My recent visit to Camp Forktail Creek
19 Jan, 2012
A quick trip to Camp Fork Tail Creek, Corbett.
One weekend in early December, I set out to Corbett for a trip I have been dreaming about for a long time now. Getting an early start at 4 am in the morning helped me accomplish my journey right upto the camp in less than 7 hours. The road conditions were pretty good except for a small section (around 25 kms) between Moradabad and Kashipur which is in urgent need of attention.
Driving along the Kosi river and past a string of hotels in Ramnagar you reach a T-Point at Mohan from where your drive on the Ranikhet road for over a kilometre and half and arrive at a small roadside temple where Ritesh was waiting for me in his 4X4 gypsy. We covered the rest of the brief distance of 450m in the Gypsy, a steep rocky stretch that only a 4X4 vehicle can take. Nestled amidst the jungle I arrived at Camp Forktail Creek, my first view of the lodge seemed to encompass everything I have heard and read about in the last few months. Once in the lodge I was greeted by a much awaited hot cup of “chai”. With temperatures hovering around the 20 degrees during the day and around 10 degrees in the evenings and early morning I was glad for the layers and the thick jacket I was carrying.
A little later I was joined by Minakshi who quickly briefed me about the camp, its sit-outs, the beautiful mud-huts, their environment philosophy etc. I was glad I started early and arrived at the camp during day light hours. The camp does not have a source of regular electricity that we are so used to, a welcome change for me and another reason I appreciated having arrived hours before dark. One quickly gets used to the lack of electric lighting and it was an ‘eye-opener’ for me that our eyes quickly get used to the dark and other senses adjust to guide you around. During the day a small generator is run for a couple of hours and this is when guests can charge camera batteries, laptops or your mobile phones (if required).
Abundant nature around keeps you spell-bound. Corbett is a Birder’s paradise with an amazing variety of species. After a hearty lunch I went for a forest walk along with a couple of other guests. This is a favourite camp activity usually conducted on the day of arrival. Our guide , Vrushal has been a naturalist at the camp for some years now and was an expert in the area as well as the bird life around. Along the way we came across a small pack of Sambhar and many birds - Grey Headed Woodpecker, Himalayan Flameback, Greater Flameback, White crested laughing thrush, Niltava. My personal favourite and the star of the day’s walk was spotting the Great Hornbill, that too three of them in animated discussions on a tree nearby.
After the forest hike we collected at the ‘Dhaba’, sitting around a campfire with a bowl of Popcorn and a drink. It was a clear night and the camp was an ideal vantage to view the total lunar eclipse, a sight I never seen before. As we were sitting around talking someone came across and informed that he had spotted something on the tree closeby. We arrived at the spot to see the Asian Palm Civet sitting cozily on a tree top with its thick tail hanging down.
Soon dinner was over and each one of us headed back to our mud-huts for the night. A hot water bag under the blanket was a relief from the chilling cold outside, the solar charged lantern in the room casting a soft light that does not disturb your sleep.
An early breakfast and we headed out for a drive along with Ritesh and Minakshi. We passed the Lohachaur gate , the nearest entry point (5 kms) from camp into the Corbett National Park. We drove upto Marchula which is the first fishing beat on the Ramganga river. This important fishing point is about 15 kms away from camp and on the way we came across barking deer, Gural, Crocodile, fish eagle and many more birds. We were back at camp by noon and after a quick lunch began our long drive back to Delhi.
I returned comforted to know that even when we go about our lives in busy and polluted city like Delhi the forests of Corbett are just a quick drive away and you have a cozy haven like Camp Fork Tail Creek where Minakshi and Ritesh make you feel right at home.
Sunil Yohannan
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Always a pleasure to go back amongst friends. As beat no.2 is closed, haven't been there for sometime. a trip is long overdue!
supriogonefishing | 19 Jan, 2012