The Tryst recommendations for the eclectic visitor.
Besides walks in the splendid tea gardens around The Tryst, and its various facilities…
COONOOR
- Sim’s Park, named after the secretary of Madras Club in 1874, is a tiered arboretum with a collection of over 1000 plant species from all over the Commonwealth.
- Dolphin’s nose and Lamb’s rock – two good viewpoints from 6000 ft to the plains.
- The Green Shop – an excellent and quaint outlet for genuine tribal products; part of the Keystone eco-development programme.
- All Saints Church, established in 1854, will take you back to Victorian times. The owner of Carolina Estate, of which The Tryst is part, is buried here.
- Coonoor market in the town centre — browse around for anything and everything….but do not visit the fish and meat sections!
OOTY
- St Stephen’s Church, consecrated in 1830, gives an informative glimpse into British colonial history.
- Botanical gardens, laid out in 1874, has around a thousand indigenous and exotic plant species. The trouble is it is somewhat insipid in the non-season period of November to March, and crammed with millions of obstreperous Indian tourists during the summer season of April to June when in full bloom!
- Doddabetta peak at 2,623 metres, offers splendid vistas.
- Homewood Tea factory (and ‘museum’) near Doddabetta, to witness the entire process of tea manufacture. It also offers a deceptively amiable panoramic view of Ooty town….which is a bit of a dump when one is in its midst; an axiom unfortunately true of all Indian habitations!
- Ooty Club, founded in 1841, is hallowed ground as the rules of snooker (invented in Jubbalpore in 1875) were formally finalized here in 1884 by Sir Neville Chamberlain. The club tenaciously maintains the décor and standards of the British Raj – paneled walls, parquet flooring, hand-woven carpets, rosewood furniture, brass fittings, silver cutlery, hunting trophies, lists of the Masters of the Ootacamund Hunt and Ladies point-to-point races etc.
As we are members of the club, we can escort you to a piece of history for a delectable meal.
Besides the above, the Nilgiris offers unsurpassed spectacular views of nature if one is willing to travel an hour or two.
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, opened in 1899, is one of the oldest 1000 mm gauge mountain railways and one of the few using Swiss steam engines; recently the engines are being made in Tamilnadu. Declared a World Heritage Site in 2005. For enthusiasts, we recommend the sublime and stunning Mettupalayam – Coonoor section (3 hrs) as it is through virgin forests, the train is equipped with the rack and pinion system, the gradient is 1 in 12 and it has a steam engine. The Coonoor-Ooty section (1 .15 hrs) is not so pristine, the gradient is a gentle 1 in 25, and the engine is diesel powered using conventional rail adhesion principles.
Tip: Visitors coming from Mysore or via Masinagudi – Plan to arrive at Ooty for lunch and catch the 2pm train to Coonoor …or Mettupalayam. Visitors coming from Cochin or via Mettupalayam – Stay overnight at Mettupalayam and catch the 7am train to Coonoor…or Ooty.
Or you can catch the 10.30 am or 1.30pm train from Coonoor to Ooty.
*Book train tickets in advance*
Recommended stay to enjoy the facilities of The Tryst and the splendours of the Nilgiris – 5 nights.
Recommended minimal stay– 3 nights.