[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by genesis

@HVK: I think I took a turn before the point you had asked me to at Angamally. There is like a small bridge after construction and there is a road (1.5 laned ) going sharply to the right. The local people pointed me in that direction and off I went. It was definitely not a main highway. Some patches were bad but I am used to Saki Naka in Mumbai plus gypsy. Mostly no signs and some at T junctions in Malayalam

There was a large stretch through a plantation (mostly palm) which we managed to get into at 5.50 pm. (it said athirapally plantation) because the gate there closes at 6.00 pm.

Yes, that is the Angamali-Malayatoor road, which passes through palm oil plantations of the Plantation Corporation (a PSU) and crosses the River Chalakudy some 5 kms before Athirapalli Falls. This is a shorter route compared to the route via Chalakudy. The bridge was built a few years ago - I have crossed the river on a ferry in the year 2002.

[genesis]

"Many have I loved - Many times been bitten
Many times I've gazed along the open road"

The road from Athirapally to Valparai starts with a forest checkpost at Vazachal and then winds through fairly dense forests





Skirting occasional lakes



And an occasional dam



Some abandoned churches



And if you look carefully behind the leaves



One can catch glimpses of the Giant Malabar Squirrels





Some Lion Tailed Macaques



Then the road starts winding up





Civilization begins to appear





And soon one can see tea estates and factories at Mallakiparai where the hills turned another shade of green






We stopped to take photographs



Of man made nature



And Machines



And as we turned around a curve, my better half pointed up the slopes and gently said..."Look Elephants"...

[hvkumar]

You did not hear the din of the cicadas in the bamboo-infested jungles after Sholayar?

The Chalakudy-Athirapalli-Valparai road holds lots of memories for me, I also consider it one of India's prettiest drives - as your photos have also demonstrated.

The first time I went on this road was in 1988 in my mobike - I had been rebuffed at the gates to Top Slip/Parambikulam ("no bikes allowed, saar") and landed up in Valparai. We had never heard of Valparai before. On questioning the locals, they said the "Punnagai Mannan Falls" (as Athirapalli Falls is named after a popular Tamil movie of those times) was "just" a "little away". That "just a little" turned out to be one of the scariest rides of our lives, turned out to be the 75 kms to Athirapalli, when we must have seen 2 cars, 3 people, 4 cows and 5 elephants literally the next 2-3 hours.

[genesis]

"And if I say to you tomorrow
Take my hand, child, come with me
It's to a castle I will take you
Where what's to be, they say will be"

There in the midst of a tea garden on a slope was a mother and child having their evening snack.



Spent a lot of time just marveling at them and their moods
















and then it was time to move down the road to Valaparai



Called a few tea estate bungalows but they either did not answer or were full. Went to the 'default' choice of Green Hill hotel but they too were full.
But they sent a boy to take us to another no name building which was their 'extension' around a km away. Nothing too exciting but neat and clean. Enough to spend the night.

Checked in. Wandered around the town market



Grabbed some Kerala Parotas and Chilly Fried Meat in a small hole in the wall 2 table shack.



It will count as one of the tastiest meals I have ever had and after ordering a few plates more, it was time to walk back to the room and drift off to sleep...

[bejoy]

Awesome trip genesis. And wonderful photos too.

Originally Posted by genesis

The road from Athirapally to Valparai starts with a forest checkpost at Vazachal and then winds through fairly dense forests

Could you elaborate a bit on this route? Is it motor-able by car?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by bejoy

Could you elaborate a bit on this route? Is it motor-able by car?

Of course, it can be done by any car.

It is the Chalakudy-Valparai road.

Chalakudy-Athirapalli 35 kms-Vazhachal 5-Peringalkuthu Dam Check Post 5-Sholayar Dam 25-Malakkiparai Check Post 24-Valparai 22.

Chalakudy is on NH47 between Trissur (20 kms) and Kochi (40 kms)
Valparai is 50 kms from Pollachi which is again 40 kms from Coimbatore.


Athirapalli & Vazhachal are waterfalls.
Between the check posts, entry is restricted at night - Genesis, what are the exact timings for the restrictions - closes at 6 pm and reopens at 5 am?
Thick forests, one-lane road, dense elephant/bison wildlife on road.
No steep sections, except on Valparai-Pollachi road which has 36 hairpin bends down to the plains.
Valparai is all tea county.

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Of course, it can be done by any car.

It is the Chalakudy-Valparai road.

Thanks for the update, HVK. I have been to Athirapally during my school days. Didn't knew much about this route, though i knew it existed. Also, since genesis traveled by a Gypsy, thought it is another 4x4 challenge

[pypkmsrikanth]

Thanks for sharing your memories, you have got some wonderful pictures. Looks like Sholayar dam is close to full now. That would be a sight with the road winding next to the backwaters for a good couple of kms.

Originally Posted by genesis

Some Lion Tailed Macaques
Attachment 466663

Those are the Nilgiri Langurs not LTM's though both look very similar. Here is a shot of a LTM which I had taken during my trip to Valparai

[Rajesh K R]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Of course, it can be done by any car.

It is the Chalakudy-Valparai road.

Chalakudy-Athirapalli 35 kms-Vazhachal 5-Peringalkuthu Dam Check Post 5-Sholayar Dam 25-Malakkiparai Check Post 24-Valparai 22.

Chalakudy is on NH47 between Trissur (20 kms) and Kochi (40 kms)
Valparai is 50 kms from Pollachi which is again 40 kms from Coimbatore.


Athirapalli & Vazhachal are waterfalls.
Between the check posts, entry is restricted at night - Genesis, what are the exact timings for the restrictions - closes at 6 pm and reopens at 5 am?
Thick forests, one-lane road, dense elephant/bison wildlife on road.
No steep sections, except on Valparai-Pollachi road which has 36 hairpin bends down to the plains.
Valparai is all tea county.

HVK Sir,

I will be going to Munnar and then am planning to travel to Guruvayoor and return to BLR via Nilambur route.

Is there any short route from Munnar to Chalakudy ( on my way to GVR), so that i can also try and squeeze in a short stop at Athirapally falls ?

If yes, how far would that be and would it be doable in a hatch ? ( I will be driving a Wagon-R) Also, would it mean a detour of my intended route from Munnar to GVR ( i am a little short pressed on timings)

would really be glad if you would advise me whether it would be wise to fit in Athirappally falls or maybe reserve it for a later trip ( i am planning to do a valparai trip separately next year)

Rajesh.

[pypkmsrikanth]

If you go to Munnar via Thrissur then all you need to do is take the detour at Chalakudy a matter of a couple of hours to your journey time apart from the time spent at the falls.

[hvkumar]

There is no way you can optimise by going off into the Chalakudy-Athirapalli-Valparai road, although if your intention is to simply visit Athirapalli, you can detour from NH47 and go to and fro Athirapalli from Chalakudy.

From Munnar, you have to come to Udumalaipet, then link up to the Valparai road coming from POllachi and go to Chalakudy which does not make any sense.

[Rajesh K R]

@ HVK Sir & @pypkmsrikanth : Thanks for the suggestions. Then i will save Athirapally visit during a Valparai trip which is being planned for 2011.

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by genesis

Lijoshmohan N.K a techie and offroader from Bangalore who owns a lovely homestay in Munnar called GreenSpaces Munnar

Greenspaces Munnar |Home stay |Bed and Breakfast B&B| Location - Munnar|Munnar Kerala|Munnar hotels|Munnar resorts|Munnar Hotels & Resorts|Munnar tea plantations

@ Genesis - Would like your opinion on Greenspaces Resort in Munnar.

Also any idea how far it is from Sterling resorts?

[genesis]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

@ Genesis - Would like your opinion on Greenspaces Resort in Munnar.

Also any idea how far it is from Sterling resorts?

we loved our stay at green spaces. if you have your own car it is ideal.

It is not a 'resort' in the traditional sense. It is more of a homestay with beautifully done up rooms and very quiet.

we extended our stay there.