Lansedowne is a perfect weekend getaway for the urban wanderer
Summers have already arrived, whether we welcome it or not, with its scorching heat and dust storms sweeping the whole of North Indian plains. With the arrival of summers, comes the excitement and eagerness to welcome the most awaited summer vacations, by both kids and parents alike. As it will give us a chance to run away for some time from the unbearable sun and get a respite from the daily rush of big city life.
The best place to meet this purpose are the many hill stations around Delhi NCR, like Nainital in Uttarakhand and Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. But lately a problem which has come up with these big hill stations is that these places have become too commercialized and crowded to be called a retreat. With every second person running towards there over the weekend from the NCR and other neighbouring bigger cities, problems like car parking and water scarcity are not uncommon here anymore.
However, there is one unexplored small hilly town in Pauri district of Uttarakhand called Lansdowne named after Lord Lansdowne, the then Viceroy of British India. Despite being remote and aloof, Lansdowne is well connected to all major cities by road, railways and airways. Thanks to the command office of Garhwal Rifles of the Indian Army which houses here. There are numerous bus services from Delhi as well as Dehradun to this small town. You can drive down to this place from Delhi in just 6 hrs. You can also take up a train journey from Delhi to Kotdwaar, which is merely 41 KM’s from Lansdowne. Also, Jolly Grant Airport Dehradun is the nearest airfield at a distance of 152kms, to reach there by air.
As soon as you cross Kotdwaar, the landscape changes completely from mundane plains to mercurial mountains, the roads start to meander like a sluggish river, which emerges from nowhere and runs alongside the path to your destination. You can feel the change in temperature going down. The air starts to feel fresh and the sky gets two shades closer to blue.
Since this city is never in a rush, you can always walk in to any of the guest houses, inns or hotels on your way to the main town, for a check in. There are many options to choose, from budget to luxury accommodation. Though an advance booking is always a good idea during the peak summer season, which can be done online. If you are someone who is looking for a break from the monotony of big city life then, choosing a stay little ahead of the main cantonment of Lansdowne is advised. It will give you the real taste of nature and laid back life of hills.
Lansdowne is bestowed with incredible natural beauty and offers many tourist attractions to make it a memorable holiday. So plan your itinerary From camping and trekking for the go-getters to leisurely walks and lazy sunsets for the laid-back types.
There are many places to explore in the main cantonment itself. The Tip In Top view point has such a breath-taking view which can only be seen and experienced. Then there is Bhulla lake to take a small boat ride along with the ducks, surrounded by flowery landscape. It feels like you are a part of a painting came out of a child’s imagination. Also, there are two small churches – St Mary’s Church and St John’s Church, which represent the gothic architecture of British era, where you feel like you have reached you have reached someplace in Europe! For the religious ones, taking a trip to Taarkeshwar Dham is a must. It is an hour’s drive from Lansdowne, but totally worth it. It is surrounded by pine jungles and Buransh trees in between lay down a flower carpet on your track to the temple. The picturesque beauty of this temple and ashram will calm your mind and soothe your soul.
LansdowneLansdowne is a squeaky clean and well maintained town. It is a lesser known hill station of Northern India. This makes its case even more strong to make to the top of your travelling itinerary.
