Nilambur or via Kalpetta? (in terms of traffic, road conditions and scenery).
2. If its via Nilambur, which is suggested way from Thrissur?
3. Would the traffic be less or more on the Onam day in Kerala?

Thanks,

Prasad

Thrissur-Wadakancheri-Vazhacode-Kulappully-Pattambi-Perinthalmana-Wandoor-Nilambur-Nadugani-Gudalur-Gundlupet is a better option.Less traffic as opposed to the Kozhikode-Kalpetta route.

http://goo.gl/maps/aXXK2

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Thrissur-Wadakancheri-Vazhacode-Kulappully-Pattambi-Perinthalmana-Wandoor-Nilambur-Nadugani-Gudalur-Gundlupet is a better option.Less traffic as opposed to the Kozhikode-Kalpetta route.

http://goo.gl/maps/aXXK2

Did this route y'day and today. Great roads all the way except for some really bad patches b/w Gudalur and Theppakadu.

Had a bit of drama near Thrissur. As we entered Thrissur it started pouring cats and dogs (around 5:30PM). The print out of the map above given by @ranjitp1 was safely tucked-in in my saddle bag. We asked for Wadakancheri (or we, 5 bikers, thought so). I knew we've to get off NH47, but everyone asked us to keep going on NH47 towards Palakkad. Roads became non-existent, rains increase, 5 of us got separated in to two batches. I knew something was wrong, kept on asking (in English) for the
left turn, and people kept on directing me to go straight (in Malayalam).

Regulars would know by now what happened. Yes, we were directed to Vadakkenchherry near Palakkad. Having drenched completely and unable to continue in the rain, the two of us stopped for Tea (some 18kms from Thrissur). Asked folks there too and they confirmed we were doing fine. Then we got a call from the other group, who by accident had figured out that there are indeed two similar sounding (for non Mallus that is, as even after several repeats, I couldn't pronounce the two places
differently). There folks were at a BP pump, next to one India Coffee House and we were asked to return. We did the return journey again in bad roads and even heavier traffic but a little lighter rain.

Several localites jumped to help us out, some LoLing all the way looking at our plight. Finally we got one guy that can understand bit of English, other one a bit of Kannada and another one a bit of Hindi. We told them we need to reach Nilambur (it was 7PM, good 1:45hrs after reaching the toll booth coming from Chalakudy). The group debated and reco'd that we should go to some Kunnakulam and resume the journey next day. I flatly refused to deviate from the above route (team-bhp advice anyday) and just when they were about to give up on us, a kind soul appeared from nowhere and he was from the correct Wadakancheri and asked us to follow him if we wanted to. We gladly agreed and he took us thru a series of small roads from this India Coffee House spot. We reached Wadakancheri at 8PM, continued in the most beautiful roads and eventually reached our destination of the day, KTDC Nilambur, just at the stroked of midnight.

Great adventure, riskier one, though rains stopped completely by 8PM.

RanjitP1 gave correct advice, but .

Prasad

[ampere]

Originally Posted by prasad14

Great adventure, riskier one, though rains stopped completely by 8PM.
RanjitP1 gave correct advice, but .

It was really an adventure. I think that details about the 2 cities which I chose to call Vada-Wada combos (!) should be on top of the list.

And more importantly you also missed the day drive from Perinthalmanna to Nilambur. Its a beauty. Apart from from Pandikkad/Wandoor there is an alternate route from Perinthalmanna which goes via Melatoor/Kalikavu. Another brilliant route for bikes. Amazing twisties. When I went some years back, it was super. Dont know how it is today. But between the two options its the road less taken.

[denver85]

Originally Posted by ampere

It was really an adventure. I think that details about the 2 cities which I chose to call Vada-Wada combos (!) should be on top of the list. .

Ampere sir, I used to identify these towns by the stress applied while pronouncing the word Wadakku/Vadakku. The more strong it is, it represents the town which is on the north side (Wadakanchery) and in the southern one the word has less stress (Vadakkenchery). Still, I get confused if asked suddenly

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by denver85

Ampere sir, I used to identify these towns by the stress applied while pronouncing the word Wadakku/Vadakku. The more strong it is, it represents the town which is on the north side (Wadakanchery) and in the southern one the word has less stress (Vadakkenchery). Still, I get confused if asked suddenly

The difference is not between W & V. Both are pronounced same in Malayalam or rather, there is no W in Malayalam (or any Indian languages!!)

The Thrissur district, Wadkkanchery (the one to the north of Thrissur town) - is pronounced Vadakkaancheri

The Palakkad district, Vadakkanchery (the one to the east of Thrissur town) - is pronounced Vadakkencheri

[ampere]

Originally Posted by denver85

Ampere sir, I used to identify these towns by the stress applied while pronouncing the word Wadakku/Vadakku. The more strong it is, it represents the town which is on the north side (Wadakanchery) and in the southern one the word has less stress (Vadakkenchery). Still, I get confused if asked suddenly

The simplest way to identify: One has a railway station (on the CBE-TVM main line) and other has not!
It always works. The one which does not, is on the 4-lane and is the one which is not be the destination for the route!


PS : No need to call me sir! I am just like you.

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by ampere

The simplest way to identify: One has a railway station (on the CBE-TVM main line) and other has not!
It always works. The one which does not, is on the 4-lane and is the one which is not be the destination for the route!

Locals also told to use:

Shoranur-Wadakancheri for the north/Railway Station one and Palakkad-Vadakkancherry for the other.

Prasad