Light of the Hills- Part(1)

 

Once again after a short plan we decided to go to Hanate Betta on Saturday evening & we 6 got together started our journey at10pm,we were able to find a school  near our starting point which was situated in a small isolated village with  help of our teammate Ashok who is a local  of that place. Few years back this village was famous for some Nexal shoot-out incident, still that place was highly red alerted. So we didn’t dare to step into the risky village at Mid-Night.

 

Everybody slept very late in the night but I just couldn’t get a wink of sleep. Early in the morning due to lack of sleep I just couldn't get to move my body it just refused to budge even for morning activities. After a small drive we reached our target village; we spent so much time to find a suitable local person to guide us but no one was ready to come with us due to it being very risky, once again our teammate Ashok used his influence and finally we were able to get one person to guide us.

Though we approached the village early because of lot of issues we started around 9 in the morning.  I was in no mood to hike; I felt my body was so dull & heavy. I also tired in the beginning searching a guide with Ashok even then I was not enough to improve my hopeless condition. We followed a trail which continues through the village and goes steadily uphill. Initial few stretches was very tough almost impossible dragging my already tired body taking lot of rest throughout the journey I was able to reach the top of the Hanate Betta after 1 hour of tough climb

Hanate Betta name came for this hill because top of the hills seems like a small circle its looks like a Clay oil lamp this in Kannada we call Hanate. It was the best sight from the top of that hill; here we could gaze till the end of the horizon of the earth all around us it was such a great sight to see.

Bastikallu &KaradiHaneBetta

Beautyiful KaradiHaneBetta

On the top we had a Spectacular uncountable group of hills scenery along with charming villages and panoramic view of the deep valleys in bottom side. We spent some time on top & after a small photo session we descended steeply through a rough rocky terrain to Bastikallu. Had enough water near the forest and then the trail seemed easy as we reached the bottom of KaradiHaneBetta.

Then the trail continues to ascend more gently, through fine grasslands towards the Upper Hill, an hour’s walk brings us a vast upper meadow Area surrounded by ridges on two sides, it is open on the another side to sultry currents of air.

Hanate Betta

KoppalaGudda

 

A vertical division of grassland belts has been formed ranging through frigid meadows, shrub lands meadows & meadow steppe where the land is vast, and low hills are interspersed with valleys. We had food at the top of the Hill & after taking enough rest stepped to our next destiny.

To be continued…

Gateway to paradise-KarkiBetta

Fortunately everything worked out albeit last minute and we were able to enjoy a rejuvenating day by the pristine waterfalls, forests, mountains and grasslands of KarkiGudda. We took our usual route with usual team. First saw a beauty of Tirthkere waterfalls & later few kilo meters drive in terrible mud road we turned to walk instead of taking any risk to our vehicle.

We reached my friend Ashok house after a few minutes of walk. Whole house welcome us heartily & we all filled our stomach with very delicious foods & next started to walk inside his estate. First we visit a beautiful small waterfall Kerkolalu near to Ashok house which situated between thick coffee estates.

First few hours path was surrounded by a beautiful chilliness Coffee estates & a very large swathe of dense Shola forests still these estates retain large tracts of Shola, grasslands and naturalized forests between the Coffee plantations. After nonstop walk we entered open vast grassland which bottom of the greenish mountain.

First we hike initial small peak and then able to see a real hygienic beauty of this beautiful mountain. It’s a heaven to seeing a whole beauty from this step. From the top of the First step we are not even willing to believe we could climb it because from there it seems very step &sharp. But doing adventure is a great part of our journey so everyone happily energetically facture of times reached the top.

This time it was not at all warmth in the whole journey, it was a Salubrious weather in our whole journey. Even the mid day was bitterly cold. We started to shiver heavily in the peak at midday only. But still we manage to spend almost an hour of time on the peak.

Watching the groups of Mountains from the top was undoubtedly scenic being a large expanse of gentle grass mountains with Shola forest so after enjoying the scene briefly; we decided to return to back because of lack of time.

On return we chosen another side of the mountain n while walking through the meadows by the grasslands, we soon came across a feral lone large wild Sambar strolling just little distance from us. how shy these enormous beasts are. One look at us and them soon turned tail and scooted off into the forest. It ought to have been the other way around!

It is amazing how many new places are waiting to be discovered on every visit. New mountain tops, new meadows, new Sholas, new views, new waterfalls and plenty of new wildflowers and birds.

The Karki landscape never ceases to amaze with its stark beauty, vast expanses of true grasslands, swathes of Shola in the gentle valleys with gushing streams, and the ethereally beautiful crystal waterfalls.

Merthi Betta

Merthi Betta was always on my mind it had a strange kind of attraction, I had seen this mountain when I had gone to visit my friend in ‘Kallugudda’ four years back and we had trekked to Hornadu from his place and I had seen this majestic mountain, we decided to go to this place on our next trek unfortunately due to lot of disturbances in this area we couldn't make it.

January 2007 our Udupi YHA had planned a trek to this place, it was like dream come true and i immediately joined the two day trekking program, we had our lunch at a place Basrigatte village parked our vehicles at a temple, there was a guide who was supposed to take us but some how he didn't turn up finally we found another local who agreed to guide us, later we hired a jeep and started our journey into the wild.

We had to get permission from the estate which we had to enter, we left our jeep and entered the estate, the guide took us to a natural cave which was in the thick forest the cave also had good stories evolved around it which the guide enlightened us with, we spent some time in the cave and continued our journey.

By evening we found a flat ground in-between two mountains and our guide suggested that we halt for the night there, he gave us some guidelines as to reach the top and the guide left us.

Adiga sir who was heading our team went to get permission from the estate again to use their water and halt in their area, so we had many groups which split to collect firewood one for water from estate and one to build the camp fire and some settled to watch the sunset,

Adiga sir took the initiative to cook and we had a splendid dinner.Next morning with new spirit we started to the peak of Merthi. For the next 1hour walk was fantastic with clouds and great scenery, everyone was shivering though we very having a brisk walk because of the cold wind,

finally we reached the peak & spent some time we could see unending mountain range clouds sailing over a very spectacular view, and we returned back, while returning we found a different route with help of a local boy.

On the way back we found many small waterfalls on this different route End of this trip was a little tragic as one of my friends from Mysore Anirudh fell down 20ft down our final steps to Horanadu and he had to rest for six months to recover.One more beautiful trip with some nice memories plus sort of bad moments added to my list.

Photos by-Ananth Udupi