[nairrk]

@kuttappan - Thanks your detailed routing.
To short, just drive upto Telichery/mahe on the NH (I know the usual routing) and then change direction towards kalpetta, Gudalur, Ooty. The distance quoted is 235kms.

@ranjittp1 - Thanks to you also.
Do we need to touch quilandy?
some other map showing that diversion to take after telicherry/mahe and proceed towards kalpetta..so on

Thanks

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by nairrk

@kuttappan - Thanks your detailed routing.
To short, just drive upto Telichery/mahe on the NH (I know the usual routing) and then change direction towards kalpetta, Gudalur, Ooty. The distance quoted is 235kms.

@ranjittp1 - Thanks to you also.
Do we need to touch quilandy?
some other map showing that diversion to take after telicherry/mahe and proceed towards kalpetta..so on

Thanks

The difference in between the two routes is negligible,I would recommend taking the route which is in better conditions,i havent travelled on tht route in the recent past,so best would be to ask around at Tellicherry.From Quilandi you would have to take the route via ulliyeri-balusseri-thamarassery and then join up the Kozhikode-Kalpetta NH212 @ T'sseri.

[nairrk]

@ranjitp1
yes that could be better idea - locals are better known about the good roads.

10days back I went to Guruvayoor. Kannur city area (especially from puthiyatheru to caltex junction ) is very bad with big potholes. Again at Telichery and city limit still
not good. At mahe the city roads totally gone and at that time they were doing repairs so total chaos (already the high way in mahe is too narrow). thereafter the roads are not so bad (again the city limit in all junctions are bad). But in Malappuram district the roads are comparitively good.
Thanks

[vinay.pillai]

Last week did Bangalore - Punalur - Trivandrum.
Took Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Salem - Madurai - Rajapalayam - Shencottah - Tenmala - Punalur - Trivandrum route.
Started at 4 PM from my home in Bangalore and was at Krishnagiri at 6 PM. At 10:30, we were in Madurai. The road till Madurai was simply superb. Even the Rajapalayam - Shencottah route was good. I was expecting bad road once I reach tenmala, but surprise surprise, road were good till Punalur. A small bad patch after Punalur, but from Aroor it was good till Trivandrum.

[unni.ak]

Originally Posted by vinay.pillai

I was expecting bad road once I reach tenmala, but surprise surprise, road were good till Punalur. A small bad patch after Punalur, but from Aroor it was good till Trivandrum.

Good to know that this route is in good condition. Dont you mean Ayoor?

[nairrk]

Roads in Tamilnadu always good comparing one in kerala.
A boon to drive along those roads.
I used to travel from Trivandrum to Chennai (via Nagercoil, Tirunelveli (Nellai), Madurai, Tiruchi, Villuppuram)-the roads were always good.
Now many road/flyovers in Tamilnadu are built/mainted by private agencies.
Thanks

[vinay.pillai]

Originally Posted by unni.ak

Good to know that this route is in good condition. Dont you mean Ayoor?

Yes, I meant to say Ayoor. Thanks for correction Unni

[Edsel Rulez!]

Originally Posted by vinay.pillai

A small bad patch after Punalur, but from Aroor it was good till Trivandrum.

Any idea what the MC Road (via Kottayam) is like these days? I need to drive from Cochin to Trivandrum next week, and I thought this would be a change from the dreary NH47. In the early 1990s I remember MC Road being a nice two-lane with plenty of twisties and mild gradients. In case four-laning is in progress, I expect this route is best avoided?

[coolclouds]

If you have no important reason, better stay off from MC road. NH47 is always many times better than MC road condition/time wise.

[SkyWalker]

Finished Cochin-Bangalore on 3rd Oct 09 - started at 5:45 AM and reached home near Indiranagar @ 2:50 PM. About 9 hours in total including 50 minutes for break.

Road were decent in Kerala and excellent from Avinashi onwards to Salem. I had gone for the Salem road to check how it was - not a very good idea. Lots of diversions and bad stretches. Stick to the Bhavani-Mettur TBHP recommended route.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

Road were decent in Kerala and excellent from Avinashi onwards to Salem. I had gone for the Salem road to check how it was - not a very good idea. Lots of diversions and bad stretches. Stick to the Bhavani-Mettur TBHP recommended route.

I too did the same mistake of going via Salem during my Munnar trip 2 weeks back. Came back through Bhavani Mettur and was 100 time better. Except for few potholes near Thoppur, road is excellent

[deepclutch]

Originally Posted by Edsel Rulez!

Any idea what the MC Road (via Kottayam) is like these days? I need to drive from Cochin to Trivandrum next week, and I thought this would be a change from the dreary NH47. In the early 1990s I remember MC Road being a nice two-lane with plenty of twisties and mild gradients. In case four-laning is in progress, I expect this route is best avoided?

You mean ernakulam-kottayam ,then via MC Road? Via MC Road ,it is under 4 hours to reach Trivendrum from Muvattupuzha ,if Road Conditions are good.KSRTC Takes 5 hours though.The Problem is ,MC Road touches through each and every town in Travancore.From Angamaly to Muvattupuzha ,though narrow ,MC Road is superb.

From Ernakulam to Kottayam ,2 Options are there.One is go till Cherthala ,and via thanneermukkam reach Kumarakom ,to Kottayam.the Other Option is Ernakulam-Thrippunithura-Poothotta-Thalayolaparamb-Kaduthuruthi-Ettumanoor-Kottayam.

[kuttapan]

Originally Posted by nairrk

@kuttappan - Thanks your detailed routing.
To short, just drive upto Telichery/mahe on the NH (I know the usual routing) and then change direction towards kalpetta, Gudalur, Ooty. The distance quoted is 235kms.

@ranjittp1 - Thanks to you also.
Do we need to touch quilandy?
some other map showing that diversion to take after telicherry/mahe and proceed towards kalpetta..so on

Thanks

Kannur-Thalassery-Nedumpoil-Mananthavady-Panamaram-S.Bathery would be a better route, no need to go via QUilandy, Kalpetta as that would be longer.

After reaching Mananthavady, find out where exactly you have to turn to Ooty. I am not sure if you need to go past Bathery.

[Edsel Rulez!]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

From Ernakulam to Kottayam ,2 Options are there.One is go till Cherthala ,and via thanneermukkam reach Kumarakom ,to Kottayam.the Other Option is Ernakulam-Thrippunithura-Poothotta-Thalayolaparamb-Kaduthuruthi-Ettumanoor-Kottayam.

Thanks for the hints. I mean to drive from Ernakulam to Kottayam via Vaikom, and then hit MC Road. Planning to leave at 5:30 a.m. I might take the Bullet if rains continue to stay away, so this road could be a better option for bikes. If it's potholed there's no point of course.

I didn't know about the first option. I've done the Poothotta route (and also another via Alleppey and Changanacherry through the Kuttanad region, though that is at least 30 km longer).

[nairrk]

Originally Posted by kuttapan

Kannur-Thalassery-Nedumpoil-Mananthavady-Panamaram-S.Bathery would be a better route, no need to go via QUilandy, Kalpetta as that would be longer.

After reaching Mananthavady, find out where exactly you have to turn to Ooty. I am not sure if you need to go past Bathery.

+
Thanks, I will check on that
presume, need not to touch sultan bathery.