[kiki_13]

Wayanad – an eternally beautiful district in God’s own country

The first place I visited in Kerala was Wayanad. A great many memories of road trips on motorcycle and car, backpacking adventures, and holidaying with friends. Wayanad has the highest number of posts on the blog too. It won’t be wrong to say Wayanad never fails to impress me.





A stubborn motorcyclist, it was hard for me to agree to the idea of buying a car. After persistent effort from the better half I gave in, we bought a per-owned Hyundai i20 (CRDI – 2012 model) from a fellow TeamBhPian. The agreement was to ride 500 kilometres for every 1000 kilometres drive in the car. True to the promise, a three-day motorcycle trip was fulfilled the following month. The travelogue of both the trips is covered in this post. The travel diary of the car trip is from the first week of April, and the motorcycle is from the first week of May.






On a fine hot April morning, which also happened to be Ugadi – the spring festival of a new beginning - the drive to Wayanad began. Filled with hope that the upcoming year would be full of travel. Not aware of the road repair work completion on Kankapura road, a detour through Jigani brought us to Harohalli. The mild traffic helped in covering distance fast. Breakfast at Santrupti restaurant five kilometres after Harohalli was a brief stop. The route followed: Bangalore – Jigani – Kanakapura – Kollegala – Chamrajnagar - Gundlupet – Muthanga – Bathery – Muttil







The long and mild foggy mornings give way to humid and sultry afternoons followed by showers and cool nights. There is always a first time to everything. This was the first work-cation. The well-equipped Airbnb with fast internet, power backup and work-friendly furniture is a hint at work from anywhere becoming a reality and not just a dream anymore. To have an understanding boss who lets you work from anywhere is like a cherry on the cake.






The first Airbnb we stayed is surrounded by greenery. The host was running a plant nursery until Covid struck and was in the process of restarting when we stayed there. Misty mornings enhanced the charisma of this mountain province. We indulged ourselves in the mysteriousness coupled with a cup of black tea (Kattan) – a perfect combination. The finest trio in Wayanad, in my opinion, is rain- motorcycle – black tea (Kattan)!






Taking advantage of the pleasant weather, we drove through winding roads of Panamaram-Kambalakadu-Padinjarethara and reached Banasura Dam. An interesting piece of engineering Banasura Sagar Dam is an earthen dam. It happens to be the largest in India and the second largest in Asia. It impounds a tributary of Kabini. The reservoir has led to the formation of umpteen islets. The mighty mountain ranges of Western Ghats form the backdrop offering a stunning panorama. The day was well spent with a drive through rain-drenched roads bordered by paddy fields extending over the horizon.

An obligatory visit to Thirunelly forest area to enjoy Unniappam and black tea at Kuttettan’s shop was the next plan. A deviation from Thirunelly temple road will take you to a small village Appappara - a nice drive through the countryside - and this road leads to Tholpetty forest road that connects Kutta to Mananthavady.

The Kottiyoor Temple is located in a scenic valley bordering the Kottiyoor Reserve Forest. The winding roads stretched down almost to sea level. The weather in this part is hot and sultry, but the Bavali river gives a respite from the heat. The river meanders through the gentle vegetation across the temple ground. It is said that, at its zenith, the temple was second-wealthiest in terms of gold and precious stones in the Kerala region. The structure on the east bank opens during the Kottiyoor Vysakha Mahotsavam. The one on the west bank is open throughout the year. The hot afternoon put the air-conditioning of the car to test. Being thankful for the privilege of travelling by car, we climbed back to revel in the crisp mountain air.






The Wayanad Tea Museum at Pozhuthana is a good concept. An early visit meant the cafeteria at the museum was not open. All the excitement of tea tasting was fruitless. The winding roads to the museum are bordered by tea estates. Crisp early morning air added charm to the already fascinating landscape. They have a good collection of artifacts related to tea manufacturing and other mechanical machinery from the days of the British Raj. The two-storey façade was part of the archaic tea factory. Wooden structure creaks and squeals under your feet. The content is informative, but a little extra effort in proofreading will be highly appreciated.







Vellaramkunnu is truly an off-beat place and ideal for a top view of the tea estate valleys. It is fascinating to see the tea plantation in a valley formation from above. A perfect place to watch sunset on a clear day. The summer showers meant no clear sky, and we satiated ourselves with amazing views of Chembra and other mountains around. A deviation from the main Kozhikode-Kalpetta highway takes you through narrow alleys, finally opening up to the tea plantations. A football ground on the way had a tree (a kind of pine) with unusual decor – football shoes hung on the branches. The road, after a while, is a dead end. It continues into the private tea estate road with restricted access.






While at Kalpetta town, spotting a private bus with the board Sugandhagiri intrigued our curiosity. Taking the Vythiri- Pookode Lake - Kolichal- road, a deviation after Kolichal and a long narrow road drive, we emerged at the road to Sugandhagiri. A small unpretentious hamlet - Sugandhagiri - is at the tip of a forest. It seemed to be mainly inhabited by the indigenous people. The road after this hamlet is through the jungle. Marking the route in favourites, to return with Jimny – if and when it launches in India – we turned back towards Chundale. The Airbnb at Chundale is well equipped for a workcation, but mind the property is bang on the main Kozhikode-Mysore highway and the traffic noise can be irksome at times.

[kiki_13]

Wayanad on Duke - Conquering the twists and turns of highland

The truth is: I don't get weary of Wayanad. My all-time favourite and must-do routes in Wayanad (especially on a motorcycle) are Thirunelly, Vaduvanchal and Pulpally. These are not destinations that I am particular about. Thirunelly route is mainly for the Kuttetan’s Unniappamam and (of course) the winding roads. The best part about Wayanad is any route you choose; winding roads are part of it. We went a step ahead and chose interior (narrow) roads to avoid the tourist traffic on main roads.





Staying at a familiar Airbnb has its own advantages. Muttil was a good base for the rides we had in mind. An early start from Bangalore with a spectacular sunrise on the back alleys through Jigani, Anekal - the ride was a breeze. A new restaurant Udupi Hotel at the handpost, where we deviate to Barachukki falls, was a respite as there are not many options on this route. A good place to stop for breakfast. Missing the turn at T.Narsipura and chasing the fine tarmac, we ended up at Mysore ring road - costing us an extra one-hour ride in peak traffic. Lunch was at the locally famous Thoufeeque restaurant. Dinner was at the relatively newly opened Oottupura that dishes put authentic Wayanad style cuisine.





The Karapuzha dam was overflowing with tourists, and stopping there made no sense. Instead, a ride without a particular destination took us towards Meppadi through narrow interior roads. Lush tea gardens around Meppadi and Vaduvanchal are a treat to the eyes, and the winding roads (though a busy thoroughfare) is a treat to ride on a motorcycle.





Savouring the popular snacks and tea from a roadside eatery, our ride continued onto Vaduvanchal. A deviation from the town brought us back towards Ambalvayal. A brief stop at Phantom Rock was refreshing. A quirky left over of a quarry, we had the whole place to ourselves in the late evening. An entry fee of Rs.20 for a motorcycle was charged.





The next mission was to find the route through the teak plantations bordered by forest at Pakkom and Begur reserve forest. This magnificent route is travelled by locals. At a few places small roads take you along the paddy fields, letting you relish the greenery with mountains in the backdrop. The route goes through the forest in more than one place. The tall teak plantation accompanying the forest cover gives it a dark jungle feel. One more stop at Kuttettan’s unniappam shop and return ride was through the main route via Mananthavady.





In the evening, we were back around the vicinity of Banasura Sagar Dam. A little away from the main tourist place, Banasura Cliff View, houses a small bridge protruding into the catchment water. The view of Banasura peak and the surrounding mountain ranges is breath-taking.





A chance coincidence was thrilling when we arrived at the same junction where we had taken photos of the car during the previous trip.

A trip to Mysore in December had taken us to Bavali, and the forest guards had denied permission to enter the forest. As retribution, we decided to end our trip by exiting at Bavali. This stretch of the forest has narrow roads that are not in good condition. It is not possible to break the rule of the speed limit here. The traffic density is lower than the Bandipur-Muthanga route, so more time to enjoy the jungle.





A short three-day ride with two days mostly spent on commuting between home and the destination. The onward journey was Ecity-Anekal-Harohalli-Kanakapura-T.Narsipura-Mysore(outer ring road)-Gundulpet-Muthanga-Bathery-Meenangadi-North Muttil.





The return was North Muttil-Bavali-HD Kote-Mysore (outer ring road) – Malavalli – Kanakapura – Ecity. The stretch between Mysore and Malavalli is not in good condition. It is a respite that Kanakapura road has been asphalted and no longer boasts crater-size potholes.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[chinchu.c]

Nicely written with some captivating pictures.
This one is going into my bookmarks.

Thanks a lot.

[Contrapunto]

Thank you for the maps.

[kiki_13]

Originally Posted by chinchu.c

Nicely written with some captivating pictures.
This one is going into my bookmarks.

Thanks a lot.

Thank you so much, am glad you like it and thrilled that it is going in bookmarks

Originally Posted by Contrapunto

Thank you for the maps.

Anytime!