Riding through the Malayora Highways (Hill Highway)

 Hailing from the Western Ghats, I find MOUNTAINS CALLING a befitting expression.

A custom – leaving Bangalore during the week of Deepavali – took us to the unmarred Western Ghats of Kasargod back in 2018. The escapade stayed with us, and after four years, we were back to revel in the winter of the Western Ghats. There are many routes to reach this part of God’s own country. The route to Kasargod and Kannur can be summed as: Meandering through winding, narrow roads in the forest - traverse the inconspicuous borders between the states. Later on, winding through excellent tarmac via small towns and hamlets.

 

 

 

Due to the last moment changes in the booking at our Airbnb, the journey was split into two days. Breaking the journey at (Kukke) Subramanya was mainly to descend the rustic Bisle Ghat. The road after deviating at Channarayapatna is not in the best of condition. Some stretches have patches, whereas others have crater-like potholes. The Bisle Ghat is rugged, making the other two ghats – Charmadi and Shiradi seem tamed. The simple and sumptuous akki rotti lunch at Udupi Veg Family Restaurant, Kudrasthe was an energy booster to descend the curves of Bisle.

The Dwara hotel at Subramanya is fine for a night’s stay. The new hotel next door Hotel Adithya Nest has better amenities for the same price, which unfortunately, we were late to learn. The euphoria of riding through the twists and turns of ghats was pacified by spending the evening by the river. An early dinner brought the exciting day to an end. 

 

 The route to Palavayal from Subramanya is pristine, untouched by tourists. The only vehicles on this enchanting route are the occasional locals commuting. Green plantations interspersed with forests; these narrow roads sporadically open up to a well-marked wide road. The aura of riding through green plantations interspersed with forest topped with thing layer of fog, cannot be captured by lens. Notwithstanding to lose the inexpressibly lovely ride on these twists the next brief stop was at Sullia to fuel the vehicles and ourselves. Riding on, a quick stop at one of the vantage points overwhelmed me with the vista – ranges of mountains until the eyes could see. The spectacular stretch between Kolichal and Cherupuzha falls under Kasargod part of Malayora Highway.

 

 

A faint devotional song playing from a temple in the vicinity mingled with the chirping of birds, the cawing of cocks, and the occasional pecking of a woodpecker is how the first day began at the charming Airbnb. Nestled in the middle of an areca-nut plantation, Palavayal Home Stay is next to the pristine Tejaswini River. This well-kept house is pure bliss to spend a few days away from the city. It is green around the property as long as your eyes can see, and a clear blue sky on top. The pleasantly cold mornings with a thin layer of fog and dew drops on the plants and trees gave the first impression of the winter ahead.  

A walk through the plantation leads you to the stream. The path through the plantation reminded me of walks back at my ancestral home. The flowing water hidden behind foliage has strong currents. It is well-known for white water rafting in the monsoon season. The water in the river remains cool throughout the day. Making it perfect to jump in anytime. The calm and quiet on the banks of the river snugged behind the thicket is priceless. The sound of water gushing through stones is accompanied by the chirping of various birds. This makes for a perfect soundtrack (white noise) to help you sleep once back in the city.

 

A bridge connecting Palavayal and further to Pulingome with Palavayal Farm Resorts at Enichal, is under construction for over four years. Without the bridge, it is a roundabout of 12 kilometres to reach the town that is otherwise two kilometres away. A temporary (4year old) bamboo footbridge (Enichal Bamboo Bridge)lets pedestrians get across the river. Autorickshaws wait on either side of the bridge to ferry the passengers to the next destination. A temporary fix to make the daily life of locals smooth can be exotic to the outsiders (coming from cities). Having seen many such bridges across north-east India, it was surprising to see one in the most progressive state of Kerala.

Mohanan - the gentleman who took care of us at the homestay purchased a second two-wheeler parked on the other side of the bamboo bridge. He has to commute to towns on the other side of the bridge for work. His wife works at Pulingome. It is hard to imagine that a mere two-kilometre commute can be as cumbersome as this.

As with all nice things, this trip was coming to an end. Starting on Friday morning, it was time to explore more of Malayora Highway.

On the fantastic tarmac of the Kannur part of Malayora Highway, I was stopped by a police officer just after crossing the town of Payyavoor. The dialogue followed as below: It must be rare for them to see a fully geared motorcycle rider, and they didn’t know it was a lady riding.

PO – Police Officer; M – Me

PO: Where are you heading?
M: I am going to Bangalore
PO: Where are you coming from?
M: From Palavayal
PO: What were you doing there?
M: I was staying at The Palavayal Home Stay for a week. I was working from there this week.
He was still not convinced and kept asking more about the stay, and I had to explain the concept of work-cation.
PO: So you go alone on this motorcycle everywhere?
M: Yes, I like riding and prefer to ride alone

The police officer was fascinated and appreciated a bunch of times, uttering 'very well'. Most of the conversation happened in Malayalam. He was merrier when he learnt that I am not a Malayali but married to one and have learnt the language. The route was written and kept in the tank bag. The police officer was curious. He was told it is better to ask the locals than to trust and follow (everyone's beloved) Google chechi. He sent me off with a wave and many more 'very good, keep it up!'

Kerala state police are distinguished. They are unlike the conventional police force. It is comfortable to strike a conversation with them. They are well-behaved and treat others with respect.

The State Highway 59 (SH-59), Hill Highway also known as Malayora Highway is proposed to connect the northern most district of Kasargod with the southernmost Thiruvananthapuram passing through 13 of 14 districts in Kerala. Most part of the highway in Kasargod and Kannur districts are complete except a few stretches. The traffic is still not very high through these roads. From Kannur, it will deviate to Wayanad and Malappuram- two branches. Once complete this will be the most exciting route to witness the beauty of Western Ghats in Kerala.

Ending with the picture of the most important part of the trip – the transporters

 

Kasargod – God’s own District in God’s own Country

Riding a motorcycle brings out the child in you. When a troupe of kids wave at you from a school bus, it is because you are living their dream of riding a motorcycle. This is one of the most exciting moments on a motorcycle trip. A seven-year-old boy ran to the road shouting ‘KTM, KTM’ while riding through an unknown village road to Settukunnu in Wayanad! That is a riveting moment on our road trips.

With our frequent ride on the BM road, the trip to Hassan is now like the homecoming. The stretch between Hassan and Sakleshpur remains dreadful.Hotel Aashrita(Tel: 08453994105, dbl 1000 onwards) on BM road in Sakleshpur is a convenient option to stay. Surabhi Restaurant, which is part of the Hotel, is an ideal location to increase the footfall of the travellers. They dish up basic vegetarian food with some specialities from Hassan and Mangalore cuisine. Rooms are clean and tidy with helpful staff. Hot water is available between 5 and 7 AM.

Starting early on Saturday morning from Sakleshpur was a good idea. We cruised through the newly laid Shiradi ghat road sans the traffic. Turn left onto Bandadka-Bangalore road at Gundya. It takes a little more than an hour to reach Subramanya. A few kilometres before Subramanya, atHotel Devi Hallimane, we enjoyed the faint drizzle that lasted a mere ten minutes. The route from Gundya to Sullia is enticing, meandering through the forest with the tarmac of the roads in excellent condition. Be prepared for the bumpy ride after deviating from Sullia towards Panathur. The scenery is worth the pain, with zero tourist traffic. KSRTC - Kerala and Karnataka - buses ply on this route, the road bifurcates into two at Narkoodu. The right deviation goes through Bandadka other goes through Aletty- Kallappally. The road we chose is easier to go to Panathur.Gmaps. The Bandadka route connects to a place a little further from Panathur called Panathady. This is easier to get to Kolichal and further towards Kanhangad. Though, at the time of our trip, repair work was going on.Gmaps. Reaching Panathur was a relief from bad roads and satiating the craving for black tea (fondly called "Kattan" in Malayalam). Kolichal is 10 km from Panathur towards Kahnangad.

Kanila Eco Homestay lives up to its name - a simplistic and eco-friendly room with basic amenities. Host Vinod has been helpful starting from booking the place (there was a problem with making payment from the Airbnb app). His experience in the hospitality industry is evident in the way he takes care of every minute detail with his gentlemanly gestures. He is on his toes to make your stay comfortable and as enjoyable as possible. The property is the last house in the colony, with a calm and serene stream flowing by. An ideal place to sleep listening to the sound of flowing water when not gazing at the stars. Chirping birds work as the natural alarm and is the perfect place to enjoy your morning cup of tea without the newspaper - the worry about what's happening in the world. The room is adequately furnished with a kitchenette consisting of essential utensils. Lazy? Sit near the stream with your feet in the water to enjoy free fish therapy. Active? Ask Vinod to take you to a river 30min walk away and swim against the strong current.

Bhagamandala is 40km from Kolichal via Panathur-Karike through a treacherous road inside TalaCauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. Though the roads are pathetic, the ride is spectacular. Expect no traffic until you reach Bhagamandala. A left turn takes you to Madikeri, and 6km to the right takes you to the TalaCauvery temple. Recent floods have created havoc in this region - many trees are still lying partially on the road.

Kumara Parvata - trekkers' ecstasy

 

Kumaraparvata fondly known by the acronym KP among the trekkers, is a strenuous trek in South India.  There are two trails to reach the peak, one starting from Kukke and the other from Somwarpert in Coorg. The peak is at 1712m. The trail from Somwarpet is not so difficult as the base is already at 1100mts and we cover a mere 600m altitude in 7km. Kukke on the other hand is at 125m, requiring us to cover 1500m in 15km. The region falls under Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary.

 

We joined the BMC India group to do the trek. Trekking began at a narrow trail near Kukke Subramanya Temple at 8am after a nourishing breakfast. The first stretch was 7 km which we could cover in two hours and reached the famous Bhattara Mane at Girigadde by 10a.m. This stretch goes through dense forest, hence most of the trail is covered. It was disappointing to see plastic littered all around, spoiling the serenity of the jungle. The climb is steep and the added weight of tent and sleeping bags made it a bit more strenuous. One can't miss the Bhimana Bande (Bhima's rock) on this route, a favourite for group photo. 

 

Image courtesy: mytrekperiences.wordpress.com

 

Bhattara Mane is a time warped house of Narayana Bhatt. Built in typical Malanadu style, this house can accommodate any number of people with lots of food and hospitality. Like in any Malanadu region, there is literally 24hrs running water - cool and tasty. There are 4 restrooms to complete your abulitions. Typically they will dish up meals for 200+ trekkers on the weekend. Upma for breakfast and wholesome rice sambar pickle, with lots of buttermilk to wash it down, for lunch. It is a great place to feel nostalgic about childhood, if you grew up in rural village with cows and dogs running around and unpretentious people . The tea here reminded me of my ancestral home adding to the feeling at home. Remember, they carry all the supplies walking up the trail. We relished the meals with lots of respect thanking their hard work. 

(C) Vimal Samuel

Following an early lunch at 11a.m. few of us went ahead to unload the weight of sleeping-gear at our campsite near Forest Office, 5min walk from BhattaraMane. Keeping our bags as light as possible we commenced at 11.45am on the trail towards Shesha Parvata, the peak before Kumara Parvata. After a short ascent we came across a resting place with benches - this could be a brief stop to catch your breath. Next milestone is the stunning Kallu Mantapa. View from here is breathtaking. Just before reaching Kallu Mantapa there is a stream -a good refuelling stop. This trail between Kallu Mantapa and Shesha Parvata is the toughest with steep climbs and loose rocks. The view from Shesha Parvata is dazzling, if the sky is clear. Part of the trail from Somwarpet is visible from here.

A thick forest separates the two trails. The walk through this forest  gave us respite from the sun . A small stretch in this trail excited me a lot taking back to rock climbing classes, desiring for more of it. It was a huge rock we trudged on the extreme end pushing ourselves up with whatever we could get as support. It was very short but fun. It didn’t take much time to reach the peak from this point and we made it by 2.45 pm.

 

The cut off time to start our descent was 3.30p.m, as the clouds start covering up and gets darker, making it tricky to cross the forest.  We started to descend by 3.15pm, as the leaders were with the rest who were just reaching the peak. Keeping up with the tradition of getting lost we deviated the wrong way. After descending quite a distance we realized that we were on wrong trail. Shesha Parvata was on the opposite side so we had to wade through the enthralling jungle to get on the other side. There was no clear trail through this really thick forest, but what seemed to be an elephant trail with some dung (not fresh though). We decided to head back as the time was short. When we came out of the forest it surprised me to see some people. Talking to them we understood it was the Somwarpet trail. Pushing our limits and performance to the maximum, we reached the fork just in time to join the rest descending from the peak. The whole adventure took 45 minutes with minor ascends and descends.

 

 

 Descending to our campsite from the peak took two hours.  The trail seemed more pleasing with the sun turning orange and hiding behind the clouds intermittently. Watching the moon rise between the mountains was eye-catching.  Full moon was just 2 days away thus making it bright enough for us to get back to campsite, though we had to switch on our flashlights at some points.  Pitching our own tent gave a gratifying feeling. Wolfing  down a sumptuous meal we crashed into the sleeping bags and the next thing we knew it was morning with the birds chirping - and lot of people chit chatting and planning their day. It was surprising to see around 150 enthusiastic trekkers in one place. 

 

A healthy breakfast from Bhattara Mane and we started our descent towards Kukke. A little after reaching  the base, we drank tender coconut which gave us the much needed electrolytes. We were reminded of our trek to Sohkhmi (in Sohra) - though Kumara Parvata is not as strenuous as that - which had really tested our endurance. KP trek requires good endurance, it is like running a marathon, you need to keep going at a slow pace without stopping. This was a well deserved welcome back trek for us - three years since we did serious trekking. Now we are not able to rest our feet on ground and are already planning for the next trek!


How to reach: If you are driving from Bangalore, you can reach Kukke in the afternoon, post-lunch climb until Bhattara Mane and stay overnight. Start climbing at sunrise and reach the peak and descend which gives you lot of extra time.

KSRTC runs AC and Non AC buses to Kukke (Rs 600, Rs 300 respectively)

Where to Stay: There are many lodges around the temple in a wide range of prices, to stay at Kukke. Call up BhattaraMane if you need meals/stay. Carrying own tents is highly recommended. Mr Bhatt's contact number is +91-9448647947.

Forest Permission fee: Rs 200 per head, none is going to accompany you on the trail.

If you don't want to bother about these things, just join BMC on their well-planned trek by paying Rs 2700 per head.




Image courtesy: vishwanaths.wordpress.com

Day 1: Bangalore to Kukke overnight bus trip

Day 2: 6am : reach Kukke
8am to 10am:  reach Bhattara Mane and have lunch.
12noon - start from Forest Office and reach the peak by 3pm
3:30pm - ascend and reach Forest Office by 6pm to pitch the tent.

Day 3: After breakfast start at 8:30a.m and reach Kukke at 10a.m.
Leave Kukke by 12noon to reach Bangalore by 9pm.