Oak Country - Yercaud

Easter weekend, April 2007

Yercaud (pronounced 'yer' like a Malyali and 'cad'), also known as the ‘poor man’s Ooty’ is a small hill station in the Shevaroy Hills in Tamil Nadu.

We took a train from Bangalore at 9 AM and reached Salem town at 12 noon. An hour’s drive up the winding hill road with its 20 hairpin bends and we were at the quaint little hill town with its usual lakes and botanical gardens, look-out points and temples.


At an altitude of 1500 meters, Yercaud was a huge respite from the Bangalore heat. It’s a great weekend getaway from Bangalore. The salubrious climate, the beautiful oaks, glassy lakes, quaint homes and most importantly, the unhurried pace.


Yercaud, like other hill stations, is wonderful for long walks. I loved the oaks that surrounded us everywhere.



What we loved most at the hotel was this bathroom! The cottage at Hotel Shevaroys had an open-to-the-sky bathroom.

The cottage was in the middle of an oak forest.

As regards the ‘sightseeing’ - there’s a Lady’s Seat and a Gent’s Seat (?), a big lake and a small lake!! Pagoda Point offers some good views of the surroundings. At the Botanical Park, one can see the rare Ladies Slipper, an insect-eating Orchid. Didn’t get to see this :(

We didn’t quite take to the food. The restaurants at the hotel seemed a little dingy so we survived on idli/dosa from a nearby restaurant. Be sure to carry some cup-o-noodles!