Yercaud

Yercaud is known as the Ooty of the poor.  It is a hill station in the district of Salem in Tamilnadu, situated at an altitude of 5970 feet above sea level.  Though it is one of the highest hill stations, it is not very cold here.  Yercaud is 30 km away from Salem.  This is a way through the forest and having 20 hairpin bends.  The hills looking like an open green umbrella is an incredible sight.

Yercaud is the most beautiful hill station in the Eastern Ghats.  The special feature of Yercaud is the presence of dense forests. 

Trees here include sandalwood trees, teak and oak trees.  Agriculture includes orange, black pepper, cardamom, guava, jackfruit, etc.  The main tourist spots are Big Lake, Anna Park, botanical garden, Sri Rajarajeshwari Temple, Servarayan Temple, Tipperary View Point, Bear’s cave, etc.

Yercaud has stunning valleys.  Another attraction is 3 rocks namely Lady’s Seat, Gent’s Seat and Children’s Seat.  From here, we can enjoy the panoramic view of Mettur Dam and Salem.  For watching the scenery, there is a tower and a telescope in it.  Big Lake is a vast lake and is a prime attraction of the place. 

There are several means of entertainment including pedal boating.  Anna Park is near the lake.  The park has rare collections of trees of different varieties.  Moreover, Japanese type of farming also exists here.

The plantations and fields are made the Japanese style.  Sri Rajarajeshwari Temple is an important place of worship. 

The climate and the streets are ideal for people who like to have an evening walk.  At a small distance from Emerald Lake is located an orchid park, where we can find several types of orchids that are facing the threat of extinction.  Trekking for an hour from Anna Park, through the forests, leads to the Kiliyur Waterfalls.  Trekking through the forest is a remarkable experience. 

The main festival of Yercaud is the summer festival in the month of May.  The best attractions of the festival are flower show, dog show, boat racing, etc.  After seeing and enjoying the natural beauty and attractive scenes of yercaud, I decided to conclude my journey for the time being.