Global warming is taking its toll and India is seeing some drastic changes in its weather conditions. According to the met office on Monday, Shimla registered a temperature of 24 degrees, seven degrees above normal. Two decades ago, people would still hope to see snow in April and Shimla once witnessed a snowfall in the month of June too. But that’s history and what the future beholds in the summer months is mystery. Let’s talk about the present, which is definitely a welcome gift.
At 24 degrees, Shimla is pleasant. Good for long walks across the ridges of the main town in the evenings and the mornings. Right from Chotta Shimla, or Forest Road or Sanjauli, in the east to Summer Hill, or Boileauganj and Chakkar, in the West, the walks are lovely. The woods are deep and the roads almost empty, except for a stretch of a few kilometres when it passes through the Mall road and other town areas. Also on the platter are a magnificent view of the Himalayas on the East, Shivalik ranges on the West and Churdhar range on the South. One also gets to view stone churches, turrets and spires, wood façade cottages and mock Tudor houses on the way. It’s an ideal destination for flaneurs, only if you can pester your friend’s grandfather there. He can show you where Bollywood great Bhisham Sahni and Anupam Kher spent their childhood, or where Rabindra Nath Tagore spent a few months of wilderness in Shimla.
The summer capital of the British Raj also offers numerous trekking routes into the mountains that last from a day trip to a week- long tryst. The most common trek nowadays is the trek to Tattapani, where one can indulge in white water rafting on the fiery Sutlej river. A less frequented spot in Shimla is ‘the Glen’. As its name suggests, the place is situated deep in the woods near historic Annandale ground (In 1888, the second oldest football tournament in the World, Durand Cup was kicked off here). The place was developed by the British and has an ice-cold stream flowing through the forest, making it one of the most fascinating picnic spots in the city. But don’t venture out alone here, as it’s a lonely place. Going in groups is advised here.
There’s another long walk about which none of the tourist guides will tell you or even dare to ask you, but this walk is truly amazing. This walk is all about cherishing the British legacy — the Kalka-Shimla railway line. Get lost inside the railway tunnel No. 103, the last tunnel on the Kalka-Shimla toy train route. Keep walking towards the Summer Hill railway station. Once inside this tunnel, the walk is intriguing, but worth exploring. Obviously check the timings of the trains, as the light on the other side of the tunnel could be of an oncoming train. Once you have crossed the tunnel, you will find several beautiful spots where you can just take a break and relax.
If you keep walking down the tracks, in half an hour you’ll reach Summer Hill, the seat of the Himachal Pradesh University. Take a chai break here, but remember the small tea stalls make tea — pahari style — always high on sugar. One can then visit the Viceregal Lodge, an edifice of British Raj. The lodge is a Baronial mansion built in Elizabethan style. A unicorn and a lion guard its manicured lawns and the interiors sport intricate wood carvings. A perfect end to your walk in the tree-crowned hills of Shimla.
Apple trees at my orchard
This land is workstation for soKotime...
Different shades of green
Village Temple at Koti
Vishwas checking his mobile signal;-) 
West Point: View from the Western side of the land
Off the beaten tracks, Swift is not too swift here
Location of the house in Koti village
South View: Down south, it's amazing
