It was during 1844 that the first Fernhill’s Bungalow was constructed in the hill station of Ooty in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The place was meant to be a private residence and it became famous as the summer retreat of the Mysore Maharaja. The palace is indeed breath-taking with its wooden interiors, ornamental cast iron and intricately carved bargeboards. The place looks like a majestic Swiss Chalet and is neatly nestled within the dense canopy of cedar, fir and pine trees. There is a well-maintained garden around the palace that stands tall on a sprawling 50 acres with a brilliant view of the terraced tea plantations and the scintillating beauty of the hill station. There is also an indoor badminton court inside the palace.

History

Captain F Cotton constructed the first Fernhill’s Bungalow in Ooty in 1844 as the place had a cool climate and was pleasant all through the year. The management of the bungalow kept on changing and by the 1860s, the place was known Moonesami was one of Ooty’s first premier country clubs. Ooty, with its brilliantly maintained gardens, tea and coffee plantations, spice gardens and chill climate was the most sought after summer retreat for the British rulers when they wanted to escape from the scorching hot sun that was present in the Madras Presidency. Ever Since, Ooty has become a famous tourist destination for tourists, honeymooners, film units and the like. There are many boarding schools too here.

Architecture

Set up on a sprawling area of 50 acres, the palace is surrounded by gardens that are well-structured, a dense growth of beautiful trees, lush lawns and a panoramic view of the tea plantations cultivated over terraced slopes. The place is a clear mix of locals and tourists who enjoy the beauty of the place in their own style and patterns. Today, Ooty is clearly a hot tourist spot with the aromatic flavour of the spices, eucalyptus forests and flowers that emanate from here.

Activities & Excursions

Tourists coming here can engage in indoor activities like billiards, snookers, chess, board games etc. The management of the bungalow can also arrange for outdoor games like cycling, cricket, badminton, table tennis, tennis, swimming, boating, golf, trekking, nature trails, trekking etc.

Ooty Lake is a famous spot for boating for the tourists. The other major attraction here is the botanical gardens that is spread over 22 acres. A flower show is conducted here every May and many tourists from India and abroad come here to witness the festival. Doddabetta peak, the tallest in Nilgris and Wenlock Downs, a beautiful area for conducting long walks are other attractions here.

There are sprawling tea and coffee plantations in and around Ooty that tourists can enjoy. They can visit one of the estates and have a first-hand view of how tea is being processed and developed.

How to Reach

By Air

Coimbatore airport at a distance of 98km or 3hours drive from Ooty is the nearest to this place. There are lots of domestic flights to Coimbatore from Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Cochin and other major cities.

By Train

Ooty railway junction is well connected with trains from all the big cities in the country.

By Road

There are lots of buses (private and government sector) that connect Ooty with all the neighbouring states and cities. Bangalore at a distance of 290km and Mysore at a distance of 155km are the other nearby cities from here.