Walk to the helipad in Ramgarh, Uttarakhand

Last week of September is ideal to visit the hills I think, because the summer rush is over, the rains are also mostly sparse and the hills and its foliage is washed clean and green.
So this time round in Ramgarh, was our first trip to the hills in India with out our private car. We took the Kathgodam Shatabdi from Delhi and then a cab to Ramgarh, which is 30 KM's short of Mukteshwar. Please read my earlier blog on Ramgarh titled "Weekend exploration, Kumaon chapter"
Around two and a half KM's from our villa, on top of the hill is a helipad which most tourists visit. We decided one after noon to walk up to the helipad, though our caretaker warned us of the steep climb. But like I said, this trip was gonna be all about walking and more walking. Do we started uphill and believe me, it was worth every step we took.
In the first half a km itself we were walking into hills full of Apple, apricot and plum trees. Obviously it was late for the fruits,and the trees had shed their leaves. But still they looked so pretty. There were rose bushes and several other tiny flowers.
The ascend was quite gradual, and the weather was so enchanting that we really enjoyed walking. On the way we spotted quaint little private houses which were so picture perfect.
There were several jungle trails on the way, though we did not drift from our path.
On the way we met school children returning from school which for some was a good one hour from home. They mostly used shared jeeps and walked home from the main roads. It's always fun to chat with young children and listen to their classroom experiences.
After a few stops to catch our breath, we reached the top of the hill and found ourselves standing of the huge "H" for helipad.
The view from here was spectacular. We got a 360degree view. There was a thick  forest cover on one side,   the stepfarming on one side, and the huge mountain wall on our back. There were no tourists here at this time and we felt like we owned these beautiful hills and forests. As luck would have it, rain and mist clouds started coming in from the west and we were soon surrounded by them. It felt surreal and a gift from God.

The walk back was comparitively easier and fast and before we knew, another adventure had come to an end.
But trust me, it was an afternoon well spent and I wish whoever wants to visit the helipad should try and walk it down. It is much more interesting and fun.