First trip with a 2 month old baby.
First trip after the Covid-19 lockdown.
First trip after braving pregnancy, and those dreaded sleepless nights.
A trip that required the destination to be close, the accommodation to be above average and yet feel like we've left the world behind.
And so we chose Yercaud. It has viewpoints for undulating of the surrounding valley, a small but enchanting lake for boating, roads lined with tall trees that look straight out of a painting and a looping road with 40 hairpin bends that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
However, we did not stay in Yercaud itself because the resorts were far flung, and I was on the edge regarding the baby 's health and needs.
We chose to stay in Salem, which is a mere 4 hour drive from Bangalore and has a decent Radisson property. Yercaud is just an hour' s drive away and makes for a perfect day trip.
We left Bangalore at around 12 pm and reached Salem around 4pm. After check in, we had some snacks at their 24 hour restaurant and went outside to have some coffee.
Radisson also has a grill buffet only restaurant-Grills by the Promenade which we really wanted to try... but this time we couldn't.
The next day we went for their buffet breakfast which came complimentary with the room. The variety was really good and I enjoyed omelette and waffles at their live counter.
After breakfast, we started for Yercaud at around 12 PM. The first "attraction" to greet us were the hairpin bends leading into Yercaud.
As soon as you reach, the first thing that'll greet you is the lake. It is surrounded by a garden and there are nominal entry charges. Boating is also an option.
Ladies seat was our first stop. It is a beautiful view point and you can see the loops of the hairpin bends in distance. A short walk is required to reach the point(300-400m), but it was manageable with a baby. The weather was a bit cool and windy even in the afternoon when we visited in January.
We decided to give the rose garden a skip. However, it is on the way to ladies seat.
Next we looked a Holy Trinity Church in Yercaud
Our final destination in Yercaud was Pagoda point where we could see the town spread out below us. It was breathtaking. No walking is required. You can just park the car on the road next to the view point.
The road leading to Pagoda Point was lined with trees on both sides. It was like going through a green tunnel
And yes, we did have some fish fry by the lake.
We returned back to our hotel by around 6.30 PM. They have a gift shop which is really colorful and we had a great time clicking pictures around the hotel.
The next day, we bid adieu to Salem and reached back home(Bangalore) by around 4PM.
We did not try it, but this short trip can be easily combined with Hogenakkal Falls as well. From Salem, we can also visit Kolli Hills. All these are adventures to look forward to for our next trip with kiddo....
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