[ampere]

Based on the source of this thread, we thought why not try this! Went around Anchetty/Hogenakkal/Mecheri till Mettur. Hogenakkal had lots of water, but there none was at Mettur. The dam was dry. But I must say Anchetty section is mesmerizing!

Started with a wrong route. Instead of Denkanikottai, we took the Rayakottai at Hosur after going around finding some grub! Once full, we had the day to explore village roads!

Satguide found the mistake and we took another set of village route to come back to Denakanikottai. The weather was awesome. Till Hogenakkal it was real fun, with weather and water. The small stretch after Anchetty (5Km) was real bad, but we (err.. the car) took it in our (its) stride. Most snaps were already posted by Imran. Will post some later.

Mettur was the anticlimax. Had a "chai" and "Gopi Manjuri" and drove back through the famed GQ. Drove about 500 Km (me and my friend) for the day, just for a chai at Mettur. It was not bad after all!

[ampere]

Some snaps to add to the previous post. See the difference in water levels!
I think most folks dont venture ahead on the Anchetty road once ending up at Hogenakkal. This provides much nicer and picture perfect picnic spots! These places are just 3-5 km ahead upstream.

[hvkumar]

This is one great roads-less-travelled route!
I thought I will add a link to GM of teh route Hosur-DEnkanikottai-Anchetti-Hogenekal route:
Hosur, Tamil Nadu, India to Hogenakkal, Tamil Nadu, India - Google Maps

[ampere]

The route in pink is what we should have taken. But ended up taking the one in grey (The old Dharmapuri route.)
Thanks to GPS, realized the mistake and retracked through interior roads to Denkanikotai, which was also equally though narrow.
It also cut through the Hosur-Dharmapuri railway line. Nice country side.

But somehow, did not notice a separate route to Pennagaram. Must have missed it.

[vrprabhu]

Amazing light and foliage pictures, and even more amazing route. Time to move out of the tried and tested NH7?

There are a couple of pics with a bike in them k149in. I am literally dreaming about following them on my bike

[addyhemmige]

@ampere, your pics have made me feel that I have to complete this very soon. I had planned to go on this route months ago, but could never complete due to various reasons. Surely, I have to do this sometime

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Amazing light and foliage pictures, and even more amazing route. Time to move out of the tried and tested NH7?

There are a couple of pics with a bike in them k149in. I am literally dreaming about following them on my bike

Oh yes. As HVK mentioned this is one amazing road. After Anchetty, had tea in one those small villages and it just tasted divine! What more de we need to live for! Amazing flora/fauna; water bodies and of course "chai" on a near rainy weather!

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

@ampere, your pics have made me feel that I have to complete this very soon. I had planned to go on this route months ago, but could never complete due to various reasons. Surely, I have to do this sometime

You should take this road and try it out for sure. Do note that a stretch of
5-7 Km after Anchetty the road is in tatters. To say there is a road itself is big! My Fusion though made real light work of this. Not a single hit at the chassis! Though I am not sure what it would do to a sedan. Once past, it was again back to beautiful country roads and hills all over. To hear the first roar of water, but not being able to sight it was such a thrill. Parked the car nearby and got down to see where is the water? And that is when we ended at the place where I took those snaps, I posted.


By the way, here is one more of the road. Let me see what is the first thing that comes to your mind!

[vinukm]

Nice Pics. I am realizing what i have been missing all this time.

My Wife is from Denkanikottai and every time my Inlaws say we need to visit Anchetti forests once but i have been ignoring it for last 7 year. Think should take out some time when i visit there next time.

[csentil]

Hey!! Surprising that I missed this thread!

My friend did Anchetti - Pennagaram and almost had an heart attack. He was driving his Verna and got stuck at some place where there was no bridge. So he did some cross country driving across the river and the rough terrain to get to Pennagaram. He actually blamed me for taking this route!! I had told him to do Anchetti - Hogenakkal but not Anchetti - Pennagaram.

Also Pennagaram - Mechari is another awesome route. While Thoppur - Mechari skirts around the valley, the Pennagaram - Mechari route goes down into the valley and up into Mechari on the other side.

I have done this route twice on the way to Coimbatore and back. I'm sure I've mentioned it in the Bangalore to Coimbatore thread as well.

I want to redo that road again if I have a chance this weekend. After the rains the valley should be lush and probably more interesting to drive in.

Ampere, howz this route now?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by csentil

Hey!! Surprising that I missed this thread!

My friend did Anchetti - Pennagaram and almost had an heart attack. He was driving his Verna and got stuck at some place where there was no bridge. So he did some cross country driving across the river and the rough terrain to get to Pennagaram. He actually blamed me for taking this route!! I had told him to do Anchetti - Hogenakkal but not Anchetti - Pennagaram.

Also Pennagaram - Mechari is another awesome route. While Thoppur - Mechari skirts around the valley, the Pennagaram - Mechari route goes down into the valley and up into Mechari on the other side.

I have done this route twice on the way to Coimbatore and back. I'm sure I've mentioned it in the Bangalore to Coimbatore thread as well.

I want to redo that road again if I have a chance this weekend. After the rains the valley should be lush and probably more interesting to drive in.

Ampere, howz this route now?

Pennagaram - Mechari was awesome. A belter of road, going through fields, valleys and was one hell of a drive.

I did not even notice the Anchetty-Pennagaram route anywhere. Anchetty-Hogenakkal section was fine except for 5-6 Km real bad-bad turf. Sedans will really feel the heat. Till Anchetty again the road is very good.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ampere

By the way, here is one more of the road. Let me see what is the first thing that comes to your mind!

Noah's Ark!? Moses!?! Well, they appear to be disciplined bunch!

Too bad yours is a Fusion and not a Taurus.....

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Noah's Ark!? Moses!?! Well, they appear to be disciplined bunch!

How about "the padytra"?
Disciplined? Yes that is a different trait as we see today!

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by ampere

By the way, here is one more of the road. Let me see what is the first thing that comes to your mind!

Attachment 407131

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Noah's Ark!? Moses!?! Well, they appear to be disciplined bunch!

Originally Posted by ampere

How about "the padytra"?
Disciplined? Yes that is a different trait as we see today!

I was thinking more on the lines of "Wow!!! That's a lot of cattle. Maybe I'm on the cattle track".

btw, it seems that there is some exploration to be done in that area. Ayyo! when am I gonna do it?

[k149in]

Originally Posted by ampere

By the way, here is one more of the road. Let me see what is the first thing that comes to your mind!

Attachment 407131

I can see that even cattles are preferring well-tarred roads..cannot see a single cattle on the picture off the road.

I enquired about the Anchetty-> Pennaguram road with the locals and they informed that the road is still in very pathetic condition and not advised. But I guess it must be a very interesting drive if the roads are laid.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by k149in

I can see that even cattles are preferring well-tarred roads..cannot see a single cattle on the picture off the road.

I enquired about the Anchetty-> Pennaguram road with the locals and they informed that the road is still in very pathetic condition and not advised. But I guess it must be a very interesting drive if the roads are laid.

Must make for an exciting OTR!!!