- Place: Bhairavadurga trek
- Distance: 60kms x 2 = 120kms
- Directions: Bangalore > Nelamangala > Solur > Bhairavadurga
- Krew: Dilip (Koof), Karthik (Sp)
- Bikes: Pulsar
- Previous Visit: Huthridurga trek
- Budget: Rs 250/head
IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:
Wow, this was a fantastic trek to the craziest of Navadurgas – Bhairavadurga. The climb is steep and challenging. A few stretches are risky, but without risk, it's not fun! A kickass trek we enjoyed thoroughly.
INTRO & PLAN:
A week after returning from Nashik, I was ready. We initially planned for Madhugiri, but Koof had a hectic week and wanted something closer. Late at night, we chose the hillock that sends shivers down the spine: Bhairavadurga.
TIME: 22:00 (10/5/2024)
ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:
Awake by 3 am, sipped coffee, and ready to go. I picked up Koof at 5:30 am. We hit a roadside idly stall near the DVG petrol bunk—it opens at 3:30 am and closes by 6:30 am. The food was decent and the place was crowded, but it fueled us for the day.
TIME: 06:30
RIDE 1: (Bangalore – Nelamangala – Solur - Bhairavadurga)
A smooth 60 km ride until Nelamangala, where we hit a massive traffic jam due to a rain-damaged road patch. Once past the jam, we bypassed Google Maps, asked locals for directions after Solur, and reached the base. We left our bikes and helmets with the locals and started the trek.
TIME: 08:00
BHAIRAVADURGA TREK
This is a challenging ascent. We took about 60 minutes to climb. The trek is divided into three distinct phases:
- Initial Forest
- Steep Climb
- Final Ascent
i) Initial Forest:
It’s easy to get lost here. We used the hilltop water flow signs as an anchor. The forest was eerily silent, filled only with peacock calls and insect chirps. Wading through dried grass, we reached the rock phase in 15 minutes.
TIME: 08:15
ii) Steep Ascent:
This is where the skill comes in. The rock is steep but grippy. We navigated cracks and moved inch by inch. The "crazy ascent" part is nearly vertical, requiring double caution. We pushed through and reached the fort wall.
TIME: 09:00
iii) Final Ascent:
After a short rest at the fort wall, the final stretch was a step-by-step push. It was challenging but less risky than the vertical rock phase. We reached the summit in 15 minutes.
TIME: 09:15
TOP:
We spent 45 minutes at the summit. It was windy and uplifting; we actually dozed off for 30 minutes while cloud-watching. After some water and chocolates, we started the descent, still buzzing from the challenging climb.
TIME: 10:15
DESCENSION:
The trek back took about 40 minutes. With the grass burnt out, finding the forest route was much easier. We plucked a few mangoes on the way and navigated back to the bikes.
TIME: 10:45
RIDE 2: (Kuddur – Solur – Nelamangala – Bangalore)
The ride back was simple. We've started a tradition of having a "Sting" energy drink post-trek for that extra rush. Madhu joined us for a quick "sitting" in RR Nagar before we finally headed home.
TIME: 12:15
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