The Bloody Duke's Nose!

Date: Sunday July 18 2010

The day began @ 4 AM in the early morn. Dawn saw us sitting on window side seats in a train to Khandala from Pune Station. Our co-passengers were other participants of the Explorer's Group's Duke Nose trek. After reaching the station at Khandala, we had some breakfast (Idli and Chutney, which tasted gr8 coz we were hungry :) )

We began The Trek @ 8:30 AM sharp. We touched Duke's Nose @ 1 PM, tired from a long uphill trek and hungry. We had lunch sitting on Duke's Nose, amongst the clouds. And then began the trecherous trek back down to the base, on the other side of Duke's Nose, in Lonavala. Slipping and sliding, trying to best maintain our balance, in a single file, on a dangerous path, we came down soaked to our skins in rain and covered in mud. I breathed a sigh of relief once we touched base. As if the uphill trek was any less dangerous.The view from the top was breathtaking, the trek, exhilerating. All in all, an awesome, tiring and dangerous trek.

But what we didn't anticipate was the 6-7 Km stretch from the base of the hill to the station. Never have I felt more tired... all senses seemed to have vanished except tiredness and pain!! I can safely call it the worst walk ever. But the amazing view of Lonovala was breathtaking, from the lakes to INS Shivaji up to the station. But believe me nothing gave me more pleasure than the first glimpse of the station. After a 2 hour long ride on the local train back to Pune, we reached the main station. Finally at home and after a hot bath I felt normal again.

On our way up the hill to Duke's Nose we passed a waterfall, we saw greenery and shrubbery of a variety I had never seen before, snails leaving silvery trails in their wake. But I was dissapointed to find no birds or animal life whatsoever. But I think thats what happens when man invades into nature's territory without any respect for its safety.

The view from several points up the hill was amazing. We could see all around us, with a birds eye view of Khandala and then Lonavala. Also a number of hills around the one we climbed.

{These pics are actual clicks taken by me during our trecherous trek up the Duke's Nose.}