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Meppadi tea estates - where every leaf reveals an enchanting story of serenity
Meppadi is one of my favourite areas in Wayanad. The abundant tea estates from here continue all the way towards Gudalur and onto Ooty. The very first time I visited Wayanad, I'd stayed in Meppadi. The waterfalls and Chembra Peak trek are all etched in the memory. What happened here last year during Monsoon was a sad episode. This picturesque place is being overhyped and developed to cater to tourists. The fragile landscape couldn't handle it and gave up. Sadly, it is the locals who bear the brunt of over-tourism.
From Meenangadi, there is a different route to Meppadi without going to Kalpetta. The route via Kalpetta is a familiar one, having ridden many times in the past. From Meenagadi, after Muttil, an interior route goes through Thrikkaipatta, Nedumbala and reaches Meppadi. With tea plantations on both sides and mist engulfing everything with visibility below 50 metres, it was thrilling to ride on this route. After Nedumbala, the road condition is quite bad, with deep potholes and narrow roads.
Continuing onward, after Meppadi, one can go toward Rippon and farther on to Vaduvanchal (the last main town on the Kerala side of the border). Tea estates accompany you on both sides of the all along this route.
I turned back a little after Nedumbala. After a sumptuous breakfast, it was time to pack up and head back home. The return was the usual Bathery - Muthnaga - Bandipur - Gundlupet - Mysore. It was a boring ride on the highway in the hot sun. After the uneventful ride and quick lunch at Aashirwad after the toll near Mysore, this exceptional ride came to an end.