Day six of Goa’s trek organized by YHAI was more of a hike in the forest crossing a few streams and dry grassland via the famous Castlerock. Despite the fact that this was a Goa trip, we spent the entire day in Karnataka. We traveled from one hamlet to a little town called Castlerock, then back into the woods to another community called Anmod. We had traveled roughly 17 kilometers in total. On the previous day, we had covered from Dudhsagar camp to Kuveshi.
Kuveshi Campsite
The campground at Kuveshi was the highest point of our whole Goa Trek, and it was reached via a dirt road/jeep track. We spent the night in a rice field, which was well notorious for its venomous snakes. We visited with the people in the morning, and after a little warm-up activity and breakfast, we packed our bags and were ready to go on the climb.
The first kilometer was a jeep track that we followed, and as you climb along the route, you can witness village life. After that, we turned left and entered the forest. As we approached the jungle, we came upon a man-built bridge constructed of wooden sticks. As we continued walking, we came across a couple of additional bridges of this type.
We kept on till we came to a brook that we had to cross. It was deep, but there was a man-made concrete bridge to cross it. A great spot for some selfies. We went on till we arrived at the grassland, where we spent some time taking shots.
We entered the jungle and began our ascent. Our entire trek was in the center of the Western Ghats forest, which is constructed entirely of volcanic igneous rock. We ascended the not-too-steep slopes and continued our journey through meadows and wooded areas until we came to a school that popped out of nowhere.
On the other side of the school, there was a well-kept rubber road that led us to the little town of Castlerock. We came to a halt in front of the Castlerock post office and entered someone’s home, where they were selling buttermilk and other cold beverages. We ate our packed lunch here and bought some toffees before continuing on our way. There were three or four stores close to Castlerock station.
We proceeded on our trek till we arrived at Castlerock railway station and crossed the overbridge. This location is well-known for its railway station and training facilities for railway employees. The area appears to be desolate as if we had visited some historic places containing only antique structures (concrete buildings here). Castlerock is located within the Dandeli Tiger Reserve, but according to our guide, there are no tigers in the jungle during our hike. We proceeded on the tar road path for approximately a kilometer before turning left into the dirt road.
We returned to the woodland area, and despite the fact that it was late in the day, it was excessively dark in the forest, making it look as if it was already 7 p.m. We eventually made it out of the jungle and into an area with rice fields and a few human dwellings. We spent some time speaking with the villagers before continuing our journey till we came to a brook. We had a swim here and then went inside the palm plantation.
Our Almond campground was on the other side of the plantation. We could use our cell phones to contact home from this camping. In the evening, we spent time around the campsite, particularly on the land behind our tent and also near the creek. It was a lot of fun.
Castlerock Karnataka to Dudhsagar train timings
There are multiple trains and the latest updates can be found on the IRCTC website. Another alternative to find trains is – here.
Can we trek from Castlerock to Dudhsagar?
The railway station at Castlerock Karnataka represents the beginning of the Braganza Ghats, a mountainous portion that stretches between Goa and Karnataka. Castlerock is the closest railway station to the four-tiered cascade known as Dudhsagar Falls or the Sea of Milk. The Waterfalls are one of the highest Indian waterfalls and are located on the Mandovi River in Goa. It is 100 feet wide on average and 1017 feet tall.
The trekking length from Castlerock to Dudhsagar Falls is particularly appealing to individuals who enjoy the adventure. A sequence of rail tunnels may be found over this 11-kilometer journey. Tunnel 2 is the longest rail tunnel, lasting over 2.4 kilometers.
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