Five Have Plenty of Fun – Rail Hike Stage 03…

Hiya folks, I left you at Piduruthalagala in the last report and you must still be there mesmerized by the majestic and unobstructed view offered by the ever-loving and so kind Mother Nature. So I thought of bringing you back to the concrete jungle where we make our living. No matter how much we despise this piece of unforgiving land yet we have to come back coz our lives depend so much on these concrete pillars, smoke-belching vehicles, dust-filled air, grime-covered sidewalks and hectic occupations.

I won’t simply bring back to Colombo, instead, I’m gonna take you through a detour and show you more lush greenery mixed with outstanding landscapes thanks to the mercy shown by my beloved N’Eliya. As I told you before, she proved to be a gem chasing all the rain clouds away and making sure we were kept nice and dry. We couldn’t thank her enough and wanna go see her again. Guess what? She was so happy to see my letter as it was the first time I did send As I told you before, she proved to be a gem chasing all the rain clouds away and making sure we were kept nice and dry. We couldn’t thank her enough and wanna go see her again. Guess what? She was so happy to see my letter as it was the first time I did send her one and all the other times it was either text messages or just telepathic mails.

We left amazed by the view offered at the summit of Gigantic Piduruthalagala and hoping they’d let us walk to the top from the entrance (6km). It would make it the ideal hike but due to all the security protocols coupled with bureaucracy wouldn’t likely to allow that in the foreseeable future. If you missed reading my previous report, you can check it over here.

Having stocked our larder with rice and curry and noodles, we reached at the Ambewela at moderate 8.45am and got the permission from the SM to park our car and leave it there. He was very willingly agreed and the Colombo-bound Podi Menike was arriving at the station and then sat waiting for the signal to run along.

Having stored water bottles, meal packs, portable cooker of Prasa and other essential items into our back packs, we left Ambewela towards Nanu Oya through the lush green patches of Ambewela farm.

Tour Highlights:

1. 14+ km of Rail Hiking

2. Elgin Falls

3. Perakumpura Falls and Perakumpura Mini Falls

4. Endless breath-taking sceneries

5. Summary of Panos

It was nice and sunny and we enjoyed the fresh mountain air to the max and this was Sheham’s first rail hike and according to him, long overdue. So he wanted to make the most of this and attempt others soon after. The KM post at the Ambewela said 219.5km which meant we had to hit 205.5km post to finish our hike.

 Ambewela-Perakumpura – 9km

We came across the Ambewela Reservoir and its sluice gates after a short distance. Unfortunately it was closed so we couldn’t get a good view of the running down water with plenty of foam. Apparently there used to be people fishing in this reservoir for trout which is among the many threatening species found in Sri Lanka. The Mount Thotupola was looking at us from far away feeling sorry that we were leaving her behind.

The either side of the railway line is also used as a footpath for the villagers and farmers. We even saw the footpath is being used by motor bicycles carrying sacks of vegetables to hand over to the waiting Lorries. The life either side of the railway line is based on farming, mainly vegetables such as Carrot, Leeks, Radish and Potatoes. Unfortunately, they are not organic by any means and it made me feel very sad as they not only add poison to our vegetables but also make our waterways unusable.

However the kids found us irresistible peeping around corners but running away the moment I pointed the camera at them. There were so many beautiful flowers bordering the track and I couldn’t get enough of them as I kept well behind the group snapping at almost every single flower and finally it became too much coz the group had a nearly half km lead on me and had to run at times to catch up with them.

The footpath on either side helped us so much as we didn’t have to walk on the railway line itself and this took a huge burden off our hip bones and spine. It’s always a tedious task to walk on the uneven railway tracks and the gap between sleepers is not the best friends of your feet. We saw a few caves dug into the walls and later found the reason for them. The workers of the railway and farmers use these caves to boil water and sometimes cook meals as they give optimal shelter from constant drizzle and winds. We saw many remains of makeshift hearths in and around these.

We stopped by for breakfast and had our rice and curry spread on the sleepers piled on either side of the railway line. It was so nice to have a hearty meal enveloped by the trees. After about an hour we met the first of the trains coming from Nanu Oya. A good old M6 with carriages of passengers and oil heading towards Haputale was the first to come across us along the hike and it was a nice welcome. The color combination of the engine (Red and Green) was a nice addition to the already greeny and bluey surroundings.

Just before Elgin Falls, there was a very nice bridge similar to the Black Bridge in Demodara and it had recently been renovated with new pilings and looked absolutely gorgeous. It’d been grand had there been a train coming at that time to capture it on the bridge but we were not that lucky. Passing that we came across the famous Elgin Falls onto our left. Initially my intention was to get down to the base of her but our time schedule wouldn’t hear any of it. Instead we had to be content with the view from the railway line. However, Niroshan had got down to this fall some time ago and you can see his report here. This is at the 215km post which means 4.5km away from Ambewela.

There’s a signpost saying Elgin Falls and we had a quick snack of biscuits and fruit juice to pacify our dehydrated bodies. Passing Elgin, we saw yet another somewhat bigger waterfall about 500m away and it could even have been a seasonal falls but located at the edge of a tea estate and surely easily accessible than Elgin.

Along the way, we met a linesman who applies oil to the side of the railway track to avoid it being eroded or cut away by the wheels of the train. He’s carrying a 2-foot tube like thing in which has two flags of red and green along with some explosives. Now don’t get alarmed. It is just a circular-shaped fire-cracker the size of a “Cheena Patas”. When it’s misty and the visibility is low, these people tie the cracker onto the track with a tiny metal strap so that when the train goes over it, it blasts with a huge bang giving a warning to the engine driver. With these they can easily avoid catastrophes happening.

Then we found a bunch of workers replacing the old sleepers with new ones and fixing the railway line and Udarata Menike train too arrived just on cue. She went very slowly due to the track being not as steady as it was amid the repairs and we got some nice captures on our lenses. The track made some nice shapes like a capital S and it was nice to see the train too winding along these like a python after a heavy lunch.

We reached Perakumpura in no time and the going was reasonably quick. The bridge before the Perakumpura station was being repaired too with new plates being welded into the structure to help pedestrians walk on either side. The workers show us a beautiful passion fruit flower with amazing purplish patterns on it. Just on the right hand side we could hear a waterfall but the overgrown bushes prevented us seeing her. I was frantically searching for a path when out of nowhere got a glimpse of this beauty through a nearby farm. With their permission we crossed the garden to get a close look and got some decent shots in our cameras. She was named the Perakumpura Mini Falls as there was a bigger one towards the village.

I was looking for the other cascade which is the bigger sister of this and Ashan’s previous report helped me locate her.

 

Podi Menike coming to Ambewela

Ready with the tablet

Train length

Away she goes

Ready to go

Ready to go

The road lies to New Zealand farm

Single orchid

I’m left behind

Tiny pond

Shy but curious

Being invaded?

Nicely done as if done with a foot ruler

First of many

Cluster of white beauties

all closed up

Up close

Going towards Ambewela, see the foot path beyond

Different arts being created

Couldn’t resist this one

There are hundreds of these

Another one

Hidden in the trees

Being unloaded to be transported

Waiting for the lorry

Like the artistic look

Simply stunning

Had breakfast with these all around

See the color reproduction

Not to be taken away

She’s there too

Thotupola in the horizon

Busy at work

Towards New Zealand farm

Just found it

Endless

It’s like a road

Being nourished by the disgorging trains

Up through the V cut

Leaveless

One of the cooking caves

Further more

Love the color combination

Here comes the first one and the folks are busy

Majestic looking despite the old age

See yah

Giant ferns

Good for freshing up

Another nice one

Freshly dug

More work to be done

Around the corner

Where’s Kassa?

Clouds and mountain tops

The bridge

Close up

Just got this

Purple covered

Atha’s way ahead

Mammoth pillars

Wish there was a train

Nice plant

This is where you find Elgin

There it is

Faraway

Trying hard to get closer

Bottom part

Consists of 3 parts

Top most

Walking along

Time to go

Another resting place of workers

The falls beyond Elgin

Looks big

Yet another V cut

Endless mountains

Closing in on Perakumpura

All over

Love the reddish color on this

Pretty much isolated

There he comes

Unloading the tube

The contents: Oil can, cracker, flags and the tube itself

This is the one I’ve been telling you

Super macro

The color of love

Got plenty of these too

Where’s Perakumpura?

Repairs

Makeshift bathing place?

Ready to blossom

She’s feeding on them

The equipment of the workers. That rope looks like it can pull a ship

Coming slowly

See yah

Some more of these

Super looking

The mix bag of dark, white and blue sky

Entering into the tea estates

Endless

Must be close to Perakumpura now

How can I not take these?

Not missing you either

Been going for a good 8+km by now

The dark clouds threatening but going away at last

This is just part of the life

The Perakumpura bridge, Sheham and Prasa who died 1000 deaths crossing this coming towards the village

Repairs underway

What can I say?

The hidden Perakumpura Mini Falls

Hi there!

Still got enough water

Wish we could have a very cold bath

Ready to reap the benefits of hard labor

Looking good

Immaculate

Perakumpura-Nanu Oya – 5km

Having visited the little sister of Perakumpura Falls, we got the directions from the villagers to the big sister and it was about a 600-800m circular track which brought us back onto the railway track beyond the Perakumpura station.

The falls could be seen through a potato patch and we got as close as possible to get a few shots. There was doggy and he seemed very friendly at first jumping up and down but must have got disappointed as we didn’t offer him any scraps. So he hid is tail between the hind legs and started growling softly and Kasun simply ran away. I too realized the fellow meant business and quietly slipped past his kennel.

Meanwhile, Atha, Sheham and Prasa had got down to the top of the falls and we too joined them. After a short break we decided to get back and continue our journey. There were dark clouds hovering above threatening to come down at any second but my humble request had more merits to keep them away.

After a km or so away we decided to cook our instant noodles and have them with the bread we had. So another collection of sleepers gave us a perfect resting place and we could see the Great Western Mountain watching us faraway through the mist. The top of her was completely covered by the mist but she was generous enough to give us a good view on and off.

Prasa and Atha got busy with the cooker and noodles while Kasun called Ashan, Dana and Thinuwan who’d gone to visit Nelu Flowers and waiting for a train at Ambewela. Having cooked different flavored packs of noodles we settled down to devour them with chunks of bread. As soon as we finished the breakfast we heard the train coming and wanted to do a short video and got busy with my Lumia.

Ashan and the gang were waiting towards the end of the train and we both had a hooting competition. The video of that is here.

Video 01:

Nanu Oya was looming ahead and Colombo bound Podi Menike having suffered numerous delays were waiting at Nanu Oya till the train from Ambewela reached Nanu Oya. The blue Chinese S12 was coming through the lush tea plantations like a giant snake and it was very beautiful sight. It got closer and closer and we managed to get some long shots.

Eventually there was a tiny hill and we all got up to it and it gave a super overhead view of the oncoming train and I shot another short video.

 Video 02:

Then it was a very short distance to the Nanu Oya station. The lush tea plantations kept us occupied with our cameras and it started to drizzle and it got us worried coz the dark clouds were pretty much right overhead and Kasun decided to take out it raincoat and put the camera in his waterproof backpack. However, it didn’t bother us that much and we managed to reach Nanu Oya in record time by 2.15pm.

There was a train leaving for Ambewela at 2.30pm and we were glad to have got before that. We also saw the signs of the former Udupussellawa railway line but further examination had to be called off due to the timing of the next train. However, we were disappointed to hear the train is delayed as much as an hour or so and settled down for the long wait.

Finally when it came, it was 3.50pm and the drizzle was getting heavier and we enjoyed our steps backwards in the train. I was fortunate enough to get pic of the bridge and the front of the train on it which partially compensated for the earlier disappointment. Around 4.20pm we reached Ambewela and bid our farewell to the SM with our thanks.

Well it was my third successful rail hike and there sure will be plenty more coming up in the future. It was so nice to be back in N’Eliya and she was very kind for us. That concludes the 3rd stage of my rail hikes and it surely turned out to be another fairy tale. Hope you guys enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it. Again let me tell you, it’s nothing like going and seeing it with your own eyes.

Take care…

 

The Perakumpura Falls hidden among the trees

Orange rose bud

The twins

In full color

The cluster of love

The circus doggy trying to get some scrap from us

Getting down to take closer look at the falls

Irresistible

Finally

Still blocked by the branches

That’s the best we can do

The water is mixed with all kinds of fertilizers and chemicals used up hill

Adorable

Growling softly looking menacing

Ready for another winter

From the top of Perakumpura falls

Right at the top

Not much water

Watering the carrot plots

By passing the station

Dark clouds have finally gone far away

Overhead bridge to cross from one estate to the other

Now I’m hungry

Towards Talawakele

They had been pruned and fertilized

Pruned to the bones

Looking for a place to cook

Working alone

That’s the work

Every inch of land is being used

Finally got a place and the cooker is good to go

Prasa, the master chef

Atha putting all the noodles packets in one go

Almost done

Gosh I’m ravenous

There comes the Podi Menike through the tea estates

The peak of Great Western finally cleared just a tiny bit

End of work

Glassaugh Falls seen from far

It’s very close now to the destination

The train must be coming very close now

On the left corner is where we climbed to get a good view of the oncoming train

Lush greenery

There she’s

Not Scotland even though it says Edinburgh

We were running to get a good look and record her movements

Innovative

Drizzling

Time to hurry

More to go

But not leaving these behind

After school and running to beat the rain

IPW?	Another look of Glassaugh Falls

Abandoned carriages just before Nanu Oya

Trying to get a good view from the bottom

Widening the road?

Couple of bucketfuls will fill this to the brim

Hurrahhhhhhh!!!!

Just the board is there and must try and follow its steps

The tuning bridge at Nanu Oya

Solidly built by the English

We did it

Long platform

This must’ve used to pour water to the coal carriages

From the station

Concrete sleepers ready to be taken away

Good old buildings

Those workers we met coming down to the station

End of the day’s work

Had to balance the camera on top of a bottle to get this

She really is amazing

From the crossing bridge

The sleeping competition

Using the paw instead of a pillow… what a relaxed face

Nearly 1.5hrs late

On the move and got the pic of missing Perakumpura station

My wish came true. The rain on the bridge

Reachig Ambewela

Caterpillar had been on the move too

Wondering when it’d move

Bidding our farewell

Kotmale in the last bit of sunlight

Summary of Panos

Ok here goes the Summary of Panos. Enjoy!

 

Pano 1

Pano 2

Pano 3

Pano 4

Pano 5

Pano 6

Pano 7

Pano 8

Pano 9

Pano 10

Pano 11

Pano 12