Weekend getaway to B.R.Hills

It was the weekend again and this time it was time to try a different route. I had done enough rides to the east of Bangalore and I was getting a bit bored of the same circuit. So it was decided, lets take a route that I had taken many many moons ago. A ride back in time to B.R.Hills.

Biligiriranga Hills, B.R.Hills in short, is a hill range situated in south-eastern Karnataka, at its border with Tamil Nadu in South India. The area is called Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary or simply BRT Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a protected reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Being at the confluence of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, the sanctuary is home to eco-systems that are unique to both the mountain ranges. The site was declared a Tiger Reserve in December 2010.

It was the right time to ride up here, was just before the monsoon would hit it and wash off perhaps some of the forest roads. The ride would not be about pace, more about a quite stroll into the deeper parts of the sanctuary. My CBR 250R is well suited to these kind of roads, being a single cylinder and light enough to do some stand up and ride if the situation arose. My riding buddy decided to get his FZ 15, since we were sticking to a fun light ride.

We headed as early as possible, around 6am to beat the traffic that would come down on us as we headed towards Kanakapura. We made it in time and were on our way through the winding country roads towards Kollegal, our breakfast stop. This road is dotted with many little hallis (villages) and towns and being a single lane highway, sees a lot of local traffic. One must be careful not to over speed here as there is always a chance of some little moped or worse cows that could decide to jump ahead of you. This density is also in a way a good thing if you enjoy seeing the country on a motorcycle, which is really the best way to appreciate any country-side really. Its best to keep the pace around at 80 - 90kmph in these parts.

There are enough fuel stops on the way and little eateries too if either tanks need refuelling. We got to Kollegal and got a quick bite of hot idlis and sambar that are famous in these Darshinis and also a tasty and safe bet. A strong south indian filter coffee to refresh the head and we were off again.

Just after/at Kollegal, make sure you take the deviation to B.R.Hills if you are planning to do this ride. The roads get narrower from here on and you see a lot more of the villages. Sometimes the road narrows down enough to be almost at the front door of some homes. As you near the hills you get to a forest check post. An entry here and you are off into the scenic sanctuary. Of course at the time of the year we were riding, pre monsoon, the forest was dry and really in need of some rains, though, beautiful it still was. We rode quiet and slow not to disturb the forest and when we had the chance took a couple of pictures. We are not allowed to park up along these roads, so the stops had to be under a minute.

The ride into these forests really are very rewarding, being one with nature is best done with a motorcycle I always thought and this is one of those places you would really enjoy if you have the same passion as me.