[Samurai]

I think Charmadi is your best option.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by fusionbang

I am travelling to Dharmasthala and then to Ujire this weekend from Bangalore. I would not like to take Shiradi Ghat at any cost as I will be driving a Santro Xing and my uncle with an Alto. Also I would not like to take Madikeri - Sullia - Puttur road since it will add up to 80kms to my journey.

Can anybody suggest me with the best route to Dharmasthala - Ujire.

I'd still recommend the Shiradi Ghat.

With careful driving, you probably won't scrape the bumper anywhere. In my fully "loaded" Civic, I scraped only twice - first time, it was the rear bumper. The second time, I was distracted by a TIGER signboard!

Drive in such a way the either left front/rear or right front/rear wheels of your car are on "level" section of the pot holed roads. That is, one set of wheels should go into the craters while the other set should be on the "level" road. Don't put all 4 wheels into the craters.

I usually take 8 hours to drive from my Bangalore home to Surathkal home, with 2 breaks. Even with the 30 Km detour and bad stretch on Shiradi Ghat, it took me just 9 hours.

Basically, the bad stretch adds just about 30 minutes to the journey.

[Samurai]

When Shiradi is good, I usually make Bangalore-Mulki in 6.5 hours with one break, it took 7 1/4 hours yesterday because of the roads and longer breaks (full family trip).

Since he is going to Ujire, Charmadi is a lot better option.

[speedsatya]

Right now , I also feel it's the Hassan - Belur - charmadi is the route for Dharmasthala , BC Road and mangalore

[fusionbang]

Originally Posted by Samurai

When Shiradi is good, I usually make Bangalore-Mulki in 6.5 hours with one break, it took 7 1/4 hours yesterday because of the roads and longer breaks (full family trip).

Since he is going to Ujire, Charmadi is a lot better option.

How much extra miles will i be travelling if I take the charmadi when compared to shiradi? Also would you suggest me to take the same route back, as I might be a little late on Sunday evening and I guess it would be little difficult to maneuver during sunset.

[Samurai]

Hassan to Ujire via Charmadi is 2kms shorter than Shiradi, according to Google Maps. Charmadi is more twisty and narrower than Shiradi.

[paragsachania]

Quite easily if Ujire-Dharmasthala is the destination, Charmadi makes a lot of sense today even with those 11 Hairpin bends and narrower sections. Driving through Charmadi is almost seamless with no blockades most of the times. Couple of friends took a Volvo last week from Kukke for Bangalore and shared horrible experience with respect to Shiradi roads.

Also, Charmadi may only have KSRTC bus traffic bound for Dharmasthala and nothing much. Freight traffic on Charmadi is the least.

[fusionbang]

Thanks a lot guys Will post the experience once I am back from the journey

[rohanjf]

I came to Mangalore from Bangalore via Shiradi. I took this route because I felt that going slowly is still better than Charmadi, as far as travel time is concerned. A friend who drove his Punto with 190 mm ground clearance told me his car's bottom scraped three times. Still I stuck to Shiradi.

The road is pathetic alright, but not as bad as it used to be during the days of mining trucks. And I drive daily on a road in similar condition in Bangalore (Panattur Gunjur stretch).

In fact, driving was easier because most of the times I'd put the car in second or even first gear and let it lug, or put it in neutral and let gravity do the lugging. No bottom scraping ever occurred. And at those speeds, it doesn't matter if the car is on great or in neutral.

However, one had to be careful around KSRTC buses. Nothing can allow them down.

And patching work has begun. They are meat Gundya and climbing up. Patch work is below par. Goods thing will be, even cars with poor ground clearance can take this road.

[NaveenKD]

@rohanjf: which car you drove?

Tomorrow morning I am driving to Sakleshpur, staying for a day and then travel to Mangalore.

We are planning to go to Kukke, Dharmasthala and reach Mangalore.

Please confirm if I can travel in Desire without scrapping anything or its better I come back to Hassan and take Mudigere route?

[subbarp]

Hi,
Am enroute to Kasargod from Bangalore. Doing it via Hassan to visit few places around Hassan. Roads from Bangalore to Hassan are excellent as has been often stated. Took detour to Shravanabelagola enroute-even these were pretty good though narrower single lane each way. Tolls have been pretty steep (300 thus far). Roads within Hassan have been pretty fine, nothing to complain; not much traffic either, so reached a hotel pretty quickly.
From hereon we head via Belur-Charmadi-Ujire to Kasargod. Will provide latest road updates. Would appreciate any input on best route from ujire to kasargod(bekal).

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by rohanjf

I came to Mangalore from Bangalore via Shiradi. I took this route because I felt that going slowly is still better than Charmadi, as far as travel time is concerned.

The difference in distance between Charmadi route and Shiradi route should be less than 20 Kms (Charmadi route being longer by about 20 Kms or so). But Charmadi route is at a better state over Shiradi route and that should compensate for the slight increase in distance. Considering that factor, the travel time could be same or even less via Charmadi because one can maintain fairly decent speeds, Unless Charmadi ghat road has deteriorated to a great extent ( which I am not aware of)

Shiradi Ghat was once like a crown jewel of a road, It was sheer pleasure to drive on that road and sad that now it has become a nightmare of sorts.

Originally Posted by subbarp

Hi,
From hereon we head via Belur-Charmadi-Ujire to Kasargod. Will provide latest road updates. Would appreciate any input on best route from ujire to kasargod(bekal).

One route is from Ujire to Uppinangadi - Puttur-Perla-Badiyadka-Kanhangad-Bekal and second route is from Ujire - Bantwal-Mangalore-Manjeshwar-Bekal.

Not much idea about the first route road conditions, but being internal road, could be in bad condition, but it is shorter. The second route is longer via NH48 up to Mangalore and NH17 to Bekal. that road is heavy traffic route, but road conditions are better. Depends upon what time you intend to drive through. If it is noon time, then the 2nd route should be pretty free of traffic and a breeze.

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Hassan to Ujire via Charmadi is 2kms shorter than Shiradi, according to Google Maps. Charmadi is more twisty and narrower than Shiradi.

For Udupi from Bangalore, do you recommend Charmadi or Shimoga-Agumbe?

Prasad

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Hassan to Ujire via Charmadi is 2kms shorter than Shiradi, according to Google Maps. Charmadi is more twisty and narrower than Shiradi.

With regard to subbarp's query as he is going to kasargod-Bekal, a common point of reference could be Uppinangady. In that event Hassan-Uppinangady via Sakleshpur will be about 120 Kms and Hassan-Mudigere-Ujire-Uppinangady will be about 159 Kms (according to google maps). So people going towards Kerala are in a dilemma. whether the 39 Kms / 1 Hour drive more via Charmadi is worth to take or they should risk Shiradi. But considering the bad shape of Shiradi, I believe it would still be worth to take Charmadi ghat.

If some one is going towards Mulki, Karkala, Dharmasthala, Udupi etc / northwards in general, then one can take Ujire as a reference point to calculate difference in distance and then Charmadi would obviously be the route of choice. So I guess the end destination makes for some tough choice for guys driving south wards and if it is comfort over time, then Charmadi it is, if it is time and bad roads over comfort, then Shiradi it is.

Originally Posted by prasad14

For Udupi from Bangalore, do you recommend Charmadi or Shimoga-Agumbe?

Prasad

Hey Prasad. the Shimoga route is longer by about 50 Kms. ( Via Charmadi it is roughly 400 Kms and via Shimoga-Agumbe it is about 450 Kms). But Bangalore to Hassan is an amazing road and then after the road is still good.
Traffic wise Shimoga route is a a tinge stressful compared to Charmadi route bcoz of all those heavy traffic.( here you get all the road for yourself upto Hassan i.e. about 180 Kms from Blr)

I would suggest Charmadi over Shimoga route.

Mods: Sorry for the oversight for posting after a post without Multi quoting. Unable to find the delete post button. Will be careful next time.

[subbarp]

I covered Hassan-Belur-Charmady-Belthanagady stretch this morning. As mentioned on previous post, Hassan roads are fine. Roads till Belur are manageable. The first 5km of charmadi ghat are not great (i.e. Minor potholes on the stretch). Subsequent stretch is excellent with freshly laid tar roads. Total 3.5 hours for this stretch.