Exploring the pristine wild - part2

Last Week...

We started the walk from Atanwala, camped on top of Dumbara Ella for the night, visited Duwili and crossed the Kandy-Matale district border to come to Rahana Ketu Pathana

...From Rahana Ketu Pathana to the rock beds of Heen Ganga

By Mountain Rangers

The sunrise from Rahana Ketu Pathana was a glorious sight. Hasalaka side was lit up since 5.00 am but the big fire ball made its appearance only around 6.00am. As soon as the sun came out, the cold airs started disappearing and we knew it would be scorching hot within another half an hour.

Hence,we had a quick breakfast & started our walk for the third day. We could see Meemure paddy fields far away and we knew there is a foot path that would lead us to Meemure from Rahana Ketu Pathana. The challenge was to find the path.

Luckily we found an opening among the growth of vegetation to our right from the campsite. It looked like a path and was curved towards our first target for the day. So, we took it. The path crossed Thanna Wadiya and was faintly visible until 'Udawannimana Ruppa' as it was fastly being encroached by the growing vegetation. 'Ruppa' is a place where the wayfarers used to rest during the long walks of gone-by times. The stone slabs on which they sat down still stay in the same position and waterways still flow. We stopped there for a few minutes.

After 'Udawannimana Ruppa', we could not find any trace of the path and we were stranded on top of a drop. We knew that we had to climb down the drop but the footpath has been disappeared. After roaming around for a while, we noticed a steep path that goes down.

Judging by the conditions of the route, it was apparent that it was a path taken by animals. Walking down that path required us to be on all fours!

The game path luckily brought us to a human trampled foot path within two hours. The lovely music of water streams made our journey downhill a memorable experience.

We gave our tired legs a much deserved fish spa treatment at a natural pool while having an ice cold bath and walked further down the path which was becoming broader as we get closer to Meemure. We had some refreshments at the village shop of Meemure and continued towards Dandenikumbura. The path was clear and it made us cross several waterways, abandoned paddy fields along with their resident buffaloes and tall mountains adorned with beautiful waterfalls.

At Dandenikumbura, we took a quick break and continued the walk along the footpath. A walk of about 30 mins brought us to a plain from where we could see Lakegala and other mountains that form the border of the Knuckles range.

The path ran parallel to the Heen Ganga where there were numerous rock slabs on which we could set up camp. We fixed the tent on our favourite Rock Slab (Gal Poththa) and slept on the rock beside the blazing fire.

The walk to Sulugune Village

Our abode for the third night was bordered by thick growth of trees on one side and on the other side ran the Heen Ganga. Hence, it was only the glistening sunshine on water that announced us of the sun rise. We had the 'rock-bed-tea' and spent some time creating rock-art in the river before starting the walk for the fourth & the last day.

Heen Ganga flows along the path until Sulugune and hence, a bath is a one step away when you are tired. We stopped for a long and much deserved bath at a natural pool and continued the walk.

Within an hour, a small wooden hut used by the villagers to offer alms to the monks greeted us. In another walk of 10 minutes, we were to meet the first few houses of the Sulugune Village.

A three wheeler and a lorry took us to the Gini Petti Palama on Hasalaka - Hettipola Road. We refreshed ourselves with Roti & Lunu Miris at the small shop in the junction and took a bus to Mahiyanganaya from where we boarded a bus to Kandy. We took another bus from Kandy to Colombo and arrived in Fort around midnight.