It was a cold morning on February 5, 2017 and everything around us had an air of excitement as we headed to a hill station for a quick weekend getaway. With just one phone call, the kids got up and, so excited they were about the adventure, they set out with their treasure trove of games.
With our sweaters and caps we get dressed and in a Qualis vehicle we start our journey at 7 am from Bangalore. The driver (hired taxi) was to blame for being late and we set off to meet a friend’s family.
Going quickly through the roads of Bangalore and the hustle and bustle of the crowd, we soon find ourselves enveloped in the serene beauty of nature. Coconut trees, bananas and green pastures welcomed us on the route to Tirupattur. Gliding through 11 hairpin turns, we reached the “Yelagiri” hills and were mesmerized by the beauty and calm. Fresh air filled our nostrils and we reached our destination at 11.30am. With excitement at its peak, the children longed to go boating. The ‘Punganoor Lake Park’ offers rowing and rowboat rides and the surrounding scenery is breathtaking. We opted to row a boat and went the length and breadth of the lake. This was just the beginning, as they looked forward to more adventures in the “Wild Adventure Zone”. Here, the children were completely lost with numerous games: archery, car rides, wall climbing, zip-lining, etc. Before they could venture further, it was a much-needed lunch break. After savoring the local specialties paddu, mirchi, vada and various varieties of fruits – lychee, jackfruit, acorn, panir, guava, etc., we headed to a country house. A beautiful place to relax and the perfect place to unwind was a huge room with 2 king size double beds.
The kids got their Shuttle and Frisbee bats to play, while the two of us settled in to play chess on the comfortable bed. Night came, with a plan for the Murugan temple and Venkataramana temple, after which we had to go to the nature park. After fulfilling the prayers to the deities, it was getting dark and we cut through the natural park to the musical fountain. With the colorful water running to the rhythm of popular music songs, the children had fun eating sweets and chips. After a long day, it was time to finish with a quick, half-asleep dinner.
The next morning, we woke up re-energized for a long-awaited hike to Swamimalai Hills. With a cup of hot tea / coffee and bournvita, we all tied our shoelaces with our trekking pants and bottles of water to climb to the top of these famous hills. Starting at 8.30 am the path led us into the forest, surrounded by huge trees, with steps, rock stones and a muddy path. At 10 am, we successfully reached the top to have experienced this feat of climbing the hills and feeling the beauty around us. The happiness and pleasure you feel can only be experienced. After having spent almost an hour eating sandwiches, cookies, watermelon, papaya, raw mangoes, we bowed at the temple and began our walk along the way. Balancing the unevenness of the terrain, we arrived at the base around 12 at night.
It was time to leave the farm house and we did it easily, because the next thing was the waterfall. Dreaming of waters in the hot afternoon, brought smiles to the children and at the same time they got tired of the long walk. The Jalagambarai waterfalls were located about 40 km from Yelagiri and we fell asleep as soon as we made our way to our vehicle. The afternoon nap worked wonders, as could be seen with children and adults alike excited to jump in and dive into the falls. A neat flight of 80 stairs led us to the waterfall and everyone took a good dip in it.
We returned from the falls and after a little tea break, we said goodbye to Yelagiri and started back to Bangalore.
A healthy family pack with the best refreshing change. Would recommend to anyone for a quick getaway (170 kms from Bangalore).
