Yelagiri is a small hill station near Tirupattur / Vaniyambadi in Vellore District, about 150 Kms from Bangalore and 220 from Chennai. Not very well known, with very little to see or do,  it is nevertheless getting increasing crowd from Bangalore and Chennai due to it being just off the 4 lane Golden Quadrilateral route. Quite a few hotels have come up in recent years although no fancy ones. A paragliding adventure activity was organised last year bringing a little more fame to the place.  This was the place chosen by me and some friends for a break / family get together. 2 families from Bangalore and 2 from Chennai were to meet up here in December 12-13 weekend to spend a relaxing holiday. For me this will be the first drive in a ghat section and no easier introduction than Yelagiri with well laid roads and just 14 Hairpin bends.

We left in our Ford Ikon an hour later than the planned 6:30 AM from home. The route was Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Vaniyambadi (GQ) - a little after the toll gate turn right (almost U turn) after exiting the GQ to join Vaniyambadi - Salem SH18, turn left about 10 KMs later at Ponneri to enter the Yelagiri Ghat Road. Click link for Google Maps Route to Yelagiri from Bangalore. As per plan I met my Bangalore friend at Adayar Ananda Bhavan (A2B), Chinnar about 27 KMs after Hosur. After finishing Breakfast continued on our way to reach Hotel Hills, Yelagiri by 11:30 AM. The distance was 163 KMs from our Home. The hill ride as expected was not difficult. It was beginning to get misty when we were driving but by the time our Chennai friends reached half an hour later, fog got heavier.

Yelagiri Ghat Road

Plains from Yelagiri Ghat Road

After completing the check in formalities and freshening up we left immediately to the Yelagiri / Punganoor lake. Just a couple of hundred metres away from the hotel, the lake is the main attraction in Yelagiri. A 3 rupee entrance ticket gives you access to the lake and a small park with children’s play area. There are pedal and row boats to go around the lake and our big group took two row boats (Rs 120 for 8 persons). It took about 15 minutes to cover the entire lake and we got some useful information from the boatman about possible sight seeing activities.

Yelagiri Lake

After this we wanted to go for a walk around the lake where a well laid path exists. However, it started raining heavily so we had to chnage plans and return to Hotel for lunch. The lunch was average but heavy but the service was very attentive. It was still raining heavily so we had to stay put in the hotel and catch up with each other’s lives. It was also getting foggier which gave a real hill station feel to the place. We could leave the hotel only around 5 when the rain subsided. We just went for a walk along the main road and returned to the nature park, with the attraction of a musical fountain. Unfortunately for us, it was cancelled due to rains. Initially they said they wanted at least 30 people (and no rains), when we offered to pay for 30 people and dont mind getting wet, they checked with someone and said, they couldnt take the music boxes out if it rains. The day ended with a light dinner and chatting till midnight.

Contd..

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