Off season Sri Pada hike along Hatton route in mist

Off season Sri Pada hike along Hatton route

Sri Pada is my most favorite travel destination and last year I hiked Sri Pada along longest routes. This year I wanted to worship Sri Pada in off season but not as a hard task. My last off season Sri Pada experience was along Kuruwita-Rajamale routes which was a bit tough work.
My initial plan was to hike up along the easiest route-Hatton and getting down by Rajamale-Sandagalathenna route. But due to misty weather I have decided to coming down along the same route as it is not possible to view the sacred peak from Sandagalathenna. This journey reminds my first off season Sri Pada experience along Hatton route in 2009. This was the repeating of same journey.

Arjuna who was one of my new travel friends joined for my 15th Sri Pada journey. We have started the journey from Colombo in late evening and planed for a night hike. The shortest route to Nallathanniya from Colombo is via Awissawella-Ginigathhena-Norton Bridge. We shared the rice packet brought from Arjun’s home just after Ginigathhena town. It was around 11.30pm when we reached Nallathanniya police station. Nallathanniya was in deep sleep and not even a single shop was opened at that time. Usually foreigners do off season Sri Pada hike at night to enjoy the sun rise but it is completely stopped due to Corona outbreak.
It was not that much cold though I expected, might be due to rainy weather. Hatton route was fully dark except Makara Thorana Buddha statue. As it is too early to reach Uda Maluwa (උඩ මළුව) we decided to sleep at Seetha Gangula Ambalama (සීත ගගුල අම්බලම ) for few hours.

This is the only place of the route they have illuminated in off season. At Makara Thorana.

Surprisingly it was 5am when we woke up and it’s bit late to catch “Ira Sewaya” (ඉර සේවය) at Uda Maluwa. Here we decided to have a relaxed hike along Hatton route. Weather was misty all the time but there was a blue sky for few minutes. We two were the only devotees along Hatton route but we met another two set of groups at Uda Maluwa from Rathnapura route. There is a cross path between Hatton and Rathnapura routes and this is used to divert devotees from Hatton route to Rathnapura route when it gets crowded. We followed this cross path which was like a foot path and decorated by Nelu blossoms. It was around 8am when we reached Uda Maluwa along Rathnapura route.

Hatton route in off season

Mountainous forest

It is hard to note these things along Hatton route at Sri Pada season.

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Hatton route in off season

Few minutes of blue sky

Few minutes of blue sky. We didn’t get the view of surrounding structures.

This is the sun rise we had….

Fresh environment following rain

Yaka Endu Ella-යකා ඇඩූ ඇල්ල

.	Hatton-Geththampana-ගෙත්තම්පාන

Hatton-Geththampana

Hatton-Geththampana

Kind request

This Buddha statue is placed where Hatton-Rathnapura cross road connects with Hatton road.

Hatton-Rathnapura cross road is decorated by Nelu blossoms

Hatton-Rathnapura cross road

Hatton-Rathnapura cross road

Another set of Nelu

Nelu in white

It has some steps as well

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.	Fallen trees on to the road

Joining to Rathnapura-Sri Pada route

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Ehala Kanuwa at Rathnapura route

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Two man team

Maha Giri Dambaya (මහ ගිරි දඹය) at Rathnapura route.

It was a complete different experience at Uda Maluwa at off season. There were only few devotees who were ready to get down. Surrounding was misty and no way to watch nearby structures. As usual gates of Uda Maluwa were closed and people have attached their “Panduru”-පඩුරු on bars of the gates. The watcher came out of the guard room and just chat with us. We didn’t pay much attention in getting photographs as nothing to capture than mist.

Uda Maluwa at off season. Covered with mist.

Uda Maluwa in off season.

Photo was taken over the gates.

The place to attach Panduru in off season.

Closed gates.

It marked my 15th Sri Pada visit.

We descend along Hatton route instead of Sandagalathenna pathway. There were group of army soldiers mending stairs just before peace pagoda. Yaka Endu Ella and other accessory falls were active with rain. Latter part of our journey was disturbed by the rain and we couldn’t bath from Seetha Gangula before get into the vehicle. It was around 12 noon when we reached Nallathanniya

Getting down along Hatton Route.

Maha Giri Dambe of Hatton route

Getting down along Hatton Route

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.	A motor room.

Japanese peace Pagoda and set of shops.

Might be a seasonal fall. Noted before Seetha Gangula at Hatton route.

Seetha Gangula.

Seetha Gangula.

Japanese Peace Pagoda.

Yaka Endu Ella and Yaka Endu Gala.

Yaka Endu Ella and other waterfalls.

Yaka Endu Ella and other waterfalls.

At red bridge.

End of the journey.

Our next plan was to get accommodation at the hotel called The Argyle at Hatton. We had lunch from Maskeliya junction and drove along Maskeliya-Hatton road which goes around Castlereagh reservoir. The Christ church at Dick Oya was in my To-visit list and we have stopped there on our way.

Christ Church Warleigh at Dick Oya (6.863272, 80.595316)

This is an Anglican church in Sri Lanka built during 18th century by the British. It is administered by the Church of Ceylon. The church is regarded as one of the most prominent and oldest Anglican churches in Sri Lanka and is a tourist destination. The church is situated at the brim of Castlereagh Reservoir. Christ church was built by the William Scott, the Manager Governor’s Mansion, in 1878. The bible printed in 1860 was presented to the church in July 1879 is still preserved in the church. The first British colonial Inspector General of the Ceylon Police, Sir George William Robert Campbell who came to Ceylon in 1866 is buried in churchyard.
We have visited the church with assistance of Mr. Vicar who was the caretaker of the church. He nicely explained the history of the church. Photographs inside the church are not allowed except the holy bible displayed at front of the Altar.

Christ Church Warleigh. Churchyard is occupied by tombstones of English colonial tea planters.

We two are in front of the church.

The tomb of first British colonial Inspector General of police.

Service times of the church. Vicar is the care taker of the church.

The bible printed in 1860.

Old pipe organ of the church. It is still functioning.

We said good bye to Mr. Vicar and headed to Hatton town. The Argyle hotel was our accommodation of the day.

Relaxed at The Argyle (6.917530, 80.586717)
This beautiful hotel situated about 4km away from Hatton town. Beautiful location, newly built hotel, friendly staff and nicely maintained are plus points of this hotel. You can view Sri Pada from The Argyle hotel (but we didn’t have due to misty weather). Here are some photos I have taken at the hotel.

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.	The garden

The garden

The garden

.	Path to swimming pool.

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.	It is a heated pool

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They have their own garden

The bar

The bar

Hotel at night

.	Karaoke room

Spa	View from the hotel

The rainy weather didn’t permit us to visit any place at Hatton while our stay at Hotel. I have selected Hatton-Balangoda road for the return journey.

Scenic Hatton-Balangoda road
The distance from Hatton to Balangoda is 66km and this road passes Bogawanthalawa town. I have been at Bogawanthalawa town for the hike to Bopaththalawa Mountain. The section up to Bogawanthalawa town is under constructions these days. It is about 43km from Bogawanthalawa to Balangoda and this part is winding as well as scenic. There are two B grade roads you passed in this journey. B 329-Hatton to Campion and B 339-Campion to Balangoda.

We have passed some tea estates called Kotiyagala, Campion and Fetteresso which I have never heard before. Then the road goes through peak wildness forest reserve. This section is so beautiful and calm. Actually this is one end of peak wildness forest reserve and it continues with Horton Plains National Park. Here you are crossing provincial border from central province to Sabaragamuwa province. We have noted two peaks of Dethanagala in our right hand side. One important place we passed was Balangoda view point (6.744947, 80.707474). This place was like a mini world’s end and a summer hut was placed there.
Last 20-18km of this road has more human involvement but rich in waterfalls. (Refer my report on waterfalls in Balangoda Hatton Road.)

Bopaththalawa Mountain covered with mist

Bopaththalawa Town

It is like V cut of Devil’s stair case

A shrine

Passing Campion estate

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Another estate called Fettersso

Greenish tea estates

Enter to peak wildness sanctuary

The road goes through peak wildness sanctuary

Beautiful shaded road

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.	Over mountainous forest

With my baby

Towards Dethanagala

.	Sabaragamuwa province….Balangoda plantation

The view

Tea estates belong to Balangoda plantation

.	This place is called Balangoda view point. It was like a mini world’s end

At Balangoda view point

Looked back….

Road side cascade

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We have stopped the vehicle for several times

It took about 3.5-4 hours to reach A4 road from Hatton town along Balangoda-Hatton road.

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