Berijam lake is about 20 - 25 kms from kodaikanal inside forest area. You need official permission to enter the forest area, which your local travel agent should be able to arrange for you easily if you tell him before 2 PM the day before. The road is narrow and tough mountain terrain within a dense forest area, but the view is worth it. Your experience will depend a lot on your taxi or bus driver who takes you there. If you get one of the smart types always in a hurry to finish their job and go home, you're in for a roller coaster ride you won't forget in a hurry.
On the way to Berijam lake, you can stop at Silent Valley and Caps fly Valley, both of which are beautiful. Silent valley has a very enchanting and scary feel about it. There's a sheer drop covered with mist that takes you straght to the pearly gates if you don't watch your step.There's a small roadside attachment on the way called the 'Berijam lake view' further up where you can stop and take a look at the lake from above the mountains. It's a breathtaking view.
When you ultimately reach berijam lake, the first thing you come across is a barricade that keeps all the taxis and busses out. You go on foot from there. The lake is 25 Kms in perimeter. There's a signboard that say there's a government rest house near the lake. The lake is a source of pure natural mountain water. No boats or fishing but there are some tents and campers. Later the tents get taken down as it got darker. Maybe it gets too cold, or maybe it's not permitted or safe at night. There is plenty of place to be alone in the wild if that is what you are looking for. The place is not crowded at all (like Kodai lake). It's deep inside the forest and away from civilisation. The forests around are dense and rich. There is a board listing panthers besides varieties of deer.
To sum it up, it's a very beautiful place to be alone and away from civilisation for some time, but the road is not very easy. If you take the trip, the trouble is worth it.