Hirekolale Lake

In order to reach the lake,one can drive down there in a car. One can also book a cab to reach there. There are buses from the  Chikmagalur bus stand that one can also take to reach the lake. The nearest railway stations to Hirekolale Lake are Birur Junction and Kadur Junction. One can get down at either of these stations and then accordingly take a cab or bus to reach the lake. The nearest airport to the lake is the Shivamogga Airport from where one will have to take a bus or taxi to reach the lake. One can visit this lake from the months of September to March as it is the best time to come here since the climate is very pleasant.

There are many places where one can stay around the Hirekolale Lake. The prices too are affordable. Some of the names of the places are Blue Bell Homestay, Silver Shadow Homestay, Mountain Valley Homestay, Coffee Safari Homestay, Zak's Homestay,etc. There are also many places where one can eat food at. Some of the names of the restaurants are The Homemade Kitchen,The Estate Cafe, The Chicken Company,Khansama  Restaurant, Crown Paradise Family Restaurant, etc

One can visit the Mullayanagiri Peak which is another famous tourist destination. This peak is the highest peak in Karnataka and it is at an altitude of 1950 metres. There is a temple dedicated to Tapasya Mullapa Swamy there because it is believed that he meditated atop the Mullayanagiri Hills.For all those who love adventure at this place they can indulge in trekking ,mountain biking and also road biking.

One can also go to the Muthodi Forest and then opt to go for a Safari. While on the safari,one gets to see animals like peacocks, deers, monkeys,etc There is a possibility of spotting more animals but then that depends on one's luck.

When one visits Rameshwaram, they get to see many temple tanks or tirthas. It is believed that there are 24 tirthas here and they hold religious importance for the Hindus. It is believed that Lord Krishna bathed in the tirthas and that is why they are considered as holy.Most of the tirthas are found inside the Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple. These tirthas are in the form of tanks and wells and if one bathes in these tanks or wells it is considered as auspicious. The tirthas are named according to the legends of their formation and all those pilgrims who go on their journey to Rameshwaram begin it by first bathing in the Agni Theertham.

Another place that one can visit is the 150 year old Hanuman temple of Dodda Banaswadi. This temple is built using the Dravidian architectural style. Sri Kempegowda  was the person who designed this temple. This temple is dedicated to deities like Hanuman, Ganpati, Venkateshwara,Basaveshwara, Lord Rama and Lord Shiva. The statue of Anjaneya here is 4 feet tall and it was installed by the Saint Guru Vyasaaraju. The Hanuman Jayanti festival here is celebrated on a grand scale and many tourists come to visit the temple then.

The Hoysala Emblem is another famous tourist attraction. There is a folklore that goes around with regards to the Hoysala dynasty and according to that there was a young boy named Sala and his teacher and he were in a temple when a tiger approached them threateningly. The teacher then handed over an  iron rod to Sala and said Poy Sala which actually meant that he wanted Sala to strike the tiger. Sala then struck the tiger with one single blow. He then set up a large kingdom and took this slogan as his family name. The figure that shows Sala attacking the tiger became the emblem of the royal family and this figure can be seen in almost every temple built by the Hoysalas. This however is considered to be a folklore by many historians. There is another interpretation of the emblem and according to that  the emblem represents the victory of King Vishnuvardhana over the Cholas as the tiger was the emblem of the Chola dynasty. Thus this is an interesting place to visit for all the history lovers.

One can also visit the Vasishtha Theertha that is a part of the Pancha Theerthas. It is dedicated to save Vasistha. This place is located in the beauty of nature and one gets to see amazing views of the surroundings from here. There is also a small hanging bridge here and also a temple nearby. The best time to come here is during sunset as one gets to see really good sunsets here.

The Nanjundeshwara temple is another famous temple to visit. It is built in such a way that it shows various periods of Karnataka's art history. The main deity here is Lord Shiva. This temple has a history that spans over 1000 years as each time kings of various dynasties kept on adding various things to the temple. Overall,the architecture of this temple is the Dravidian style of architecture. Maha Shivratri and Navratri are celebrated here on a grand scale.

Thus, the Hirekolale Lake is a beautiful scenic place to visit.