A Lazy Drive Up The Seventy Hairpin Road...


Thread Starter #16
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
Wonderful TL again

So, this time you started your trip from Chennai.

All the pics are wonderful, Waiting for more pics and let us know the interesting places in Koli hills

BTW,How about Manza's Behavior on the abandon area?
Thanks AppU. Manza performed without a hitch. It was a comfortable drive as usual.


@HR

Always something unique in your travelogue; the pictures speak more than the words.

I don't know what to admire, the photographs or the photography?
Thanks Ram. I am glad you like my photos. If the subject/scenery is good anybody can get good photos. Photos are only reproducing the scene. So, we should admire the scenes.


Fantastic.,
Excellent photographs :)
Thanks Kichu!


Or the Photographer or the Camera or the lens? Infact its all. [clap]
You have forgotten the most important element... the subject.[;)]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


After breakfast we drove up to Semmedu View Point.

My wife trying her luck with some butterflies... We saw a lot of butterflies and insects on that shrub.

kollihills view 02.jpg


Butterflies...

butterfly kollihills 05.jpg

butterfly kollihills 06.jpg

butterfly kollihills 09.jpg

butterfly kollihills 10.jpg


This one was different...

butterfly kollihills 04.jpg


We also saw these cute little chicks...

hen kollihills 01.jpg


and a Hummingbird moth...

hummingbird moth kollihills 01.jpg

hummingbird moth kollihills 03.jpg


with some beautiful body graphics and brush like tail...


hummingbird moth kollihills 02.jpg


The steps to the view point...

kollihills view 03.jpg


Litters all around...

kollihills view 04.jpg


Views from the View Point...

kollihills view 01.jpg

kollihills view 05.jpg

kollihills view 06.jpg

kollihills view 07.jpg

kollihills view 08.jpg


Watch tower of the forest department to monitor forest fires...


kollihills view 09.jpg


Places of interest... (for Appu)

kollihills 26.jpg


[to be cont...]
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2012
Messages
1,384
Likes
807
Location
Kerala
@HR

Good pictures indeed, as usual.

Due to time constrain we couldn't cover the entire spots during our visit there; and it was only a days visit. We reached almost 10.30 am there and started at 3.30 pm.
Visited the botanical garden, lake and the waterfalls going down the steps which took so much of time. We missed out the view point and probably more that I will come to know only after you completing the travelogue.
 
Thread Starter #18
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
@HR

Good pictures indeed, as usual.

Due to time constrain we couldn't cover the entire spots during our visit there; and it was only a days visit. We reached almost 10.30 am there and started at 3.30 pm.
Visited the botanical garden, lake and the waterfalls going down the steps which took so much of time. We missed out the view point and probably more that I will come to know only after you completing the travelogue.

Thanks Ram. And thank you for the encouragement. Much appreciated...

We too didn't do all the tourist spots. We visited the Lake/children's park, the Botanical Garden (but did not climb up till the view point), Semmedu view point, and Masilla falls.

The places we skipped were the Akasha ganga waterfalls (due to the no of steps to climb), Small falls, Namma falls (water only when it rains), and Sikku Parai view point.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


As we were driving out from the Semmedu view point towards the main road, we saw some Black Drangos flying around. As we stopped the car and got out, my wife spotted some red bird moving around on a huge tree. Turned out to be a woodpecker with a red crown. As it was in a distance I couldn't get any clear shot.

Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker/Black-rumped Flameback...


Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker kollihills 01a.jpg

Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker kollihills 02a.jpg

Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker kollihills 03.jpg

Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker kollihills 04.jpg


We reached the Botanical Garden and luckily it was open. We parked the car at the parking lot (free parking) and paid 25 rs as entry fees for both of us and the camera. The park was not maintained properly.


The Botanical garden...

kollihills 17.jpg


the parking lot...

kollihills 14.jpg


A boat in a pond... (not maintained and no water in the pond)

kollihills 16.jpg


A few flowers...

flower kollihills 24.jpg

flower kollihills 25.jpg

flower kollihills 26.jpg



I saw two dragon flies. One, in particular, was flying around a twig and sitting on it for a minute or so, then fly around, and comes back to sit on the same twig. This behavior gave me ample opportunity to wait for it and photograph it. The difference in the background and lighting of the photos are due to the fact that I was on my knees moving 360 degrees around the twig to get a good angle. I must have taken around 40 to 50 pictures of these. Most of the pictures came out good.


Enter the Dragon...

dragonfly kollihills 04.jpg

dragonfly kollihills 07.jpg

dragonfly kollihills 10.jpg

dragonfly kollihills 16.jpg

dragonfly kollihills 20.jpg

dragonfly kollihills 22.jpg

dragonfly kollihills 24.jpg


The Golden Dragon...

dragonfly kollihills 25.jpg

dragonfly kollihills 27.jpg


[to be cont...]
 
Last edited:
Thread Starter #19
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
There was nothing much to do at the botanical garden. There was a view point for which, we had to climb up. So we skipped it and returned to the stay and had lunch.

After lunch I was walking around the resort and found this bird walking across the driveway.


Yellow Wagtail...

Yellow Wagtail kollihills 02.jpg

Yellow Wagtail kollihills 03.jpg


and found this St Andrews Cross Spider...

Spider St Andrews Cross 02.jpg

Spider St Andrews Cross 04.jpg


After resting for some time we left for Masilla falls. We missed a left turn and went down on this beautiful road. After driving on that road for around 5 km, met one lone soul coming on a TVS50 and he told us about our mistake. So we turned back and drove back to the correct route.


a beautiful road to drive...

masilla falls 01.jpg

masilla falls 02.jpg

masilla falls 03.jpg


on the way to the falls we saw a Goose and some Ginny hens...


goose kollihills 01.jpg

goose kollihills 03.jpg

hen kollihills 03.jpg


When we reached the falls, there were some guys there. we waited for them to finish and then went in. My wife loved the falls and got drenched. We spend some time there and then returned back.


Masilla falls...

masilla falls 04.jpg

masilla falls 05.jpg

masilla falls 06.jpg


[to be cont...]
 
Last edited:
Thread Starter #20
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
The next morning we had time to kill till 9 am (breakfast time). So we took a small trek just opposite to the resort.


an easy trek...

kollihills 27.jpg

kollihills 28.jpg

kollihills 29.jpg

kollihills 30.jpg

kollihills 31.jpg

Common Myna...

common myna kollihills 03.jpg


Rufous Treepie...

Rufous Treepie kollihills 01.jpg


After breakfast we started our return drive. We had to drive through some single lane road to reach the Namakkal Salem highway. The road was great to drive with hardly any traffic.


Cattle Egret...

egret 01.jpg

egret 02.jpg


We then reached the highway, stopped at Sree Saravanabhavan for lunch and reached Bangalore by around 3pm.


Salem Krishnagiri highway...

salem highway 01.jpg

salem highway 02.jpg


Key takeaways from this trip...


  • We must have driven through around 180 hairpin bends around Kollihills. But It didn't feel special or any different from the other Hill stations that we have driven to.
  • Nallathambi resorts - the rooms had a murky smell.
  • Nallathambi resorts - the food was always late.
  • Kollihills - Botanical garden was not maintained properly.
  • Kollihills - The lake/children's park was somewhat maintained, but nothing much to do.
  • Kollihills - Masilla falls was a good place to go to.


A few corrections in the bird names - it is Green Bee-eater not Chestnut headed Bee-eater and Orange Minivet not Scarlet Minivet


Overall it was a nice relaxed drive and stay. But we wouldn't want to go there again.[;)]


BTW, there is a new road to Kolli hills that has only 3 hairpin bends. But then where is the fun?[:D]
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2012
Messages
1,121
Likes
472
Location
Bangalore
Nice photos. So the place is not worth re-visiting ? You felt Yelagiri a better place than this?

As usual, excellent coverage :)
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2012
Messages
1,384
Likes
807
Location
Kerala
@HR

Great travelogue, good coverage of Kolli Malai and fantastic pictures added the charm and of course very informative too [clap]

Thanks for sharing and looking forward to see your next TL
 
Thread Starter #23
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
Thanks you appus.

Too far for too little. That is Kollihills for us. Yelagiri? not again. But It had a very well maintained nature park. These places are good for trekking and we are way too old for that. These days we rely more on the wheels than our legs.[;)]

Valparai... any day.

BTW, have you been to Goa? We have been thinking about a trip, but somehow, if it is going to be just buildings and beaches, we would rather look elsewhere...
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2012
Messages
1,384
Likes
807
Location
Kerala
Thanks Ram. Now it is your turn. Where have you planned to go this time?
A short trip is due already. But to where, is the question mark. We covered most of the places in south and that too repeatedly. Going again and again to the same places is really boring.

Will you suggest some places in south within 700 to 800 kms from Bangalore?
 
Thread Starter #28
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
1,736
Likes
2,545
Location
Hosur/Chennai
A short trip is due already. But to where, is the question mark. We covered most of the places in south and that too repeatedly. Going again and again to the same places is really boring.

Will you suggest some places in south within 700 to 800 kms from Bangalore?
700 to 800 kms... a short trip? But then considering your long travels, 800 odd kms may seem short to you.[:D]

I would have thought of some destination in Kerala. But then, you might have done them all.

Have you considered Andhra? Konaseema seams attractive. Oops. This may not be the right time to go to Andhra [frustration]

Have you visited Megamalai, near Theni? That is one on our list.

I am sure you would have done Kanyakumari area. If not, it offers a lot of places likea drive up the coastal road to Muttom and various tourist spots near bylike the palace, temples, waterfalls, hanging bridge, dams, etc.

If you like a nature drive you can go to Nagarhole and stay at the Spice Garden homestay at Kutta.

Hey, what am I saying? This is like a student giving suggestions to the teacher...[:D]

BTW, have you been to Andamans?
 
Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
1,763
Likes
752
Location
Daman
Very good pictures and an interesting travelogue.
Number of hairpin bends are mind blowing.
Happy to note that Manza performed well to your expectations.

When reading the name Kolli hills, your post from another travelogue quoted below also came up in the another window.
My wife got very much interested in Nelliampathy after watching a fat lady showing us scenes of the place in a Malayalam TV travel program.
The same lady was showing scenes from Kolli hills (Kolli malai) in another episode of that program.

She was eating loads and loads of fruits (colourful rare varities - may be unique to that place) and then stocking huge quantities to consume on the way.
 

Top Bottom