Driving Holidays From Bangalore: January 2014

1. Antharagange: Scenic drive on Old Madras Road National Highway – NH 75. Good forest walkway to the top of the hill where there is a perennial spring with water coming out between two Nandi statue. There is also a temple at the top and a Dargah at the base of the hill. The climb up is not so difficult, there are some 200 odd steps but they are not continuous. One can easily walk this distance. The last section has continuous steps. In between steps there is gradual slope. Refer photos.
2. Kolar Gold Fields: Ruins of gold mines, old British look town having huge colonial bungalows, old telephone exchange, old shops etc. You feel you have landed in pre-independence India. The mines are shut and no one can enter. It can only be viewed from outside boundary walls. Refer photos. One should also see cyanide hills – basically waste dump generated out of Gold purification process.
3. Bangaru Tirupathi: A Tirupathi temple. The road condition towards this place is average with some bad patches. From the temple top one gets a good view of surrounding places. The specialty of this temple is that one has to view the deity through a window.
4. Kotilingeshwara: A modern temple having over 90lakh shiva lingas installed. There are also few more temples inside the campus other than the shiva lingas.

Bangalore to Antharagange

Antharagange to KGF

KGF to Bangaru Tirupathi and Kotilingeshwara

From Bangalore to Antharagange drive on NH 75 after KR Puram hanging bridge. One can also join from Whitefield through Hoskote. Pay toll of 15 Rs one way (23 rs up and down) at Hoskote and continue till Kolar. Just before entering Kolar take the service road. There is a Karnataka tourism banner at this junction on the left. Refer photos. Once in Kolar continue straight – go over a flyover and then take a left at the first signal. This left road is Antharagange main road. After this signal there is KSRTC bus stop. So if you see KSRTC bus stop it means you have gone ahead and need to come back to the signal and take the Antharagange main road. 4 kms on this road you will reach your 1^st destination.

From Antharagange to KGF follow state highways all the way till BEML nagar via Bangarapet and then take right for KGF.
From KGF come back to BEML nagar (Bharat Nagar) and take right for Kotilingeshwara, which comes on right and then go ahead straight till you hit a Karnataka Tourism distance indication post calling out the distance to Bangaru Tirupathi towards left. Take left from state highway and then you have to take left again after some distance. This road is properly marked. The map photo will show the route clearly.

Kamath Upachar 20 kms after Hoskote for breakfast
For lunch either of: SN Resorts (before Bangarapet railway crossing) or Sylvan Villa at KGF. No other good option.

The road from Kolar to Bangarapet and beyond is all two lane state highway. Be prepared to face full high beams from all oncoming cars.
The road from KR Puram to Kolar is a very good 6 lane highway. It’s a pleasure to drive on this road
Beware of unmarked speed breakers on the road beyond Kolar. There are plenty of rumble strips as well.
Carry water, snacks with you.

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