A few photos from Nilambur

sbraj · 28th May 2010, 09:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by haithereitsme

Has any one tried the beef with kanji at a small restaurant between nilambur and manjeri ?

Which one? Or you mean any restaurant? There are lots of them on that route.

BTW, Nilambur to Kozhikode via Manjeri is an amazing road. Lots of twists and turns through villages and towns. It keeps one occupied all throughout.

pjay_in · 28th May 2010, 09:28

Beef with kanji? Would like to know where. I have always thought that the porotta (kerala paratha) and beef from the small restaurants in the region are unbeatable.

theexperthand · 28th May 2010, 10:03

Nice snaps. Nilambur is very beautiful place, and the roads to Nilambur are awesome.

Where is this small resturent which serves beef and kanji? have never tried that combination.

srikanthpotluri · 28th May 2010, 10:58

Very nice snaps!!!Beautiful.

Bigzero · 29th May 2010, 00:13

Conolly's Plot is the oldest teak plantation, set up sometime in in 1840s and declared as a permanent preservation plot in 1943. Only a part of the original plot was preserved as most of the other parts were used up for timber requirements in war times.

To reach Conolly's plot, you have to drive from Nilambur towards Manjeri/Perinthalmanna side. A little more than a km from the town, you enter a lovely stretch full of fairly large trees, and the turn out to the plot is on your right. There is a Forest Dept information kiosk at the entrance where you have to take tickets to enter the plot. You have to park the cars there as well.

Its a short walk down the small road that leads to the river -

beyond a point you have a paved footpath that takes you to a suspension bridge.

This bridge takes you across the Chaliyar river to the Conolly's plot. This has come up recently - I remember going to the plot in a boat earlier.

A view of the river:

An info kiosk at the plot:

The biggest teak tree at the plot

The board that says it all..

Will try to post a few more pics a little later..

Bigzero · 29th May 2010, 00:37

A few more pictures from the Conolly's plot..

A Cheeni tree (Tetrameles Nudiflora) among the teak trees

Footpath all around the plot

hvkumar · 29th May 2010, 06:56

Apart from the magnificent teak jungles themselves, I am impressed that so much effort has gone into making the Conolly's Plot good for tourism, all those paths, info kiosks and suspension bridges!

pjay_in · 29th May 2010, 19:46

Conolly's Plot sounds like a Robert Ludlum title!

Awesome place.

pramod · 30th May 2010, 22:41

Excellent snaps!

I have been till Gudalur and turned towards ooty. Never been straight ahead. Will plan this route this monsoon.
Thanks for sharing

ampere · 30th May 2010, 23:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by pramod

Excellent snaps!

I have been till Gudalur and turned towards ooty. Never been straight ahead. Will plan this route this monsoon.
Thanks for sharing

Plan a trip to Guruvayur via Nilambur! That would be ideal.

I went though the same route, but little did I imagine that the place which I am passing through has so many gems hidden in its closet!

Seems like an ideal trekker's delight!

Bigzero · 31st May 2010, 00:08

Do plan to stop at the Teak Museum as well. The Museum is a couple of km before the town when you approach from Gudalur, and offers good info on Teak and has also some good bits of peripheral info on the forests in the area. Oh and yes there is a small garden with some lovely flowers at the back as well. I will try to upload some pictures of the place ( Didnt make it there this time, but I have a few photos from my earlier visit a couple of years back ).

pjay_in · 1st June 2010, 09:07

There is actually more to Nilambur than meets the eye.. as already discussed above, it has the oldest surviving teak plantation in the world and other large teak plantations owned by the government. It is probably the world headquarters of teakwood production, and the quality of the wood here is supposedly the best in the world.

Nilambur was once a densely forested region, but over the last 100 years or so the forest cover has largely receded to the surrounding hills. True, the town is still very green, with patches of protected natural forest and teak plantation areas around the place. However, the real treasure is out of easy reach for the casual tourist - the dense forests that form the Nilambur North and South forest divisions, that cover the slopes of the hills on all three sides of Nilambur valley - the eastern slopes of vellarimala/vavulmala hills on the west, slopes of Gudalur hills on the north and northeast, and on the east the New Amarambalam range of forests on the steep western escarpment of the Nilgiri horst leading upto the Mukurti National Park. Nilambur sourth forest division is actually contiguous with Silent Valley National Park.

To get a flavour of the tropical rainforests of Nilambur, the least inconveninent place to go is Nedungayam. You will not be permitted to go deep into the forest unless with permission from the forest range office. However, the entry point is good enough. Lush green forests teeming with tall canopy trees, a rocky and turbulent river, a riveted steel truss bridge made by the British, an elephant camp, a log house etc are the things that come to my mind - though I haven't been there in 20 years!

If anyone goes there, plesae be friendly to the environment and carry all your plastics and other trash back with you when you return. The place simply can't afford to have irresponsible tourists.

ampere · 1st June 2010, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigzero

Do plan to stop at the Teak Museum as well. The Museum is a couple of km before the town when you approach from Gudalur, and offers good info on Teak and has also some good bits of peripheral info on the forests in the area.

I saw this on the Gudalur-Nilmabur main road (Is it the one right?).
Since I was on a hurry to reach Mysore, did not stop there.
Also looked to me it was closed. (Not sure about it).

i.1979 · 2nd June 2010, 10:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere

I saw this on the Gudalur-Nilmabur main road (Is it the one right?).
Since I was on a hurry to reach Mysore, did not stop there.
Also looked to me it was closed. (Not sure about it).

ampere,
this museum and cannolly plots are closed on mondays

s3va · 2nd June 2010, 11:41

bigzero..very well compiled.

I have this feel that being in Kerala I havent explored the flora and fauna that was around me, and now being in Bangalore during my recent trips to the nearby country sides and jungles, I feel delighted. My wife then reminds me by saying "we all grew up among similar and prettier surroundings back home, remember" ? I would be then blinking for a response to her. Probably thats why they say "mutethe mulleku manem illa"(malayalam adage that translates into - we realize the fragrance of the flower that grows in your frontyard only when we are away from it)...ok getting too much philosophical here

...nice compilation..post more , thanks !

28th May 2010, 09:28	#32
pjay_in BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 396 Thanked: 20 Times	Beef with kanji? Would like to know where. I have always thought that the porotta (kerala paratha) and beef from the small restaurants in the region are unbeatable.
	() Thanks

28th May 2010, 10:03	#33
theexperthand Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,633 Thanked: 2,448 Times View My Garage	Nice snaps. Nilambur is very beautiful place, and the roads to Nilambur are awesome. Where is this small resturent which serves beef and kanji? have never tried that combination.
	() Thanks

28th May 2010, 10:58	#34
srikanthpotluri BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 472 Thanked: 769 Times View My Garage	Very nice snaps!!!Beautiful.
	() Thanks

29th May 2010, 00:13	#35
Bigzero BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 447 Thanked: 522 Times	Conolly's plot Conolly's Plot is the oldest teak plantation, set up sometime in in 1840s and declared as a permanent preservation plot in 1943. Only a part of the original plot was preserved as most of the other parts were used up for timber requirements in war times. To reach Conolly's plot, you have to drive from Nilambur towards Manjeri/Perinthalmanna side. A little more than a km from the town, you enter a lovely stretch full of fairly large trees, and the turn out to the plot is on your right. There is a Forest Dept information kiosk at the entrance where you have to take tickets to enter the plot. You have to park the cars there as well. Its a short walk down the small road that leads to the river - beyond a point you have a paved footpath that takes you to a suspension bridge. This bridge takes you across the Chaliyar river to the Conolly's plot. This has come up recently - I remember going to the plot in a boat earlier. A view of the river: An info kiosk at the plot: The biggest teak tree at the plot The board that says it all.. Will try to post a few more pics a little later.. Last edited by Bigzero : 29th May 2010 at 00:24.
	() Thanks

29th May 2010, 00:37	#36
Bigzero BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 447 Thanked: 522 Times	A few more pictures from the Conolly's plot.. A Cheeni tree (Tetrameles Nudiflora) among the teak trees Footpath all around the plot
	() Thanks

29th May 2010, 06:56	#37
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Apart from the magnificent teak jungles themselves, I am impressed that so much effort has gone into making the Conolly's Plot good for tourism, all those paths, info kiosks and suspension bridges!
	() Thanks

29th May 2010, 19:46	#38
pjay_in BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 396 Thanked: 20 Times	Conolly's Plot sounds like a Robert Ludlum title! Awesome place.
	() Thanks

30th May 2010, 22:41	#39
pramod BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 480 Thanked: 323 Times View My Garage	Excellent snaps! I have been till Gudalur and turned towards ooty. Never been straight ahead. Will plan this route this monsoon. Thanks for sharing
	() Thanks

31st May 2010, 00:08	#41
Bigzero BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 447 Thanked: 522 Times	Do plan to stop at the Teak Museum as well. The Museum is a couple of km before the town when you approach from Gudalur, and offers good info on Teak and has also some good bits of peripheral info on the forests in the area. Oh and yes there is a small garden with some lovely flowers at the back as well. I will try to upload some pictures of the place ( Didnt make it there this time, but I have a few photos from my earlier visit a couple of years back ).
	() Thanks

1st June 2010, 09:07	#42
pjay_in BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 396 Thanked: 20 Times	There is actually more to Nilambur than meets the eye.. as already discussed above, it has the oldest surviving teak plantation in the world and other large teak plantations owned by the government. It is probably the world headquarters of teakwood production, and the quality of the wood here is supposedly the best in the world. Nilambur was once a densely forested region, but over the last 100 years or so the forest cover has largely receded to the surrounding hills. True, the town is still very green, with patches of protected natural forest and teak plantation areas around the place. However, the real treasure is out of easy reach for the casual tourist - the dense forests that form the Nilambur North and South forest divisions, that cover the slopes of the hills on all three sides of Nilambur valley - the eastern slopes of vellarimala/vavulmala hills on the west, slopes of Gudalur hills on the north and northeast, and on the east the New Amarambalam range of forests on the steep western escarpment of the Nilgiri horst leading upto the Mukurti National Park. Nilambur sourth forest division is actually contiguous with Silent Valley National Park. To get a flavour of the tropical rainforests of Nilambur, the least inconveninent place to go is Nedungayam. You will not be permitted to go deep into the forest unless with permission from the forest range office. However, the entry point is good enough. Lush green forests teeming with tall canopy trees, a rocky and turbulent river, a riveted steel truss bridge made by the British, an elephant camp, a log house etc are the things that come to my mind - though I haven't been there in 20 years! If anyone goes there, plesae be friendly to the environment and carry all your plastics and other trash back with you when you return. The place simply can't afford to have irresponsible tourists.
	() Thanks

2nd June 2010, 11:41	#45
s3va BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dubai Posts: 646 Thanked: 5 Times View My Garage	bigzero..very well compiled. I have this feel that being in Kerala I havent explored the flora and fauna that was around me, and now being in Bangalore during my recent trips to the nearby country sides and jungles, I feel delighted. My wife then reminds me by saying "we all grew up among similar and prettier surroundings back home, remember" ? I would be then blinking for a response to her. Probably thats why they say "mutethe mulleku manem illa"(malayalam adage that translates into - we realize the fragrance of the flower that grows in your frontyard only when we are away from it)...ok getting too much philosophical here ...nice compilation..post more , thanks ! Last edited by s3va : 2nd June 2010 at 11:42.
	() Thanks