`Enchanted Hills of the Nilgiris

Yercaud nestled in the Nilgiri hills is an awesome weekend getaway from Bangalore , faraway from the rut of city life. Apparently named `Nilgiris’ or the Blue mountain range by the local people because of its proclivity for blue haze. My trip to these beautiful hills with my family was a wonderful and most cherished experience .

To begin with, the drive is fairly good – thanks to the smooth and well maintained roads and highways! Travelling by the spacious and fast Innova is a pleasure in itself. One can see the hill station from the city of Salem – nestled atop the Nilgiris, looking like a `Jewel in the Crown’. As our vehicle started climbing the mountains and heading towards Yercaud there was a sudden drop in temperature and the weather became cold and windy. The winding, steep roads with twenty hairpin bends is quite difficult, with lot of jerks . But on reaching our destination `The Nature Trail Resort’ all tiredness vanished in a jiffy and we felt fresh and comfortable.

We were on the top-most floor which was a huge room with a big balcony overlooking the hills and the valley. After sunset we got a lovely view of the town of Salem with its lights looking like `stars of heaven’. A magic show and games was organised for kids in the evening which they enjoyed thoroughly, as there is very little to do in such places after sunset. Indoor games at the resort included facilities like, swimming pool, library and restaurant.

Any hill station specially in the nilgiri range is incomplete without a lake. Yercaud also has an artificial lake which is one of the main tourists attractions here. Since row boats were not available, we opted for pedal boats, which me and my husband had to manoeuvre along the waters. But it was fun ; and finally we sat down on the benches close to the pristine lake and relaxed. The next destination for the day was a place called `Ladies Seat’ from which we had a spectacular view of the valley below….supposed to be the highest point of the town, though not well maintained. The town roads were narrow and winding but smooth and covered with greenery on both sides .

The Nilgiri mountains are covered with different types of trees and plants . The greenery along with the sweet and refreshing fragrance emnanating is simply amazing. What I enjoy, in places like these are the forests and lush greenery, specially the coffee and eucalyptus plantations on the slopes of the hills is so soothing to the eyes. This place is famous for the nilgiri or eucalyptus oil extracted from its herb, which has medicinal properties.

The second day we visited some temples in and around these serene hills of the nilgiris. On the way we came across numerous private plantations which were so enchanting. Owners had built cute little houses with sloping roofs and they looked so picture perfect. I would love to stay in such places and make it my dream home.

The entire ride from Bengaluru towards Tamil Nadu is an exhilarating experience in itself - huge boulder like hills, soothing green fields and picturesque views .