Horton Plains Heroism (Part 02) – Four Trail Marathon

So this is the continuation of my Horton plains journey. If I describe story so far briefly:-

We started from Kalupahana and came to V cut by a three wheeler and started walking in the jeep track. Had a de tour to Top of Bambarakanda falls and came back then continued walking. After passing Devil staircase and walking further few kms we camped in the last part of the jeep track (in the tea estate) and reached Ohiya – HP paved road next morning and reached ticketing office around 8.00 a.m.

You can view the full report here.

After reaching Horton plains for the first time I was in a hunger cover many trails. Although my friends informed that’s difficult to cover so much in a single trip I was not in a position to give up. “If there is a will there is a way”. My plan was to cover Word’s end circular trail and Thotupola trail as fast as possible and to reach camp site 01 before dark. Then do the Kirigalpottha trail next morning and descend via Dayagama Trail.

I would say our timing was perfect as we finished all the trails earlier than we estimated. But Weather didn’t allow us to camp as it was raining and thundering in the evening but God had faith on us and introduced a kind hearted human so as to execute our rest of the plan smoothly.

So this is our Four Trail Marathon of Horton Plains

At the Ohiya entrance. We showed the receipt of Campsite booking and entered the park

There is nearly 5 km to the visitor centre. we walked nearly for 2km and hired a three wheeler for the next 3km

Along the way we saw the path to Ginihiriya Bungalow

Near canteen. Feeding wild animals is not a good thing. We also had our breakfast around 9.00 a.m.

Word’s End Circular Trail

We kept our bags at DWC office at farr inn and took only a bottle of water and proceeded. Wildlife officers requested us to remove even the polythene label of the bottle .That’s really good supervision.

Starting the circular trail Sharp at 9.30

Stream at Red Bridge

Beginning of Circular. We took the Right path

Chimny Pond

Another pond……….. Mutton Leg???

Belihul oya was flowing calmly

Entering the forest patch

Steps down to see baker’s falls

Baker’s falls- view from the observation point

View from the middle

View from the bottom

Promoting tourism………………….

Back to plain

flora

The Great World’s end Drop

Houses at the bottom ( Belihuloya )

Zoomed

Towards Mini world’s End

Mini World’s End Drop

Valley

relaxing

Interesting (Rawul Gas)…..From this point we speeded our walk

Interesting rocky path

wow

Closer to starting point of circular trail

We were at farr Inn at sharp 12.30 . Completed the trail within 3.00 hrs

Thotupola Trail

Then we came back to the car park and searched for a three wheeler. But there was only one. The driver was waiting for his visitors/passengers as he had to drop them to Pattipola. What to do. As humans who have the best ways of communication we should be able to solve a problem by negotiating peacefully. We gave him an offer.

First drop us at Thotupola and come quickly to car park to pick his passengers. Then drop them at Pattipola and come back again to pick us at Thotupola trail head. The bid we offered was 1500/-. He happily agreed.

So we got in to three wheeler and rushed towards Thottupola even without having lunch. He dropped us at Thotupola Trail head Sharp 1.10p.m and we told him to come and pick us at sharp 3.00 thinking we could cover the trail before 2 hours. We settled Rs.500/- for the initial journey and promised to settle balance after picking us .Also gave some extra money to bring a pair of batteries and some food items. Sometimes it’s worth trusting humans by taking a mild risk.

At the Thotupola trail head. We started Sharp 1.10

Important notice – Click Image to Enlarge

Misty path

Misty, rainy and dark .I loved this weather although it was not good for photography

Dark and mysterious ………

Resting a bit at a flat rock

Journey continued

Thotupola (familiar word for both of us. But this time it’s an unofficial visit )

New one

We were at the third highest peak of SL

We came to the summit around 1.55 p.m. since rain started to pour we crept in to a small hut nearby and waited for 10 minutes. Then we started coming back. It was like a marathon. Not only had we wanted to escape from rain we wanted to flee away from the mysterious dark surrounding. Two times we were stopped by a sound of a large animal that was running through the forest patch. Both times it was a large elk. Luckily we didn’t notice a clue about its predator.

We came back to the trail head at 2.25 p.m. it’s a real marathon to cover this trail in 1hr and 15 minutes. So we waited for our driver at the rest room/wash room which was being built.

Resting after the marathon

To our surprise our driver came at sharp 3.00. After thanking for the commitment and settling his balance we rushed to the canteen and had two large spicy egg fried rice.(They didn’t have fish or meat.).Then we came to Farr Inn before 4.00p.m. and got ready for the camping part.

Unsuccessful Camping

But weather was not friendly. It was raining and heavy winds aggravated the condition. Also few thunders were joining the tragedy. Wild life officers by their experience told us it was not suitable for camping. They also mentioned If we were deciding to abort camping better to leave park early as after 5.30 it would be difficult to find a mode of transportation. But I was not in a position to give up and told them we’ll wait till the last moment.

We waited till 5.30 but conditions were getting worse and we had to make a decision. I gave up the camping part but was really concerned about other upcoming two trails. Only option was to go back to Pattipola and come back in the morning which will consume a lot of time, money, and energy. I knew if we had gone to Pattipola or Ohiya it would have affected the positive mind set and Moral, surely it would have lead us to abort the trip from that point .Because I knew we couldn’t expect such a commitment and punctuality from our tired bodies and soul .

Again the Communication Skills came into part .We talked to the officer in charge for the night shift and clearly described our intentions. He was a Young, well understanding and kind gentlemen. And he was a very intelligent officer who used “Rubber Band Theory” at that moment and gave us an option where neither had he to break the rules nor we had to suffer the night. As there are some ethics to maintain I am not going to describe each and every thing. I can say because of his helping hand we were fresh, fit and positive enough at the Kirigalpoththa trail head by 6.30 a.m. following day.

Kirigalpoththa Adventure

Farr Inn

My Friend with the Helping Hand. New friendship is begun with two departments.

Our First attraction

Beautiful but threatening plants. Gave us a hard time to walk.

Morning view of the plain

Activities of big cats found even at the beginning

Mist ……….my favourite

flora

interesting

Came to the first forest patch

Came out of the forest….We passed a plain then a forest.Again a plain then forest for few times until we reach the last forest patch

Only decision point…Cross the stream..Turn right………that’s all…….

Drown in the mist

Bowitiya the queen in the hills

Spongy / bumping sections .here after we entered the final and the longest mountainous forest patch

What has happened to this large bee hive in Sri’s Report…. Tony must have eaten it all…

There were so many jungle cocks and emerald Doves eating Nelu seeds. But they didn’t give us a chance to picture them

Rock where we had breakfast

Lovely

Starting to climb the peak

Taking a small rest

Some barriers

Here we are at the viewing point which is 150m below the summit. But the view was not clear due to mist

So we made it interesting and adventurous. walking in narrow path in the misty and drizzling condition

There was a safe edge at either side. So we didn’t want to pick the forest trail(by route)

Slowly but carefully walked on the rock

Final part

Flat area at the summit .we reached the summit at 9.15a.m ( 2hrs and 45mins for the hike)

Here is the second highest peak of SL ( Similar rock arrangement as Thotupola)

How do you express your feelings in the highest peak which is accessible by foot…… ……..By Doing YOGA ?????

I’ll do it in my way……………………

beautiful

We waited nearly half an hour and decided to come back

Through the Nelu Bushes again

Foot prints of the Giant. It was not there when we were climbing. He had come to the foot path from right end and walked for 20-30meters and re entered to the forest from left side. Also there were nail marks on a tree .didn’t bothered to take a picture even and left the place with rocketing speed.

colourful

Coming to the plain. Is it Agra – Bopath mountains? we slowed down the speed after this

Maha Rath Mal

At 11.35a.m we were able to reach Farr in .We were above par to do this in 5hours as I was thinking of 6hrs initially..So we slowly refreshed and got ourselves ready for the return journey. We had a hearty meal at the canteen and said good bye to park and Wildlife officers then started our last trail at 1.15 p.m. That was to descend via Daygama

Dayagama Trail

We had to walk in the pattipola Road for nearly 500 m before we enter the trail head near one of the bungalows belonging to wildlife officers. I should say Dayagama trail is a very scenic and isolated one. It had been used to enter the park using vehicles early days. But it’s now abandoned. We were walking along the wide paved road (initial part was difficult) .It was truly a walking in the park (Almost no change in elevation).Mild breeze and scenic mountains washed away our tiredness. We felt like fit enough to do another three day trip. By 2.45 we were at the Dayagama upper division (estate /HP border)

Starting point

Beautiful mountains covered with thick forest

Refreshed by awesome surrounding

Initial part of the trail is washed away due to rain

Coming back to the paved section

Exchanging the back packs

Scenic

Original walking in the park

Path through the beautiful thick forest

More to go

One of many water streams we met

Trail end ( From HP)

Estate /Park Border

After reaching the park we rested for a while in the nearby Kovil .As I mentioned earlier our planning and timing was very successful as I had studied all the trails before the journey. But I couldn’t follow the Dayagama trail that much as it’s an easy and one way trail. So I forgot that we have to arrange transport from park border to Dayagama before descending. My assumption was no sooner we reached park border we could arrange a tri wheeler. It was not. There were no line houses or vehicles close by. I was undecided. I offered some panduru for the God and pleaded for an option. After that we started the journey again. While walking my friend also mimicked “three Wheel ekak labewa “

Kovil

We didn’t see any

Estate houses far away

After few minutes we saw the glimpse of line houses faraway .but there was such a distance if walked along the road. So were finding for short cuts through the tea estate and luckily we found it. So we decided to descend through tea estate. The view was priceless. And we got the bonus too. We saw a beautiful waterfall at the corner of the estate. Later I came to know ( From friends) it’s Agra Falls. She was fabulous. I realized why god hadn’t let us to travel by a tuk tuk at the beginning.

Descending through tea estate

Glimpse of a waterfall

Zoomed ………Bonus …..She was beautiful

Civilization is near

Then we reached the line houses and asked for a three wheeler. One guy promised to drop us at Dayagama for Rs.800/-.We reached Dayagama and took a bus to Hatton. We reached Hatton at 6.00 p.m. For our surprise there were no buses coming to Colombo. Funny thing was there were some brokers who arrange Vans which can accommodate 10-12 to go to Colombo at the cost of Rs 500/-each. Initially I refused to go in that way but finally decided to take the next van as there was no other option. Driver with a struggle picked 10 people and left Hatton around 7.00.It reached Kaduwela around 9.30 .From there we took another three wheeler to Battaramulla.We reached our home around 10.00. After the dinner my companion said good bye to me by ending our memorable three day hike to Heaven on Earth

This is just a beginning to my Horton plains Explorations .I would say this was a surface study. Willing to explore HP deeply in future .Till then bye for now.

Thanks for Reading