We had been to Yercaud last week (February 21, 2009) during the Shivarathri holidays to spend our weekend sojourn at Sterling Resorts. Here the Sterling Resorts rooms are perched on the precipice of western slopes of the Shevary Hills giving a wonderful view of the sunset in the Salem plateau below.
Yercaud is a small village developed around a medium size Lake with few roads (lanes !) and offers nothing special except its salubrious weather. It is a place for rest and recuperation. You can walk down entire Yercaud in two hours. Proximity to Bangalore (260 Kms)attracts a lot of IT employees from there to Yercaud on weekends. Theroad from Salem to Yercauad which has 20 hairpin bends is good and motorable.
There are not many places to see in Yercaud. Boatingin the Lake is the main attraction here. There are a few vantage places with exotic names like Gent’s Seat, Lady’s Seat, Pagoda Point fromwhere you get a panoramic view of the surrounding valleys. Time permits you can visit the Water falls at Killiyur just 3.2Kms from the lake.But the motorists are cautioned about the narrowness of the road which can permit one car only. Also there is a place called Bear’s cave in private plantation.It was said there were Elephants and bears in these hills. But now only bears were sighted apart from bison and other minor wild animals. There are a number of coffee plantations in Shevaroy hills.
The small cave temple of Lord Servarayan and his consort Kaveriamman is 6 Kms from Yercaud village is a must to visit. It is also the highest point (5, 342’) in the hills . Yercaud is known for several Christian Institutions dating back the British time, which run some reputed Seminaries, Retreats and Schools. Montford Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School founded Rev. Bro.Eugene Mary (Julien Marie Le Pevedic) named after the founder of the Order of St.Gabriel. St. Louis Marie Grignoinde Monfort.in 1917 has a glorious history is well known residential institution in South India.. And Sacred Hearts School run by CluniSisters for girls.
I wish to add a few lines on the facilities available for Tourists. Apart from well known time share resorts like Sterling and Club Mahendra there are a few good Hotels available in Yercaus, the list of which you can get in Travel Websites. There is nothing special in Yercaud to purchase, in fact all vegetable and fruits except few special fruits come from the plains. Though there are many Coffee plantations you may not get coffee seeds there for retail sales.Very important information for Vegetarians is that vegetarian food is available only in Tamil Nadu Tourism Restaurant, Malar Hotel (behind Hotel Shevaroy) and the small Venkateswara restaurant opposite to Bus stand. But Milk and bread are available in shops in the small market.There are a few Medical shops in the town.