Waterfalls in Sri
Lanka
Aberdeen falls - Nuwara Eliya District:
This is an island of waterfalls. Ribbons, sheets, whole avalanches of
white water spilling over the edges of lush green hills are a staple of
this country's central highlands.
There are literally hundreds, perhaps thousands of these
watery-wonders dotted around the hill-country and you can quite
conceivably spend a lifetime chasing waterfalls.
It's actually a rather common island-activity; whispers, rumours of a
particularly isolated, pristine or hitherto unexplored cascade will have
people scrambling into 4x4s, or clambering onto buses and trucks and
trekking deep into the forested interior. However, so rich is this
nation in this H20 based resource that the quest for a spectacular,
steeply plunging stream need not take you too far off the beaten path.
The Aberdeen falls is relatively accessible- a 15 minute drive from
the popular Norton Bridge, or the Masekeliya road and a strenuous but
not exhausting climb down some well-maintained stone-cut stairs will
bring you to a stunning, night-blue pool into which tumbles a 100 meter
tract of white froth and foam,
It's a rather amazing spot, surrounded by thick mountain forest and
sheer granite rock - the pool is crystal clear and calm enough that
swimming (unless you're inebriated) is reasonably safe.
A raised stone and sand bank right next to the cascade means that if
you paddle over a few meters of dark, deep water you'll find yourself
able to stand - on a natural ledge at the edge of waterfall's cascade.
You're basically walking on water, feet from the pounding flow of one of
the country's highest falls- an immediate highlight to any day.
While it's incredibly beautiful it's still not on the major waterfall
trail so you stand a good chance of having it to yourself even on a
weekend. a bonus for everybody even on a weekend.
Bo path ella- Ratnapura District
Height : 30 metres
The Bopath Falls cascades in the shape of a bo (Ficus religiosa) tree
(hence its name) and is the most comprehensively studied fall in Sri
Lanka. Its source is the Kuruganga that later joins the Kaluganga at
Kuruganmodara.
The average temperature of the area is 26.9 - 27.8 degrees Celsius
and the annual rainfall of the fall's catchment area is 5080mm. The mean
speed of the flow is 6 cubic metres per second. The upper reach of the
fall is made up of granite and biotite virin, and is covered by sand.
The water from the fall irrigates the paddy fields of the Udakada and
Kuruwita areas.
The surrounding plant and tree life includes attikka (Ficus racimosa),
kumbuk (Terminalia arjuna), midella, dun (Doona spp), para (Wormia
suffruticosa), ginihota (Cythia spp), rathmadiya, ketala (Lagenendra
oveta), Beduru (Dryneria spp), orchids, varieties of meewana (Madhca)
badal, hanassa, makulu and beduru. Animal species include wild boar,
Meeminna deer and reptiles, and the water is home to many species of
fish including bulathhapaya, lellu, magura, korali, sonnu and eel. In
addition to its rich bio-diversity, the fall is also steeped in
folklore. One such story tells how a youth from Colombo made a
pilgrimage there, and on losing his way was helped and sheltered by a
local village girl. A love developed between the two and she became
pregnant before his departure.
He left, promising to return but never did. Overcome with grief, she
took her own life by plunging into the fall. Villagers say that her
ghost (which appears as a floating blue light) haunts the fall.
Another local belief is that a treasure trove lies somewhere within
the fall and that one thousand human sacrifices are needed to retrieve
it. Bopath Falls is in the Ratnapura District, Kuruwita Divisional
Secretariat at Agalwatte village. Take the road from Colombo to
Ratnapura and turn left along Devipahala road. After 3km the fall is
reached. (The Dodam Falls is located close by).
Culled from Internet
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