'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎241v] (487/610)

(e) For. other communications from Firmkuh see Volume
II, Routes in Persia
(/) From Doab in stage 7 to Samnan, 2 stages.
(g) From Aliabad in stage 9 to Sari, J stage.
(h) From Barfarush, stage 9, to Astarabad, via Sari, 5 stages.
(i) From Barfarush, stage 9, to Amcl and Rasht, 12 stages,
189 miles.
Telegraphs .— (Persian) to Firuzkuh from Samnan (messages
much delayed), to Barfarush and Meshed-i-Sar from Shahrud
via Astarabad. _ _ _
Alternative Routes. Route No. 2 to Amol 110 miles, Amoj,
to Barfarush 20 miles, to Meshed-i-Sar 29 miles, total 139
miles. This route is preferred by ‘ charvadars ’ except in mid
winter.
Alternative stages. Omit Damavand in stage 2 and go from
Chinar teashop to Giliard, meeting the loop road via Damavand
3|- miles from Damavand.
Route No. 2. From Tehran to Amol.
This is knwon as tl e I arijan read. It is the most direct route
from Tehran to the Mazandaran plain and the most frequen
ted except in mid-winter when No. 1 is preferable. It is the
same as No. 1 along the Damavand road to Rudahind, whence
it branches North up a valley by Ah, stage 2, and crosses the
Imamzadhe Hashim ridge in stage 3 to Falur, vlere it
enters the district of Larijan. It crosses the Lar stream at
Palur, and follows the slopes of Damavand mountain to
Rahneh 8000 / , stage 3. From Rahneh it descends to the river
and follows it through ravines, sometimes on the right some
times on the left bank, to Amol.
The road is broad, nowhere narrowing to less than 7'. The
Imamzadeh Hashim ridge is steep and rocky on the Northern
face, but easier, though rough, on the Southern. From Palur
to Rahneh, stage 3, is fairly level hut paved with big stones
and full of holes, which make tedious and difficult travelling.
It is subject to scouring from the slopes of Damavand and
needs frequent repairs.
A 3-mile descent beyond Rahneh is steep in parts, but the
surface is good to stage 4; stage 5 is again boulder-strewn, and
stage* 6 through the forest is no better.
“ Qishlaq ” begin in stage 5, and vegetation in stage 6 , a
few miles South of Amol.