A leisure ride with a beast into the wild !

Ride_4_Fortune · 6th March 2011, 22:46

Some time back I did a leisure ride in the Western ghats. This was a day trip with a fellow rider. I have noted down the vital points of my trip and I hope you would enjoy the pictures.

Vital Statistics:

Route: Coimbatore ---> Mettupalayam ---> Kallar ---> Katteri Junction (before Coonoor on Mettupalayam – Ooty highway) ----> Manjoor ----> Gedhai ----> Kizh Gedhai ----> Pilloor ----> Veliankadu ----> Karamadai ----> Coimbatore

Steeds: Bullet STD 350 (2 of them)

Total Distance: 180 km

Road: 80% Ghat roads, 95 hair pin bends in total (some of them very steep), roads through reserve forests infested with wild life

Best Road: Mettupalayam to Katteri Junction via Kallar. Excellent ghat road which is a NH

Worst Road: Some section from Manjoor to Penstock view point, some sections from Gedhai till Veliankadu

Steep Road: Manjoor to Pilloor – 25km with 43 hair pin bends through reserve forests

Plain road: Coimbatore to Mettupalayam

Nature’s Fury: Rain, Fog and Cold Weather (all this during the Ghat riding

)

Food availability: Small eateries in Manjoor. No hotels/restaurants on this route

Tourist’s attraction: Tea estates, Dams, View point (Penstock), Trekking Sheds (Penstock)

Highest point reached: 1700 m above MSL

Highlight: One of the best Tea I ever had

hvkumar · 7th March 2011, 10:36

Can you give distance coordinates for the route you took?
I guess the road you took on return is also the one running from Manjoor to Agali & Anakatti?
Did you have any trouble getting permissions at the check post? Where are the checkposts? Night driving restrictions?
What timings did you do on each of the sectors?

laluks · 7th March 2011, 11:10

Hey! When did you do this?
Interesting route and views.

Ride_4_Fortune · 7th March 2011, 12:11

@hvk - please find the details :

1) Can you give distance coordinates for the route you took?

Approx. distance as follows

i) Coimbatore to Mettupalayam - 30 km
ii) Mettupalayam to Katteri via Kallar - 60 km
iii) Katteri to Manjoor - 25 km
iv) Manjoor to Kizh Gedhai via Gedhai - 30 km
v) Kizh Gedhai to Veliankadu via Mulli, Pilloor dam - 25 km
vi) Veliankadu to Karamadai - 10 km
vii) Karamdai to Coimbatore - 20km (Karamadai is on the Coimbatore - Mettupalayam highway)

Sorry that this is only approximate distances and I don't have the exact numbers.

2) I guess the road you took on return is also the one running from Manjoor to Agali & Anakatti?

No, this is a different route via Gedhai and Mulli. I don't remember having seen any route directly from Manjoor to Anaikatti. I don't think this exists as these are dense reserved forest. But I think there is a route from Veliankadu to Anaikatti but I am yet to explore this as last time when I tried, I ended up in a tribal hamlet and I had to explain them the reason why I landed in their village.

3) Did you have any trouble getting permissions at the check post?

No problem in the check post as I was climbing down the forest from Coonoor side via Katteri and Manjoor. I told the officials that I was coming from Penstock trekking shed which was convincing for them.

4) Where are the checkposts?

If I am not wrong, there were 2 of them - one at Kizh Gedhai and another after Pilloor dam just before Veliankadu.

5) Night driving restrictions?

Yes, after 5.30 PM, driving is restricted due to heavy wild life movement between Manjoor and Veliankadu and the officials are really strict about this as I was denied permission once during my earlier ride. This was at 5.00 PM when I wanted to go from Veliankadu to Pilloor dam.

6) What timings did you do on each of the sectors?

I started Coimbatore around 8.00 AM and most of the riding was during the day. I did the restricted area/forest during afternoon and early evening. The locals at Manjoor also warned me of the elephants movement during dusk as this is an elephant corridor.

@laluks : Thanks for the comments. I did this trip last year decmeber.

Cedia2013 · 31st July 2013, 02:28

Hi am planning a trip by car this weekend via karamadai manjur kallar connoor ooty. How is the road for four wheeler commute?

Ddrive · 31st July 2013, 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cedia2013

Hi am planning a trip by car this weekend via karamadai manjur kallar connoor ooty. How is the road for four wheeler commute?

Cedia,
Im just connecting me to this thread.
After doing this, please post pictures, road updates and restrictions if any.

Regards.

Ride_4_Fortune · 5th August 2013, 11:34

The route is very much doable by four wheelers !

Drive Safe.

6th March 2011, 22:46	#1
Ride_4_Fortune BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Chennai Posts: 92 Thanked: 28 Times	A leisure ride with a beast into the wild ! Some time back I did a leisure ride in the Western ghats. This was a day trip with a fellow rider. I have noted down the vital points of my trip and I hope you would enjoy the pictures. Vital Statistics: Route: Coimbatore ---> Mettupalayam ---> Kallar ---> Katteri Junction (before Coonoor on Mettupalayam – Ooty highway) ----> Manjoor ----> Gedhai ----> Kizh Gedhai ----> Pilloor ----> Veliankadu ----> Karamadai ----> Coimbatore Steeds: Bullet STD 350 (2 of them) Total Distance: 180 km Road: 80% Ghat roads, 95 hair pin bends in total (some of them very steep), roads through reserve forests infested with wild life Best Road: Mettupalayam to Katteri Junction via Kallar. Excellent ghat road which is a NH Worst Road: Some section from Manjoor to Penstock view point, some sections from Gedhai till Veliankadu Steep Road: Manjoor to Pilloor – 25km with 43 hair pin bends through reserve forests Plain road: Coimbatore to Mettupalayam Nature’s Fury: Rain, Fog and Cold Weather (all this during the Ghat riding ) Food availability: Small eateries in Manjoor. No hotels/restaurants on this route Tourist’s attraction: Tea estates, Dams, View point (Penstock), Trekking Sheds (Penstock) Highest point reached: 1700 m above MSL Highlight: One of the best Tea I ever had Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

7th March 2011, 10:36	#2
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Re: A leisure ride with a beast into the wild ! Can you give distance coordinates for the route you took? I guess the road you took on return is also the one running from Manjoor to Agali & Anakatti? Did you have any trouble getting permissions at the check post? Where are the checkposts? Night driving restrictions? What timings did you do on each of the sectors?
	() Thanks

7th March 2011, 11:10	#3
laluks Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 6,552 Thanked: 16,397 Times	Re: A leisure ride with a beast into the wild ! Hey! When did you do this? Interesting route and views.
	() Thanks

7th March 2011, 12:11	#4
Ride_4_Fortune BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Chennai Posts: 92 Thanked: 28 Times	Re: A leisure ride with a beast into the wild ! @hvk - please find the details : 1) Can you give distance coordinates for the route you took? Approx. distance as follows i) Coimbatore to Mettupalayam - 30 km ii) Mettupalayam to Katteri via Kallar - 60 km iii) Katteri to Manjoor - 25 km iv) Manjoor to Kizh Gedhai via Gedhai - 30 km v) Kizh Gedhai to Veliankadu via Mulli, Pilloor dam - 25 km vi) Veliankadu to Karamadai - 10 km vii) Karamdai to Coimbatore - 20km (Karamadai is on the Coimbatore - Mettupalayam highway) Sorry that this is only approximate distances and I don't have the exact numbers. 2) I guess the road you took on return is also the one running from Manjoor to Agali & Anakatti? No, this is a different route via Gedhai and Mulli. I don't remember having seen any route directly from Manjoor to Anaikatti. I don't think this exists as these are dense reserved forest. But I think there is a route from Veliankadu to Anaikatti but I am yet to explore this as last time when I tried, I ended up in a tribal hamlet and I had to explain them the reason why I landed in their village. 3) Did you have any trouble getting permissions at the check post? No problem in the check post as I was climbing down the forest from Coonoor side via Katteri and Manjoor. I told the officials that I was coming from Penstock trekking shed which was convincing for them. 4) Where are the checkposts? If I am not wrong, there were 2 of them - one at Kizh Gedhai and another after Pilloor dam just before Veliankadu. 5) Night driving restrictions? Yes, after 5.30 PM, driving is restricted due to heavy wild life movement between Manjoor and Veliankadu and the officials are really strict about this as I was denied permission once during my earlier ride. This was at 5.00 PM when I wanted to go from Veliankadu to Pilloor dam. 6) What timings did you do on each of the sectors? I started Coimbatore around 8.00 AM and most of the riding was during the day. I did the restricted area/forest during afternoon and early evening. The locals at Manjoor also warned me of the elephants movement during dusk as this is an elephant corridor. @laluks : Thanks for the comments. I did this trip last year decmeber.
	(1) Thanks

31st July 2013, 02:28	#5
Cedia2013 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Chennai nearby Posts: 18 Thanked: 36 Times	Re: A leisure ride with a beast into the wild ! Hi am planning a trip by car this weekend via karamadai manjur kallar connoor ooty. How is the road for four wheeler commute?
	() Thanks

5th August 2013, 11:34	#7
Ride_4_Fortune BHPian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Chennai Posts: 92 Thanked: 28 Times	Re: A leisure ride with a beast into the wild ! The route is very much doable by four wheelers ! Drive Safe.
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