Thursday, November 10, 2016

Horsley Hills

Horsley Hills, named after W.D. Horsley, a British collector, is in Madanapalle Taluk of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh at an altitude of 4000 feet. Horsley had built his home here in the 1870's.

It is just 150 km from Bangalore and promises a very pleasurable driving experience, hardly any traffic throughout the journey on nice, smooth roads. SO MANY biker groups ride to the hill station especially on a weekend because, in less than 3 hours, including pit-stops, you reach a place that is strikingly serene.    
        The silence of the valley is a draw for many. Sit here and enjoy the absolute solitude.

Horsley reminded me of Nandi Hills. The similarities are many - the nice drive up to the hills, the pleasant weather, and many scenic viewpoints. Here are a few of the viewpoints:

Imagine sitting here - watching the sun rise or set - with the only sound being the whoosh of wind blowing your hair...

Sit here in the evening with a book or at night with a drink & let the world pass by.
Walk around on these paved pathways with the monkeys on the trees and the birds on the branches. My solo, early morning walk along here was a cherished one.
The difference between Horsley Hills and other hill stations is that there is no commercial activity here. None at all. No endless rows of shops selling silly winter scarves & hats or kids' plastic bat & ball or chaat corners or other assorted hole-in-the-wall eateries. We only found 1 guy selling guava on his cycle.  

And that is reason enough to go see Horsley Hills, at least once, for a day. 

Ooty is completely commercialized and overcrowded. Horsley caters well to the government officers who come for a conference or office outing and is a favorite among families and couples too. Families love the peace and quiet and unhurried pace of things and couples enjoy the privacy the Hills offer. And with 4-5 engineering colleges in Madanapalle, the closest town just half an hour from the base of the hill, there is no dearth of lovers who throng the Hills or of boy gangs who come here for a quick ride from the town. 

You can explore the hills in a single day because everything is within a 2 km driving radius.  Walk around and enjoy the quiet, listen to the constant chirping of birds and soak your skin to the warmth of the sunlight peeking through the thick foliage.
 






   






Well paved roads, swimming pool, comfortable accommodation and decent food facilities all managed and run by the state tourism board. 

When we went (5-6th Nov weekend) we knew there were a lot of people staying, going by the number of cars parked in various parking spots. Yet, when you walk around the property you won't find them, the sense of solitude and 'me my thoughts and the nature' vibe is very strong.

Enroute to the Hills, there is this beautiful Saibaba Temple. 

It looked newly built. I checked the donation list displayed on the wall. One devotee had donated Rs 15 Lakhs!! The priest gave a biscuit each as prasad !! Marie biscuit ! That was a first for me!
So, for a hill station visit from Bangalore, 1N 2D stay, over the weekend, just to relax and recharge your batteries, fill your car with petrol for Rs 2000, pay Rs 3500 for AC accommodation in the Governor's Bungalow and then head straight to Horsley Hills.
Governor's Bungalow
Rest House


31 comments:

  1. Wow..I've heard of Horsley Hills and have been wanting to go. The name sounds exotic too. I couldn't find enough info about accommodation around the area. Thanks for the informative post. The pictures are lovely too. Did you book your stay in advance? I know you said it was an impromptu trip. Still, would like to know. :-)

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    1. thank you :)

      we booked the room the previous night on the APTDC website. the rooms are large and spacious especially the bathrooms ..haha...the bathrooms are a room in themselves :)

      the individual cottages look neat and cosy too

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  2. Seems to be offering good tranquillity..... Beautiful

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  3. Bewitching scenery made more enchanting by your crisp narration and superb photographs!Thank you.

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    1. Thank you Sir :)
      All pics clicked on my humble 10,000 rupees mobile camera :)

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  4. Thanks for the nice intro. And, thanks for sharing these beautiful photos.

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  5. LOL @ Marie biscuit as prasad! I like tourist spots that are relatively empty. But this one looks a bit too empty. Or was it because you went during a weekday or something?

    Destination Infinity

    PS: I've been to madanapalle a couple of times when I was young because my uncle lived there. But we didn't visit this hill station!

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    1. Oh your uncle is from madanapalle....he must know the place....
      We went on a weekend and liked the "not crowded" feel of the place

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  6. Thanks Sujatha for this info...didnt know this place till now ...will plan a drive sometime :)

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  7. I havent ever heard of this place..nice to know..nothing like this near Chennai?

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    1. Near Chennai...no idea :(
      Will look out and if I happen to find something, will message you

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  8. those are beautiful pics you sure had a good time

    Bikram's

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  9. The next time I am in Bangalore, I must make it a point to visit this place.

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  10. Your description and the clicks blend very well.A relishing feast or both mind and eyes.

    A delightful New Year.

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    1. thank you so much!

      Yes, a wonderful new year to you too :)

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  11. I had opined about it.I don't know if I published or not.anyway I liked the way you have merged your words with the clicks,Sujatha.Wonderful scenic place and the snapshots.

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    1. thanks again :) appreciate it - you coming again to make sure your comment was in

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  12. Beautiful scenic place. Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos.

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  13. gorgeous pictures!! Really lovely narrative to go along with the pics.
    I saw that you had visited my blog awhile back- you mentioned being away (as I was also away)- what had kept you away? I hope you are back to stay! :)

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    1. welcome here Anjuli! What a pleasure to have you back! Thanks for the read.

      oh yes i am back for good :)

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