Ooty in Frames

A clip from the Ooty trip. Watch it in HD

Ooty: Love Dale Railway Station

We found this railway station on the way to Florance School. I couldn't believe that the place name is Love Dale. So good name right.

We stopped our car near to the station and walked inside to see how the place is. To my surprise, it was a very small railway station. Like a toy train station. There was a person with a book and a pen waiting for the train.

Spend few minutes around and then started back to the ooty town.

It was sunny. But the place was very beautiful.

The heritage train track.

Together in a journey forever...

Ooty: Pine Forest

A walk in the woods in a chilly windy climate, how wonderful that will be. We enjoyed it and there wasn't very much people around. So the nature was very visible. With the voice of the joyful birds around - that walk was like in heaven.

Ani was excited to walk around the place.

Ooty: Pykara Water Falls

We planned to visit the Pykara falls on the last day. If you take the Gudalur route to Bangalore, Pykara is in that route and can plan as the last destination to visit. Situated 19 kilometer from Ooty there lies a breathtaking beauty in the midst of a forest. Never miss this place.

Have to walk for a kilometer to reach the waterfall. Going down will be an easy task, but climbing up can be a bit hard for those people who don't like walking and for the old people.

The walk was a really worth one. Such a beautiful creation of God and we were awestruck by its beauty and calmness.

Ooty: The Willow Hill Stay

Couple of my friends went to Yercaud a month back on almost adjacent dates and to my surprise they had very contrasting comment about their vacation. When one loved the place, the other did not enjoy the travel. The very same place, but very different opinions. When drilled into detail about various attributes of their travel, the differentiator came out to be the place where they stayed. 

I am not recommending a luxury hotel/resort/villa for the stay. But the place should make you feel comfortable. You should feel that, yes this is the place I wanted to stay. Among the various factors which affect the vacation, this is a primary one for sure.

Ani couldn't take the eyes from the beauty of the nature. Wonderful view from the room.

We had mixed feelings when we were about to near Willow Hill Hotel. We traced this one through Trip Advisor (as usual) and had a very good rating from 95% of the travelers. But there wasn't much pictures of this place and we were confused at first. But based on the rating we booked the place and at the end of the travel, the stay and the food at Willow Hill - We just loved it...

Willow Hill is very near to the Ooty town. Got this information from their website, but I never liked the hotels with its gate directly opening main road. I was expressing this wish to Ani and I realized that my wish is coming true when the approach road became narrow and lush greenery started appearing. And at the top of the hill, far away from the restlessness of the city, there emerges the beauty which we were hoping to spend our vacation in.

Loved the place in first sight. Checked in less than 5 minutes and took rest for some time, before starting the Ooty exploration.

Ooty: Udagamandalam Heritage Railway

The final click before we start and the continuation of a wonderful journey...

The next plan was to enjoy the journey on the World Heritage Niligiri Mountain Railway from Ooty to Coonoor. 19 kilometer stretch railway line covering 4 stations in between with a couple of tunnels and a looong bridge was a real stunning experience.

We reached an hour before the train arrival and though of exploring the station premises. The one thing which I noticed at first was that the railway station wasn't scary like the normal stations. It looked like a toy train railway and there was no fear of big trains that comes through.

Ooty: A day at Bethlehem

If Fern Hills Palace reminded me about the gone away royal glory, Glyngarth villa took me to the mountain of serenity. Who doesn't love the peace and silence? I love it and I enjoyed it at this place - that too on a Christmas Day. That's an awesome blend, correct?

People from Kerala might trace this place back to the movie - Summer in Bethlehem. I really wanted to visit this place, when I watched that movie years back. And it happened.

A very different and mixed feeling to stand in front of this place and by the by - I was tweeting the experience live :)

The lunch time was over when we reached the villa. Then decided for a tiny snack time.

Organized, clean and royal dining room

Relax to the core...

Fire place...

Keralites will remember this stair case forever :)

So silent and serene....

To chill

Ani examining each and every items in the room

Adding some sweetness to the evening..

Miles to go before I sleep :)

Always welcoming and wonderful hospitality...

Ready for a small ride...

Time to hit the road again

The cottages....

Ooty: Fern Hills Palace

"Deep within the blue forested hills of Nilgiris in Ooty, sits an english country manor, bought in 1873 by the young prince..."

And you will really feel that richness of the old dynasty, once you enter the place. Everything has a royal touch. Even the chairs in the garden, they look so royal :)

We decided to go for this destination because, we knew this place through some movies and really got fascinated by its beauty and architecture. The place came up in the research while we planned for the trip to Ooty and we really wanted to visit this place. 

To the garden for a walk, after finishing up with the lunch. Must say that the Biriyani was ROYAL.

I was disappointed when the management blocked us from clicking the pics around. Fortunately, as I explained them about my intention for the pics, they finally allowed to click the photos. Now I feel proud being a blogger...

A very special thanks to the property manager for the understanding and approval.

Each and every moment we spent there, we were in an entirely different world...

The backside garden view of the palace

An old building spotted in the palace premises, when we went for a walk.

A broader view of the palace from the garden.

Felt like in an another world.

Luxury at its best...

The front view of the palace resort

Extension of the palace resort restaurant where we decided to have the lunch. Why we chose? - The ambiance and privacy along with the stunning view to the garden.

Looked like the palace was opened for us alone. 

The wall of richness. And a pub which serves the royal drinks.

I couldn't find a piece of space without a royal touch. Completely covered and maintained.

Attached pub room for private discussions.

The walk way with the history depicted all over the place. Walking through the ways which the royals walked once :)

This will be a familiar location for the Keralites for sure

Naalukeetu type construction with a small garden in the midst.

Tiny cute garden

Tweeting the travel dots from the palace

Another view of the palace restaurant extension room.

Trip to the Queen of Hills

It was wonderful to be at Ooty on a Christmas day. Christmas goes well with the chilly climate and we enjoyed the trip to the Queen of Hills.

According to me, it is CHANGE, which makes the travel the best. I usually decide for a travel when I need a change from the recurring daily life. The craving to belong to a place which I never belonged to before, to meet people whom I never met before, to see the beauty of nature which I have never enjoyed before...

A sudden trip which was planned in less than a day and Ani, as usual came up with the PLAN list, which helped us to cover the places with ease.

Few places from the list:

• 6th Mile shooting point
• 9th mile shooting point
• Nawanagar Palace
• Lawrence School, Lovedale
• The Fern Hills Palace
• Gyngarth Villa
• Pine Forest
• Hotel Taj Savoy
• Pykara Waterfalls
• Pykara Lake
• Ooty Lake
• Botanical Garden
• WenLock Downs
• Sanctuary Avalanche
• Nilgiri Mountain Railway

From Bangalore, there was two ways to reach Ooty. The Masinagudi road & the Gudalur road.

Masinagudi route is a steep hairpin curve road, which we decided not to take that route for sure. We went through the Gudalur route, which is almost double the distance of the Masinagudi route, but gifted us with beautiful sideways and a tension free journey.

Two nights and three days, we enjoyed each and every moment of Christmas in Ooty.