HOME PAGE
AUTHOR'S NOTES
THE CHAPEL
READ THE GUEST BOOK
WRITE IN THE GUEST BOOK
LAKE KODAIKANAL WALK
IN THE EARLY DAYS
NANO NAGLE
NUN'S CEMETERY
SINCLAIR HOUSE
ROAM AROUND THE GROUNDS
WALK UP THE FRONT DRIVE
WILLINGDON HALL
 
NEW PAGE SOON
 

A WALK AROUND LAKE KODAIKANAL

( "Don't get ahead of the leaders")
 

THE MOST DISAPPOINTING ASPECT OF MY HOLIDAY TO INDIA IN MAY OF 2000, WAS TO SEE THE CONDITION THE LOCAL POPULATION HAD LEFT THE COUNTRYSIDE IN. EVERYWHERE WAS A GARBAGE DUMP, AND NO-ONE SEEMED TO CARE A TINKERS CUSS. RUBBISH WAS DUMPED THERE IN-FRONT OF ME, ON THE FOOTPATH AS I STOOD AND WATCHED. GARBAGE HAS EVEN BEEN DUMPED BY THE BARROW LOAD OVER THE CONVENT WALL. I HAVE TO SAY THIS AS IT MAY JUST EMBARRASS SOMEONE INTO DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
 
   

 

TAKEN ABOUT 1940. ONE OF THE FIRST COLOUR PHOTOS OF THE MAN MADE LAKE OF 60 ACRES AND 7375 FT. A.S.L. CREATED IN 1863 BY SIR. VERE HENDRY LEVINGE (1819-1885). HE RETIRED TO KODAI, BROUGHT IN THE FIRST BOAT, AND STOCKED THE LAKE WITH FISH.
 


THE CARLTON HOTEL, ALONGSIDE THE LAKE. THIS IS ONLY A SMALL SECTION OF THE HOTEL. THE ROOMS WERE SPOTLESS AND THE STAFF MOST FRIENDLY. TARIFF INCLUDED THREE MEALS A DAY, AND WELL PRICED. THE HOTEL GROUNDS WERE A CREDIT TO THE MANAGEMENT AND STAFF; SO YOU SEE IT CAN BE DONE IN INDIA.
 

IT'S ABOUT 6 A.M.. AND A WALK AROUND THE LAKE IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION IS THE START TO THE DAY. THE CROWDS ARE YET TO APPEAR. THE CARLTON BOAT HOUSE BUILT 1910, IS NOW PUT TO MANY DIFFERENT USES.
 
THE BOAT HOUSE VIEWED FROM THE LAKE

AROUND THE TOWN SIDE OF THE LAKE ARE STALLS AS SEEN HERE. THERE IS A LAKESIDE FOOTPATH FOR THE ENTIRE WALK.
 


THE FIRST ARM OF THE LAKE AROUND FROM THE CARLTON HOTEL. THE SHANTY STALLS ARE EVERYWHERE, STILL TOO EARLY FOR THE CROWDS. NOTE THE TRAIN TO THE RIGHT OF PHOTO.
 
 THE ENTRANCE TO BRYANT PARK


THIS TRAIN IS OBVIOUSLY INTENDED AS AN AMUSEMENT RIDE. IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE OPERATED FOR SOME WHILE. THE CARRIAGES ARE ALL FULL OF RUBBISH AND THE TRACKS UNDER PILES OF EARTH AND THE USUAL GARBAGE, AND TRACKS MISSING.
 

THE TRAIN USED TO RUN TO ABOUT THIS POSITION ON THE FAR BANK. THIS HOUSE I AM TOLD WAS THE FIRST TO HAVE BEEN BUILT ALONGSIDE THE LAKE. TO THE LEFT IS A HIRE BOAT FACILITY.
 


ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WAY AROUND IS THIS ENGLISH STYLE COTTAGE NAMED RINGMERE. DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF IT IS A BOAT-HOUSE AND JETTY, AND ACROSS THE LAKE IS THE CARLTON HOTEL.
 
RINGMERE FROM THE LAKE. LIKE IT? - THANKS HEATHER
THE CARLTON BOAT-HOUSE FROM THE HOUSE  ABOVE.
BEAUTIFUL CAN'T DESCRIBE THE VIEW HERE.
THESE THINGS ARE EVERYWHERE

THIS BOATHOUSE IS BUILT OF BRICK AND WAS OF THE SAME COLOUR BACK IN THE FIFTIES. NOTE THE FENCE WHICH RUNS ABOUT 85% OF THE WAY AROUND THE LAKE. ALMOST EVERY TEN PACES IS A BREAK ONE COULD DRIVE A MORRIS OXFORD THROUGH. WHY BOTHER COUNCIL.
 


WE ARE NOW APPROACHING THE BOTTOM OF PRESENTATION HILL AND THE END OF OUR WALK AROUND THE LAKE. THE BUSY SIDE OF THE LAKE IS RE-APPROACHING.
 
STALLS VIEWED FROM THE LAKE.


THIS IS THE BOAT-HOUSE AT THE BOTTOM OF PRESENTATION HILL, WHERE HEATHER MOIR USED TO CATCH FISH IN A HANDKERCHIEF. TO THE RIGHT OF THIS IS WHERE THE BUND WAS CONSTRUCTED TO FORM THE LAKE IN 1863.
 

THE BOAT HOUSE IN PICTURE TWO ABOVE VIEWED FROM THE LAKE.
 


APPROACHING THE START OF PRESENTATION HILL TO THE LEFT. SOME CALLED IT CONVENT HILL.
 

THE BOTTOM OF PRESENTATION HILL. TO THE RIGHT IS THE CARLTON AND STRAIGHT AHEAD P.C.K., BEHIND YOU IS THE LAKE.
 

WE ARE WALKING OVER THE BUND WHICH FORMED THE LAKE BACK IN 1863. THE CARLTON BOAT-HOUSE IS TO THE RIGHT.
 

THIS WAS MANY PLACES TO BE SEEN RUBBISH.
 

BOATING ON THE LAKE IS A POPULAR ACTIVITY.
 
THE AUTHOR FISHING AT LAKE KODAI IN 1954
 

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR WALK AROUND THE LAKE, IT BROUGHT BACK MANY FOND MEMORIES TO ME. I WOULD RECOMMEND KODAIKANAL AS A HOLIDAY DESTINATION TO ANYONE WISHING TO RE-LIVE THEIR PAST.