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Through coffee estates and more
The access routes into the mountain ranges of the Indian subcontinent are known as Ghat Roads (Ghat section). The Western Ghats are my favourite range to ride in. There are plenty of splendid routes, teeming with spectacular scenery, thunderous in monsoon and otherwise serene waterfalls by the roadside, and the best part - serpentine, curvy roads to enjoy. Sampaje Ghat is one such that connects the coastal town of Mangalore to the hilly region of Madikeri.
The ghat section ends at Sampaje town, at the border of Dakshina Kannada district, approximately 30 kilometres from Madikeri. This has been on my list of to-do-ghat-roads for a long time. Serving as the chief connection between Mysore and Mangalore, this stretch can get crowded with heavy vehicles and buses, apart from the tourist traffic. The tarmac is butter smooth and a delight to glide on the curves.
The Abbikolli Falls on the route is a nice pit stop to soak in the towering mountain ranges and the natural falls flowing between the boulders on the side of the road. The plan this time was to ride until Sullia, but by the time I reached Sampaje, it was already getting hot, and I ditched the idea of continuing. Instead, I rode to Talacauvery.
The best route to enjoy long stretches of coffee estates interspersed with paddy fields and magnificent mountains in the backdrop is towards Somwarpet and onwards to Sakleshpur. During the previous rides to Bisle Ghat, I had noticed a road going towards Sakleshpur from Kudrasthe. I have been wanting to do this route for a long time. Staying at Madikeri was the best time to explore this route.
Starting early from Madikeri, the light traffic on the route to Somwarpet was perfect for enjoying the wintery coolness and the twists and turns. The route passed through Somwarpet - Shanivarasanthe - Shukravarasante (Friday market/fair: coincidentally, I rode here on Friday) - Kodlipet - Sakleshpura. This was my onward journey. This route is mind-blowing, with smooth-flowing curves (occasionally broken stretches of roads) bordered either by coffee estates or paddy fields.