The stories of Ruskin Bond set in the ‘Queen of Hills’ tempted us to plan a trip there one weekend in May. April to June and September to November is the best time to visit Mussoorie, we were told, when the Himalayan ranges are clearly visible. The hill station is located at an altitude of 2003 meters above sea level in the Garhwal hills

After a 71/2 hour drive from Delhi we reached the hill-station and checked into a hotel. Though it was summer it was pretty cold and we had thankfully carried our woolens. Having heard that the best way to explore the busting yet mystic hill is by walking around it, we laced up our shoes in zest and started with The Mall. It’s the main promenade of Mussoorie and is dotted with a number of shops. We picked up a couple of Tibetan curios as gifts and continued to stroll along watching the place throb with life and activity.

Next was the Gunhill which is the second highest point in Mussoorie. To access Gunhill, there are two ways. The first one is to begin trek from Court complex on the Mall road, which takes you to Gunhill in about 20 minutes. One can also enjoy a Ropeway ride, the distance of around 400 meters. Gun Hill offers a gorgeous panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges and a bird’s eye view of Mussoorie town and Doon Valley. During the British regime, a Gun mounted on the hill used to be fired at mid-day, and hence the name.

In different places we came across photographers offering to click pictures of you in dresses of the Hill folk on hire. We clicked a couple of pictures dressed as Hill women, complete with jewelry, carrying pots of water.

The Camel’s Back Road, another beautiful walkway starts from Kulri Bazaar and ends at Library Bazaar covering a total distance of about 3 km. The entire stretch of the road is fringed with Deodar trees and we enjoyed the sight on horse back. The place derives its name from a rock that resembles the back of a camel when it is seen from a point near the gate of Mussoorie Public School. We enjoyed the splendid sun setting behind the Himalayan Curtains and watched as the entire Hill was enveloped in a serene sunset hue.
15 km from Mussoorie on the Yamunotri Road is the Kempty falls cascading from a height of 4500 feet. We splashed and played in the water where the gushing falls crashes into a pool and even drank a cup of the pristine, cool mountain water. Set on the hilly terrains, its name is derived from ‘Camp-tea’, as the British would organize their tea parties here.

In the evening we went for boating in the Mussoorie Lake which also offers an enchanting view of the Doon Valley and nearby villages.

We walked walk through Landour which has wonderful spots for picnics. Sister’s Bazaar, which is north of Landour, is a small residential colony which houses the British-era Church (which still holds mass), restaurants serving pancakes and Garhwali food, and Ruskin Bond’s residence.

We had an enjoyable weekend at Mussoorie and were relieved to get a respite from Delhi’s heat.