[Rajesh K R]

Thanks rajshenoy and chandan for the tips about hotels in /around Sakelshpur.

[floyd.bell]

Mid-Nov I am planning a trip to Bhatkal/Shirali via Kundapur/Maravanthe. The route I am planning to take is as follows:
Bangy-Shimoga-Thirthahalli-Agumbe-Halady-Kundapur. Does this make sense and how's the road condition throughout? Also, from Agumbe can I directly go to Halady or do I have to go via Hebri? And how do I exactly furthur go ahead from Halady to Kundapur? Any good eating joints after Shimoga on this stretch?
This will be my first time on this stretch. So, any help provided will be greatly appreciated.

[scanD]

Originally Posted by floyd.bell

...
Bangy-Shimoga-Thirthahalli-Agumbe-Halady-Kundapur. Does this make sense and how's the road condition throughout? Also, from Agumbe can I directly go to Halady or do I have to go via Hebri? And how do I exactly furthur go ahead from Halady to Kundapur? Any good eating joints after Shimoga on this stretch?
...

Last week, I drove the Agumbe-Someshwara-Halady-Koteshwara-Kundapur stretch. The roads frequently (every 2 kms or so) alternate between very good (80+ kmph) to very bad (10- kmph.. road disappears and only stones/holes remain). Manageable, if your expectations are low.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Guys, I will be doing a Bangalore - Mangalore - Belgaum - Bangalore trip in the first week of November in my Laura.

So I finished the Bangalore - Mangaore - Belgaum leg of my tour.

ROad condition from Bangalore to Mangalore is pretty decent most of the way. After Sakleshpur about 40 kms of road is in pretty bad shape. Lots of first gear potholes. Overall the Bangalore - Mangalore journey took about 5:40 mins with a half hour break for breakfast. Mind you I started early , so city traffic before exiting Blr did not affect me.

Mangalore to Belgaum was the tricky one. After lots of enquiries with friends and realitives freezed on this route
Mangalore - Manipal - Hiriadka - Agumbe - Tirthalli - Shimogga - Harihar - then on to NH4 to Belgaum
Total distance 510 kms .
Started at 9:30 Am and reached Belgaum at 6:30 pm.
Breaks : 10 min break at a view point just before Agumbe, 1/2 hr lunch break at Shimogga, 15 min tea break at Ranebennur Kamat Upachar

THe shortest route would have been via Kundapur - Bhatkal - Ankola - Yellapur - Haliyal - Khanapur - Belgaum (460 kms). But a friend who recently went on that route told me that the road from Honnavar to Kundapur is in terrible condition. Also this road is completely two lane state highway and most of them in a state of neglect.

Coming back to the road I took, here's a brief description of the condition of roads
- Mangalore to Manipal : Four laning WIP. Surface condition OK. Avg speed of about 50 kph. Being Sunday, traffic was low, expect slower speeds on a week day.
- Hiriadka is on the other side of Manipal. Manipal roads were good cement roads.
- Hiriadka to Agumbe. Distance of about 40 kms and road conditions are pretty bad here. This stretch also included about 8 to 10 kms of ghat section. Big potholes abound and one cannot average more than 30 kph for this stretch.
- Agumbe to tirthalli : THe roads improve. But good roads are aternated by some bad stretches.
- Tirthahalli to Shimogga : THis is one awesome stretch. Silky smooth tarmac that winds through some beautiful fields and lakes. Some lovely left-right-left right bends with full view of oncoming traffic. With some spirited driving I managed to average about 70 kph for this stretch.
- Shimogga to Harihar : THis again is pretty good, and one can easily average above 70 kph. More straight roads, with fewer bends.
- Harihar to Belgaum : Four lane NH, 230 kms, 2 1/2 hrs

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by floyd.bell

Mid-Nov I am planning a trip to Bhatkal/Shirali via Kundapur/Maravanthe. The route I am planning to take is as follows:
Bangy-Shimoga-Thirthahalli-Agumbe-Halady-Kundapur.

If you have no particular reason for going via Shimoga, I would recommend: Bangalore - Hassan - Sakleshpura - Shiradi Ghats - Dharmastala - Karkala - Hebri - Halady - Ampar (left) - Kundapura (GMaps link). If you do not mind bypassing Kundapura also, then you can continue straight on from Ampar and turn left just before Vandse to hit NH17 b/w Kundapura and Maravanthe. I did the second route in September this year and the road conditions were mostly good. You can read the relevant post here.

[floyd.bell]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

If you have no particular reason for going via Shimoga, I would recommend: Bangalore - Hassan - Sakleshpura - Shiradi Ghats - Dharmastala - Karkala - Hebri - Halady - Ampar (left) - Kundapura (GMaps link). If you do not mind bypassing Kundapura also, then you can continue straight on from Ampar and turn left just before Vandse to hit NH17 b/w Kundapura and Maravanthe. I did the second route in September this year and the road conditions were mostly good. You can read the relevant post here.

Thanks for suggesting this alternative route. However, won't this be a tad bit longer? Also, reading through some of the previous posts, it looks like the road from Bangalore to Agumbe via Shimoga/Thirthahalli is quite good. What I am concerned about is the road ahead from Agumbe to Kundapur via Halady. And I might be travelling on the same stretch (atleast some portion of it) even when taking the alternative route, isn't it? So, would it make any difference?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

ROad condition from Bangalore to Mangalore is pretty decent most of the way. After Sakleshpur about 40 kms of road is in pretty bad shape. Lots of first gear potholes.

That is not right. The bad part is only about 5-6kms, mostly around Gundya. Rest is fine from Karnataka standards. I drove two days back.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by Samurai

That is not right. The bad part is only about 5-6kms, mostly around Gundya. Rest is fine from Karnataka standards. I drove two days back.

Definition of bad varies.

If someone asks me, i would say bad is about 10kms between sakleshpur and gundya (broken roads when the concrete curves end and near bridges)

you say 5-6 kms, and it can even be 40kms.

If we compare the ghat roads with the rest of the roads, yes its very bad
If we compare them with their state when mining lobby was hyper active, its awesome roads now

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Definition of bad varies.

If someone asks me, i would say bad is about 10kms between sakleshpur and gundya (broken roads when the concrete curves end and near bridges)

you say 5-6 kms, and it can even be 40kms.

I have a very different way of measuring, which takes care of any bias from my side. If I see all the little diesel hatches or Innovas passing me with impunity on the ghat road, I consider it good stretch. If I am passing them with impunity, I consider it bad stretch.

When I drove on sunday, I could pass diesel hatches and Innovas only in that 5-6kms stretch. Rest of the places I had no prayer.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I have a very different way of measuring, which takes care of any bias from my side. If I see all the little diesel hatches or Innovas passing me with impunity on the ghat road, I consider it good stretch. If I am passing them with impunity, I consider it bad stretch.

When I drove on sunday, I could pass diesel hatches and Innovas only in that 5-6kms stretch. Rest of the places I had no prayer.

thanks to less truck traffic.

Frankly i go through even worse stretch of 10-12 kms every day in bangalore.

BTW Not sure if everyone already knows this. Trains from bangalore now travel all the way upto Karwar(day train and now even the night train) so alternative for those who want to chill out some time.

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by Samurai

That is not right. The bad part is only about 5-6kms, mostly around Gundya. Rest is fine from Karnataka standards. I drove two days back.

It might have been lesser than 40 kms as it (the bad roads) seemed to last for quite a long period of time, like more than an hour or so. But I am pretty sure it was more than 5~6 kms. As rajshenoy said, your definition of bad roads may be quite different from mine.

People say the roads are quite good now. I can only imagine how it must have been when they referred to the roads as "horrible"

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by floyd.bell

Thanks for suggesting this alternative route. However, won't this be a tad bit longer? Also, reading through some of the previous posts, it looks like the road from Bangalore to Agumbe via Shimoga/Thirthahalli is quite good. What I am concerned about is the road ahead from Agumbe to Kundapur via Halady. And I might be travelling on the same stretch (atleast some portion of it) even when taking the alternative route, isn't it? So, would it make any difference?

This route is only 10-12 km longer than the one via Agumbe. Moreover, the key difference is the super-fast Bangalore-Hassan stretch as opposed to the 2-lane roads on the other route. Also, the Tirthahalli - Agumbe stretch has gone really bad in the rains (not that it is a very long one, but still). Anyways, you always have the option of going via one route and coming back via the other

[ALSUDA]

Hi! planning to visit Horanadu/Kalasa & from there to Sringeri. My normal route to Horanadu is BLR-Hassan-Belur- Chickmagalur-Balehonnur-Horanadu. To Sringeri Horanadu-Balehonnur-Sringeri. I'm aware there's is a route to Horanadu from Belur via Gonibedu (->Kottigehara-Horanadu), but never took this route. Any idea on latest update on road condition via Gonibedu/kottigehara? OR

is it better to stick to CKM/Balehonnur route? Road condition is imp for me (self driving with wife & children)

Thanks

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by ALSUDA

Hi! planning to visit Horanadu/Kalasa & from there to Sringeri. My normal route to Horanadu is BLR-Hassan-Belur- Chickmagalur-Balehonnur-Horanadu. To Sringeri Horanadu-Balehonnur-Sringeri. I'm aware there's is a route to Horanadu from Belur via Gonibedu (->Kottigehara-Horanadu), but never took this route. Any idea on latest update on road condition via Gonibedu/kottigehara? OR

is it better to stick to CKM/Balehonnur route? Road condition is imp for me (self driving with wife & children)

Thanks

I remember seeing an update somewhere here that the Kottigehara-Kalasa route is in decent condition. But after the recent spell of rains, I'm not sure of the conditions. The road from Belur to Kottigehara via Gonibeedu is in good conditon. It was re-laid recently.

From Horanadu to Sringeri there is a direct road now and there is no need to go back to Balehonnur. Just check with locals if this road is in good condition before you take it.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2915692

[ALSUDA]

Kottigehara-Kalasa is the concern. I was told, earlier it was in very bad condition. If I take this route, I think I should be saving some 30+kms, not sure. After darshanam in Kalasa & Horanadu move to Sringeri & halt there.