[MohsinRoadster]

How is the charmadi stretch now? When i did this trip the road condition there was very good. Post more pics of charmadi if you have.

Take a look at my blog
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/76612-scenic-charmadi.html

[KRRaj]

Beautiful Scenery. So want to do this circuit now. Keep them pictures coming

[MX6]

Really nice photos you got there AirGuitar. I just loved looking at them. Yet to read the stories here. But the pics rock. The road to subramanya. How long is the bad stretch (photos suggest bad road)

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by airguitar

Thanks for the appreciation, guys.

@Addy, I'm as p*ssed as you are with the Trax guy. He looked like a local ; so even more disappointed. This what makes me wonder sometimes, who appreciate the nice environs around their place : the locals or the visitors.

I'd parked a few hundred meters away to let the elephants pass. 10 minutes and the elephants showed no signs of moving away, I was preparing to turn back head to Kutta and reach Hassan via Somwarapete. That's when this happened. I am a very leisurely driver and don't honk things off. Sometimes when I feel like God, I don't even honk inside the city : I let all hurrying things pass by

I know AG. Usually, it is the taxi drivers who indulge in such antics, local or visitor, so can't really help it

Originally Posted by airguitar

Day 3

Quick move towards Byakravalli road the left deviation near the Manjarabad fort board. Just before that was the road entrance on the right to Mudigere, for a second the thought of taking that road towards Hosakere for a glimpse of Ettina Bhuja Peak was flickering, but suppressed. Bisle, the goal. Reasonably narrow roads with the side soil washed away by the rains leaving 0.5 - 1 foot jumps off the tarmac.

If you had taken the Hanbal Mudigere road, you would probably have to endure another drive on the surface of the moon

3. The bridge over the river ( see photos in installments before ) - what river is this ? Any Bisle trekker knows ?

This river is called 'Adda Hole'. It joins the river Kumaradhara just a few hundred meters after the bridge.

Much of the road belongs to the Yasalur Range. All along I could see what looked like Elephant dung ( but there was no way an elephant could have crossed from left to right unless it was some tamed elephant that was made to walk those roads ).

You can never imagine the places elephants can traverse in. That area has been frequented by wild elephants recently. you were probably lucky (or unlucky?) not to have found one. Check the following post where I have explained this

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2120628

I got this info after speaking to the RFO, Yeslur range.

Btw, was it raining in the region when you went there? I didn't see any rain in your pics.

Originally Posted by MX6

Really nice photos you got there AirGuitar. I just loved looking at them. Yet to read the stories here. But the pics rock. The road to subramanya. How long is the bad stretch (photos suggest bad road)

MX, The bad roads (starting from NH 48 near Manjarabad Fort) could be around 50-60 kms. The road till Byakaravalli is decent. After that it is bad till a couple of kms before Hethur. Road in Hethur and a couple of kms after Hethur are good. But after that, it is pathetic till about 5-6 kms before Subramanya (as AG has said earlier)

[srikanthpotluri]

looks like you enjoyed alot, amazing trip and pics

[airguitar]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

This river is called 'Adda Hole'. It joins the river Kumaradhara just a few hundred meters after the bridge.

Thanks, great to know. What is the river that flows a few kms before near the beauty point ? Someone said Kumaradhara. While someone else said it was a smaller river giri. Also what is the river that flows on the left side of Shiradi Ghat ( from after Sakleshpur towards Gundya )? It was very dry in April and has more volume in the last few months

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

You can never imagine the places elephants can traverse in. That area has been frequented by wild elephants recently. you were probably lucky (or unlucky?) not to have found one. Check the following post where I have explained this

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2120628

I got this info after speaking to the RFO, Yeslur range.

I nearly choked on my food reading this. I guess I'd call myself LUCKY to have not found one. It would have been scary : there is no scope of doing a quick U turn ( Unlike places like Nagarahole where you vision can run long so there is more time to judge and react ). Is there a list of roads/State highways in Karnataka that provide high-probability wildlife encounters ?

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Btw, was it raining in the region when you went there? I didn't see any rain in your pics.

No rain sir. Alternated between sweltering sunny and cloudy. Rained just when I got to Dharmasthala.

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

MX, The bad roads (starting from NH 48 near Manjarabad Fort) could be around 50-60 kms. The road till Byakaravalli is decent. After that it is bad till a couple of kms before Hethur. Road in Hethur and a couple of kms after Hethur are good. But after that, it is pathetic till about 5-6 kms before Subramanya (as AG has said earlier)

Thanks, Addy. Yes, the whole distance from Sakleshpur to Subramanya via this route is about 80 kms. The last 6 kms very good. The first few average - bad but doable, no concerns. Near Hettur, it's actually a good stretch that lasts more than a few kms. The 15-20 kms stretch that ends at Boodhi chavadi is the worst )

[airguitar]

Thanks, for the comments, all.

Mohsin, the Charmadi stretch till DK limit ends is a bit patchy ( it was good till a few weeks back but steadily worsened. I do this stretch very often, so may not have noticed it like the proverbial frog that died because the water in which it was present was very gradually heated to a high temperature, as it didn't feel the gradual change in temperature ). From the Chikkamagalur limits it's good.

I'll post more Charmaadi photos from my previous trips too. The last 2 photos in the previous installment of photos re Charmadi.

Originally Posted by MohsinRoadster

How is the charmadi stretch now? When i did this trip the road condition there was very good. Post more pics of charmadi if you have.

Take a look at my blog
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/76612-scenic-charmadi.html

[airguitar]

I actually like that these roads are bad and so the areas around are more pristine. You know, if you like to see something out of ordinary, you should be making that additional effort/hard work. Another example is Agumbe : the best you can get of Agumbe due to the good roads is just the sunset point

No Barkana, No Kundadri, No ARRS, No surrounding places in Sirimane and Kigga, you need to slog to get the best out of Agumbe. Anyone done ARRS ?

Coming up : the Mullayyanagiri leg of this trip.

[MX6]

I had ARRS in my radar over the last trip. Unfortunately, conjuctivitis to the whole family had that cancelled. As of now, Addy seems to have best knowledge of ARRS. I will have a go at ARRS in Dec if all goes well!

[pramod]

Originally Posted by airguitar

Also what is the river that flows on the left side of Shiradi Ghat ( from after Sakleshpur towards Gundya )? It was very dry in April and has more volume in the last few months
...
..
Is there a list of roads/State highways in Karnataka that provide high-probability wildlife encounters ?

River flowing next to NH48 is the Nethravathi. When u take a Left from Gundia to Subramanya, u will infact, cross the huge bridge across Nethravathi.

But, when u reach Uppinangadi (BC cross), u will see a confluence of Kumaradhara on the left and Nethrvathi on the right.
You would have crossed Nethravathi somewhere between Gundia and Shiradi on NH48, and hence u will see it on the right side.
This River joins xxxx river at Uppinangadi (BC cross).

Also, Nethravathi river forms a small hydro electric project, parallel to the NH48, a few Kms before Gundia checkpost. It is called "Kempu Kola" (Red coloured water body.... due to the color of the rainwater in monsoons i guess).

[airguitar]

Thanks, Pramod. But what's course of Netravathi, I've seen the bridge near Subramanya but didn't know it was netravathi. How does it swerve back towards Dharmasthala ? Surely it must be crossing NH 48 again ?

What are the Valthaje and Kadembila bridges on NH 48 over ?

[airguitar]

Originally Posted by MX6

I had ARRS in my radar over the last trip. Unfortunately, conjuctivitis to the whole family had that cancelled. As of now, Addy seems to have best knowledge of ARRS. I will have a go at ARRS in Dec if all goes well!

Nice to know, should be one amazing trip

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by airguitar

Thanks, great to know. What is the river that flows a few kms before near the beauty point ? Someone said Kumaradhara. While someone else said it was a smaller river giri. Also what is the river that flows on the left side of Shiradi Ghat ( from after Sakleshpur towards Gundya )? It was very dry in April and has more volume in the last few months



I nearly choked on my food reading this. I guess I'd call myself LUCKY to have not found one. It would have been scary : there is no scope of doing a quick U turn ( Unlike places like Nagarahole where you vision can run long so there is more time to judge and react ). Is there a list of roads/State highways in Karnataka that provide high-probability wildlife encounters ?

Giri Hole should be a tributary of the Kumaradhara. Some people refer Giri Hole as Kumaradhara. Not sure though, will check and tell.

Originally Posted by airguitar

I actually like that these roads are bad and so the areas around are more pristine. You know, if you like to see something out of ordinary, you should be making that additional effort/hard work. Another example is Agumbe : the best you can get of Agumbe due to the good roads is just the sunset point

No Barkana, No Kundadri, No ARRS, No surrounding places in Sirimane and Kigga, you need to slog to get the best out of Agumbe. Anyone done ARRS ?

You want it then slog for it!!! Why do you think I go on treks??

Originally Posted by MX6

I had ARRS in my radar over the last trip. Unfortunately, conjuctivitis to the whole family had that cancelled. As of now, Addy seems to have best knowledge of ARRS. I will have a go at ARRS in Dec if all goes well!

MX, if possible, try to stay there for the night. They don't encourage touristy type of people. Only nature lovers are allowed to stay. I had been there in Jan 2009. If you want to go there only to see snakes, you will be disappointed. If you are lucky, you might see one, but AFAIK, they release the snakes immediately after collecting data.

They do give a presentation of their activities to visitors.

Originally Posted by pramod

River flowing next to NH48 is the Nethravathi. When u take a Left from Gundia to Subramanya, u will infact, cross the huge bridge across Nethravathi.

But, when u reach Uppinangadi (BC cross), u will see a confluence of Kumaradhara on the left and Nethrvathi on the right.
You would have crossed Nethravathi somewhere between Gundia and Shiradi on NH48, and hence u will see it on the right side.
This River joins xxxx river at Uppinangadi (BC cross).

Also, Nethravathi river forms a small hydro electric project, parallel to the NH48, a few Kms before Gundia checkpost. It is called "Kempu Kola" (Red coloured water body.... due to the color of the rainwater in monsoons i guess).

The rivers to your left in Shiradi ghats are Yattina Hole and Kempu Hole. Yettina Hole is in the upper part of the ghats and becomes Kempu Hole (Red River) after another stream, the Bettakumri Hole joins it. Kempu Hole later joins Nethravathi near Uppinangady.

The Nethravati river flows from Dharmasthala to Uppinangady and then on towards Mangalore.

[airguitar]

Thanks, Addy. What's Netravathi's course from near Samse till Dharmasthala /Ujire? Is it all wilderness or any towns on it way till then ?

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Kempu Hole later joins Nethravathi near Uppinangady.

Kempu Hole (also called Gundya Hole) joins Kumaradhara and not Nethravati as I had told earlier. Kumaradhara joins Nethravati at Uppinangady.

Originally Posted by airguitar

Thanks, Addy. What's Netravathi's course from near Samse till Dharmasthala /Ujire? Is it all wilderness or any towns on it way till then ?

From what I know, Dharmasthala is the first major town on the Nethravati. It passes Charmadi ghat road at Mundaje (a few kms from Ujire), reaches Dharmasthala and then to Uppinangady and on to Bantwal and Mangalore.