Part II - Road Review – Lucknow-Nainital-Corbett-Lucknow
Lucknow – Nainital
We started from Lucknow at 6 in the morning. We would have started earlier but past experience taught us that with a longer drive one tends to get sleepy in the afternoons which is dangerous. So we decided to allow just enough time to get out of the city. Breakfast was at a Reliance A-1 just 50 km before Sitapur. Good infrastructure but lonely little spot cos petrol costs 10 bucks more. No one really stops. However, the man at the counter said they do get some customers for lunch and dinner.
The route was Lucknow-Sitapur-Shahjahanpur-Bareilly. From Bareilly there’s a turn off to Lalkuan-Haldwani-Kathgodham and onwards to Nainital. The road upto Bareilly was generally good and but bad in a few patches. However, Bareilly to Lalkuan was a different story altogether. I believe there is a bypass outside of Bareilly but I couldn’t find it so I had to go through the city. If someone gets to know of the location of the bypass do inform. The number of trucks have to be seen to be believed. Coupled with bad roads it’s definitely a slow track. There’s some kinda factory before Lalkuan and trucks are lined up on both sides of the road. Where there are trucks, there are traffic jams and coupled with atrocious truck drivers the experience is tough. There is also extensive construction work on this sector.
The road improves dramatically from Lalkuan. A stop is advised before the climb from Kathghodham to Nainital. The Drive from this point on is smooth cos the roads are very good, maintained well and aren’t as steep as people would have you believe.
Nainital – Corbett
On top of the lake there is a mosque. Just in front is the parking lot for the mall road (costs Rs. 50/- for 24 hrs). In between the road breaks into 3 – one leads to the parking lot, one to Raj Bhavan, which by the way is a must see, and one leads to Kaladhungi. It’s a curvy road with many junctions. The main branch leads to Kaladhungi and on to Corbett. There are also helpful directions on the way.
Corbett – Lucknow
Corbett to Lucknow is via Haldwani and then on by the same route by which we came. The lorry’s are a pain and watch out for the bypasses. There are no sign boards to indicate bypasses through smaller towns so if not sure, get down and ask the locals. Return journeys are always more tiresome than onward journeys, so take adequate stretch and drink stops and don’t push it.
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