Trekking to Meemure from Bambarella across Knuckles

Year and Month	September, 2014 (6th)
Number of Days	Three Day Trip
Crew	2 (Wali & Me)
Accommodation	1st day night – Alugallena Cave (Knuckles) 2nd day night – Nawa mama’s home (Meemure)
Transport	Public transport from Kurunegala to Bambarella. From Bambarella to trail end Narangamuwa on foot. Public transport from Narangamuwa to Kurunegala.
Activities	Hiking & Trekking, Photography, Waterfall hunting, Camping
Weather	1st Day – Cool and misty 2nd Day – Excellent 3rd Day – Extremely Dry
Route	1st Day – Kurunegala -> Katugasthota -> Waththegama(වත්තේගම) -> Bambarella(බඹරැල්ල) -> Knuckles(නකල්ස්) -> Alugallena(අළුගල්ලෙන) (Camping there) 2nd Day – Alugallena(අළුගල්ලෙන) -> Pusse Ela(පුස්සේ ඇල) -> Kaikawala(කයිකාවල) -> Meemure(මීමුරේ) (Stay there) 3rd Day – Meemure(මීමුරේ) -> Narangamuwa(නාරංගමුව) -> pallegama(පල්ලේගම) -> Dambulla(දඹුල්ල) -> Kurunegala.
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Very special thing is the hike should start early morning as much as possible. You must pay your attention well about the weather condition of that area before you go there. ·If you don’t use a GPS tracker it is very important to accompany with an experienced guide. If it was a clear way from Bambarella to Alugallena but the way from Alugallena to Pusse ela was not cleared well. You must bring enough foods, drinking water, energy drinks, all camping equipment and some medicines. The first bus from Waththegama to Bambarella leave at about 6.15am from Waththegama. (For more details call Waththegama depot 0812476243) It’s not essential to bring a tent, because Alugallena is very safe cave, so you can accommodate here. You can accommodate Nawa mamas’ home at Meemure. (For more details 0813804191) There are some loitering wild elephants & wild buffalos will met when passing Meemure. So you must be very careful. You must keep it your mind polythene is unwholesome to Knuckles. Leave only your footprints & bring only sweet memories. Special Thanks to First of all I thanking very much my loving companion Wali for materialize my dream. Thanking dr brother Niroshan to give more information & his kindly support. My heartiest thanks to Nawa mama & his family to treat us well.
Author	upul nandana
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Trekking to Meemure from Bambarella across Knuckles

Even we went the Knuckles on many ways before, but we didn’t go to the “Meemure” any day. I had an eager to go Meemure early but I couldn’t do that some causes. At last as a result of my eager I get the chance to visit Meemure.

If we decided to go Meemure from Bambarella across Kalupahana but we had to change that. Because we hadn’t clear information about that way. So we chose Knuckles way across Alugallena way. Dear brother Niroshan helped so much to reach this target to me. We were ready to this journey without any guide, but we had great information & guidance from Niroshan.

We went Waththegama at about 6.00am which left from Kurunegala about 4.00am and the way across Katugasthota. We could catch the first bus from Waththegama to Bambarella at about 6.15am and also we get our breakfast in this bus. After 1.5hr journey we could reach to Bambarella at about 7.45am.

After got down from bus we were chat with some villager and get an idea about our way. There after journey was started along that way. After some distance of the way we could use short cuts across tea estate according to on formations of villagers. The cool climate and the beauty of nature were reduced our tired and the words which told poor Tamil villagers were enthusiastic our journey.

Just got down & go forward.

Using shortcut

White Beauty…

Misty isn’t outside yet

Newly sprouted tree

Gift of British aggressors

Little fascicule

Bambarella Tea estate

Golden tea buds

When we entered to upper portion it passed 10.30am and our speed of journey was reduced by the beautiful surrounding. The way was finished from here and then we entered to small foot path of the right side of the way. Some of tiny cottages were in this path and we could see some tea plucking women also. After another 20min. forward we could came close to beautiful water fall Knuckles. Then we took a small break there and started journey again.

Go forward

Instability

Art house

Mmmm… Orange…

Grown moss

Little buddies

Beauty of road side

Endless motion

Steps forward

End of the path

It decayed too much

While blossoming

Get some rest

Difference of redolence

Pretty twins

Little mermaid

He is busy with his camera

Nice pattern

Amazing Knuckles Fall

Like a painting

Sometime it may be precious

Pass by steps

We went forward along the open area and the way was some rise. Surrounding was covered by misty and sometime Bambarella seen for moment. Buy the way the open area was finished and then entered to forest. Also that it had an ascent and due to existing wet weather condition leaches waiting for us. But the long socks which we wear help to prevent leaches attacks.

Nodule of bamboo

Endeavour to arise

Just click

Difference of plant cover

Through the copse

Seeking various angles

Misty swallows up

Passing a land mark.

Misty is flowing slowly

A nice place to rest. Leaches are waiting to treat you. :-)

Lady Knuckles covered her face felling shy

We had a big starvation by then because of the cool weather. We went forward without getting any rest because of leaches attacks and without having proper place to rest. After went forward like that, we met a small open area. So we get a rest from there and had the lunch also. Then again started our journey and entered to important junction at about 2.20pm.

This was a 3 way junction and upper way to Knuckles. But we went on that way earlier. So we chase down way to go forward. This way also we went earlier. So we know it spent about 3hr from here to Alugallena. So we managed the time and hurried to walk before dusk.

Landscape spread to Bambarella

Nice art of nature.

She meets often at Knuckles

Important junction.
Black arrow- The way which we came from Bambarella.
Blue arrow- The peak of Knuckles.
Red arrow- To Alugallena,(The way which we go)

Spiders’ Design

Like jelly fish

White lady

Like a green rug

But it was not easy. The way was shelving. So the weight of our back packs disturbed to us. And also way was very slippery because of the earlier day rain. At about 3.30 we could reach to old camp site of forest department & we get some rest there. We had to first scene of Alugallena Mountain also.

Again the way was fallen through the forest. So again we affected by leaches attacks. We reached next important junction at about 3.45pm and we met the way from Thangappuwa to Alugallena. So we went Alugallena along that way. According to our experiences we know there were plenty of leaches attack along this way. So we properly armed against to leaches.

Get some leisure. (This is an old camp site)

Next important junction.
Black arrow- The way which we came.
Yellow arrow- The way to Thangappuwa.
Red arrow- The way which should go trail head Alugallena.

Lump of leopard

Deploying pollen.

The way was fallen across streams sometime and leaches attacks also were high. So we hadn’t got any rest also. We had to get some rest on the stone which placed on the stream. Then we entered to Alugallena at about 5.45pm with noticed a successful ending of 1st day walk with very tired.

Getting special treats from leaches

Red mushrooms

The destination of first day at hand. (This scene is Alugallena mountain & the cave is on foot on that.)

Hurried walk to cave

Crepuscular shadows

Mission completed in 1st day

Water supply of the cave was disturbed, so Wali made a new plumbing line using Banana trees and I cleared the cave and setted tent. Because of too tired we had some short meal any get sleep with dreaming for next day.

Ready to repair water supply line

This is familiar for us

It’s working…

2nd day

We got awake at about 7.00am with the crash sound of monkeys. That beautiful night also added to our memory book. Then after get breakfast and taking lunch packets we ready to leave. The challenge was the way from here. Because we didn’t have any information besides PDF of Niroshan.

So we made a way through cardamom bushes ahead the cave and go forward at about 9.30am. There was no any cleared foot path. So we withdraw very difficultly. Leaches attacks were too much. After that the way was finished a big brae. So we were hopeless for moment. Then we come again backward and met some place to down. So we step down from there.

Then we heard some noise of human. So we responded to that and go forward. Accidently a man was immerged through the forest. We got nervous and look at him some moment. He was a toddy tapper and he helped us to find the correct way. And also he brought us to his hut and treated us well =D and he described about the way which we want to go and introduce the plant of “Maussa”. It was a harmful plant on human beings. We spent little time there and started go forward. The way was a precipice from here and it was difficult to step on that way.

Preparing breakfast

It helps to everything

Nice & safe place to camping

It’s a marvelous experience

A lonely moment of deep Knuckles range

Let’s ready to 2nd mission. (The way is fallen forward the cave.)

No any sign of footpath

Copious cardamom

It’s a tough way

A valley

The man who received the god

Natural arch

Landmark

Toddy tappers’ hut

Just lowered

“මාඋස්සා”. You should careful about it

The way is clear a little

Another gift of nature

Art of leaves

It’s familiar for us

Five petal flowers

Nice landing

By the way to down side the climate change also felt very well. Weather was turned dry here. And also we abstained from leaches attack by then. We came a long distance like that. Then the time about 1.00pm, so we get the lunch and get some rest. There were no many water resources besides one stream. So we saved our limited water for further consume. After some distance from here we met and important junction. One way was to Karabmaketiya and other was to Pusse Ela from this junction. So we selected Pusse Ela way to go forward.

Greenish frame

Feeling wildlife

Another angle

Passing land mark

Alone…

Nice couple

Wild strawberry

Reaching to plain. (There are no any leaches attack. Because there’s dry weather.)

Through the forest

Tall trees

This way to “පුස්සේ ඇල” which we used. Other one for “කරඹකැටිය”

She is dried

She also like above

Kingdom of bumble-bees

Another land mark

Poisonous thorn

Signs of colony

Reaching to border

t tells now we are in dry weather

Straight

Went forward like this we entered large open area. So our journey was become slowly. Because of the sun beam get very fierce. Then we could get the first scene of the way from Hunnasgiriya to Meemure. We got some rest which stretched out on the dry meadow and get the rest of little water.

Then we continued our journey forward, the way was cleared from here and it had plenty of dry bushes. After some distance along this way we could see an elegance panorama. Lakegala was located in one side as a giant and figured paddy fields like steps were in the other side.

Went forward like this we met another junction and we selected left way from there. When some distance from there we herd sound of stream. So we hurried to step there. So we happily get some rest and continued along that way. At the end of this way we could entered main way. Then we looked forward to Meemure.

We went to Nawa mamas’ home from pusse Ela across Kaikawala on foot at about 5.45pm. Nawa mama warmly welcomed us and treated us loyally. After the end of 2nd day successfully we got sleep early with the intention of a long journey next day.

The way from “හුන්නස්ගිරිය” to “මීමුරේ”

While hunting

Just click

“බෝවිටියා”

They dead

Peculiarity of drought

Colony is at hand.

Method of “Hel Malu”

First scene in “ලකේගල”.

Starling

Landscaping

We choose this way. Other way also to “Pusse Ela” but it’s not near like other

The first man we met from “Pusse Ela”.

Prosperity

Along the way to “Meemure”.

Very innocent.

Great shot of Wali

Along the way to “Meemure”.

Crepuscular shadows

Nice view

Coffee-hut

He looking at us with lighting eyes

Nawa mamas’ home.

Nawarathna mama

3rd Day

According to earlier signification Nawa mama had waken us early. Then we get the bed tea and prepared to continue our journey. He advised us how to go & what were the things we should do during continue this journey. He emphasizes a fortiori to go forward very carefully because there were some wild elephant loitering due to the dry condition of there. Then we were thankful us to his hospitality and left from him to go forward.

With the arising of dawn we step forward felling with the folk fragrance. The way was along the earlier way. It was finished about 500m above Nawa mamas’ home. The footpath was started from there and some tiny cottages of villages could be seen and also we could see Lakegala at random. After some time we met a sacred boo tree and verdant paddy field. Behind from that we could see the Lakegala was stand proudly. (But Lakegala was seeing like that only those days, now our hearts were pained at every time when it sees.)

Ready to go

Watching our captures

peep of day

They inform arise of new day

Rubble work

First full view

The peak…

Colorfully…

Beauty of Lakegala

The way fallen through the paddy field

Crossing the bridge

Foot path was fallen near the Lakegala

Fruitful

Loyal chat…

Innocent Villagers…

Team work.

Creepers…

Tough path.

The way we should go

Credence.

Light balance

There is no any leaches

The footpath was fallen on the base of Lakegala. The surrounding had dry weather condition. And also we were very careful because villagers also said as Nawa mama, that wild elephants were loitering these days. If there were hilly areas at the beginning, but after our way was fallen to plain areas. Our journey was slow because dryness of surrounding than the tired of three day walk. However we could reach to Narangamuwa village at about 12.45pm. We were fed up too much by then so we could not go to Rambukoluwa as decided earlier. So we noticed our destination from Narangamuwa village with the intention of come to this paradise again.

We get a nature shower bath as our wish by nearest home at Narangamuwa. Then we had a loyal chat with them and served our remaining foods and medicine to them. We coat a bus to Pallegama from here and then get a bus from Dambulla to Kurunegala.