Bettamugilalam and Panchapalli Dam - A ride through the forest 13/05/2018
Place: Bettamugilalam, Aiyur forest and Panchapalli Dam
Distance: 200 km round tripType: Forest, Sightseeing
Ideal for: Friends
It's not about the destination but the road we take.This trip has proved the above quote right. After my Rayakottai trip, I fell in love with the countryside roads in TN. My eyes were eagerly searching for another such destination that's when I stumbled upon this place on TravelTwosome. After quiet research, I came to know there's a small village at the destination but the route is very good. I wanted to ride through the forest in this summer so Bettamugilalam was a perfect choice for me.
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Best of the beast: The beautiful route through the Bamboo forest |
Saravana Bhavan: My expectation from restaurants in TN went low after my last visit to Rayakottai, so keeping my expectations low I entered this restaurant which looked average in appearance. The menu had only Idli-vada and Pongal for the breakfast. We ordered Idli-Vada and it was very tasty. I realized why this restaurant was recommended by almost everyone on blogs. Tasty lunch was followed by a hot tea and a low bill. Bill was only 200 for 4 despite we ordered extra idli and vada.
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Tasty idli-vada at Saravana Bhavan |
1. Denkanakottai -> Aiyur forest -> Bettamugilalam -> Panchapalli -> Denkanakottai
2. Denkanakottai -> Panchapalli -> Bettamugilalam -> Aiyur forest-> Denkanakottai
The first route isn't recommended as there is a forest check post just before Aiyur forest who doesn't allow entry to the forest. So we took the second route.
I started navigation to the Panchapalli Dam. After 30 mins of the ride, the scenery drastically changed. We could see hills at far distances and greenery around us. We stopped our bikes to appreciate the view. The road is very narrow and descending. Dams are usually constructed at a lower altitude so the descent wasn't surprising for us but the roads were very narrow and allowed only one to pass at a time. Luckily we were on the bike so we didn't face any problem but if you are in a car then drive carefully.
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The route getting prettier as we were nearing Panchapalli Dam |
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We pulled over bikes to capture the view and few selfies |
Panchapalli Dam: As we were nearing the dam the scenery got better. We stopped near the dam bridge to catch a view of the surroundings. Sadly there was very little water in the dam. I bet when the water is full the place would look astonishing as per the image I saw on TravelTwosome blog. After taking a couple of pics we walked closer to the water. There was an abandoned boat which became our studio for the photography. And a submerged idol of god reminded me of the movie Vishwaroopam.
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Panoramic view of the Panchapalli Dam. |
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The dam would look even more gorgeous if the water level is high |
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Abandoned stone statue of a Hindu God reminded me of the movie Vishwaroopam |
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crazy group pics are the most memorable ones :D |
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Abandoned Boat was a perfect frame for a photo of the day |
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Rode pulsar 200 NS for the first time. I loved the riding experience |
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A trip is never incomplete without a crazy stunt like this |
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Uphill ride with sharp turns gave a thrilling riding experience |
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Off-road riding starts. It was difficult to ride than what is visible in this photo |
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Bettamugilalam - Final destination of the day |
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Stopped at this small restaurant for tea |
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Beautiful clouds and greenery made a perfect composition for the photo |
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Entering Bamboo forest |
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Stopped at this lovely spot to capture the photo |
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Taking a swag pic was the hidden reason behind the trip :D :D |
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Small temple near Semi Eri lake |
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Panoramic view of the Lake |
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How is my darling looking ;) |
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Spectacular view of the Nice Road |
Conclusion: As I told at the start of this blog, this trip is more about the journey than the destination. If you are looking for an offbeat place to drive your machine then this is the place for you. Go ahead and plan a trip to this place. I can assure you that you will have a smile on your face by the time you complete the ride.
Important points:
1. As told many times in the post this trip is about the journey, not the destination. Keep no expectations from the destination. Enjoy the roads and you will not be disappointed.
2. This route needs good riding skills especially the off-road part between Panchapalli and Bettamugilalam. Don't attempt this stretch if you are a noob rider.
3. Going in the car may be a bad idea for this trip because you will not be able to enjoy the drive as much you will be able to do on the bike and the routes are really narrow and difficult for the cars.
4. The phone network is available throughout the route except near Bettamugilalam.
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Amazing views of roads, really liked the bamboo forest pictures. I can imagine how beautiful the bike ride would have been. Kudos for sharing such an experience :)
ReplyDeleteThank you very much smitha ☺️ yes it was awesome route indeed. So when r u visiting. Looking forward to see post about this place soon on your blog 😎
DeleteGreat post. Loved reading it.
ReplyDeleteBoth these places are very calm and peaceful. As you mentioned at the beginning, the roads leading to these places are heavenly.
Thank you very much step together. Your post was very helpful to plan this ride :)
DeleteGood blog. Keep posting
ReplyDeleteThank you:)
DeleteCan we take car in this road?
ReplyDeleteYes you can take car on this road. I saw tractors running on this route and few cars as well.
DeleteFrom Denkanikotta to Bettamugilalam the roads are good for cars. We have a cottage on top. The scenery is awesome.
ReplyDeleteYes its really beautiful. You have cottage in Bettamugilalam?
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