Puttur
April 24, 2009
A recent two-day trek to Ametikallu and Yettinabhuja in Shishila village of Beltangady taluk, proved to be a very memorable one.
Accompanied by a group of students and lecturers of Government First Grade College, Uppinangady, we set out on our trek at 10.30 am from Shishila, partaking of lunch on the way.
We took along with us groceries, utensils, and other things necessary for two days. The distance from Shishila to Ametikallu is about 6 km and there was no food or water to be found en route. A lack of eateries on the route makes it essential that trekkers carry food with them.
Ametikallu lies across the boundary of Dakshina Kannada and Chikmagalur districts. It is believed that the Pandavas lived here centuries ago. Bheema is thought to have set up a massive traditional kiln here to cook food, as Draupadi found it difficult to cook. Hence the name Ametikallu, say the locals.
Trekking along 30 kilometers of dense forest draws out one’s adventurous spirit. Around 20–25 trekking groups of trekking enthusiasts had arrived to enjoy the pristine nature found here. Some groups managed to reach the top and stayed there for a day before making their way home.
Trekking teams from Bangalore, Chikmagalur, Mangalore, Puttur, Uppinangady and other places arrive here to explore nature and to look for wild animals which are being sighted more often in the area.
If one climbs atop Ametikallu and descends from the other side, one can reach Mudigere in Malnad. Spending the night on the hill at Ametikallu gives one the opportunity to witness a spectacular sunrise.
Ametikallu abounds in wilderness and massive boulders which require one to be adventurous. It’s a treacherous path and if one loses his footing, he will land in the deep gorge below. We had a great time taking photographs of each other in the beautiful surroundings.
All the singing and dancing helped make the trek easier and we were overjoyed to reach the top of Ametikallu. The college’s physical teacher Sesappa Gowda all along encouraged the trekkers to keep up their energy on the treacherous path.
As signified by the name ‘Yettinabhuja’, the hill resembles the shoulders of a bull and puts forth many challenges before the trekkers. One has to take a roundabout path to reach atop Yettinabhuja, as climbing the steep hill is an impossible task.
The trekking paths to both these locations are treacherous and need a lot of stamina to overcome the fatigue. Trekking teams always take a local as their guide, for its difficult for them to find their way by themselves in all the wilderness.
Our past treks have taken us to Jamalabad Fort (Gadaikallu), Beltangady taluk, as well as Kumara Parvata and Krishnabetta (located near Kudremukh) along with Sesappa Gowda, lecturers Chidanand, Keshav Narayan, Santosh, Vasant, and students Sheenappa, Ashraf, Gangadar, and Lokesh.
Future plans include the Bhagamandala Hill located in Sullia.