Beloved of the British, Nainital was Jim Corbett’s home for many years, and he talks about the town fondly in his books. When P. Barron stumbled upon the valley of Naini Lake in 1839, he was smitten enough by its beauty to stop trading in sugar and build the first European house here, starting a trend that lasted till the 1920s. Only then did the number of Indians start to rival British presence in Nainital. The British built more than just houses. They built schools of high repute, four of which still attract students from all parts of India.



Nainital has expanded and the surrounding forest that once teemed with bears and deer has thinned abysmally. The number of tourists and pollution have all increased manifold. Yet, it is still possible to track down the soul of the place in its emerald lake, lovely houses and its rich bounty of flowers.



Set amidst the towering peaks of the Kumaon Himalaya, this lake resort surrounded by pine trees has many interesting walks along quaint forest trails in the neighbouring woods. Summer is the high season. There is festivity in the air, the town is closed to heavy vehicles and holidaymakers get really raucous and sometimes quite overbearing.

Orientation
Nainital is divided into two parts — Tallital, or the southern approach to the lake, and Mallital, or the northern part of the lake and its upper reaches. The bus and taxi stand, KMVN Head Office, government offices, governor’s bungalow and golf course are in Tallital. The auto-rickshaw stand, Uttarakhand High Court, Bara Bazaar, Tibetan Market, The Flats, Eco Cave Gardens and several high-end heritage and mid-range hotels are clustered in Mallital. The lake is cradled between the slopes of Ayarpatta on the west and Sher-ka-Danda to the east. The Mall, lined with restaurants, shops, hotels and travel agents, runs along the eastern bank, on the  Sher-ka-Danda side. The zoo, Durga Shah Library, many restaurants and the ropeway are all off the Sher-ka-Danda side. The Aurobindo Ashram, Dorothy’s Seat, Land’s End, Gurney House, the walking path to Khurpatal and a few hotels are on the Ayarpatta slopes. A promenade encircles the lake completely.