Following the Sambars – Knuckles Episode 3 (SPS)…

Hi everyone, hope you’re ready to join us for the third consecutive day of this unprecedented hiking through one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the whole world. I’m sure you agree with me with no second thoughts. You remember that I left you at the toddy tappers’ hut at Aluth Deyyange Gala. I told you the wind kept us company right throughout but thanks to the early preparation and the hearty meal, we all slept soundly.

We got up and started packing our things and got ready. While Nava mama ran the hut keeping an eye out for the jaggery pot (remember it was kept boiling throughout the night) which was somewhat got thicker, Tony and I went out to wash. While we were washing, Samarasekara arrived as promised and went ahead to take down some of the toddy pots from the Kithul trees in the vicinity. We witnessed a beautiful butterfly as we were washing, who had come to put up a welcome show for the day.

Back at the hut, Samarasekara had taken a huge pot of fresh Kithul sap from one of the trees and was in the process of mixing it with the jaggery pot. While he was at it, we started making our morning coffee and breakfast of instant noodles. There was still plenty of the jaggery given to us the previous evening left so we savored it with our 3 in 1 coffee even though it had its share of sugar. Remember pure Kithul jaggery is good for anyone even for diabetic patients as it has no harmful sugary contents. Afterwards we ate our noodles with hot chilies plucked from a nearby plant. Well it was all set for us to get going and Samarasekara agreed to show us the path to a certain distance so that we’d have no trouble getting to our target. Here are some of the pictures.

Good morning!

Posy girl

Morning harvest

Need to drain before adding to the mixture in the pot

There he goes

My breakfast

Ready for the 3rd consecutive day

Climbing back the Aluth Deyyange Gala

We kept going up where last evening we came down. In no time we started panting and Samarasekara kept on ahead of us with his graceful walk as if this was no big deal for him. Tony was on his all fours climbing up like an iguana but things were just beginning to get tougher. On top of the Maussa plants, now we had to fight against the extremely sharp thorny Wewel bushes. Those were a real menace to our battered bodies that were at the edge of their stamina levels.

Finally we arrived at one of the edges of the Aluth Deyyange Gala with a view towards the east overlooking the Meemure paddy fields. The sun was up and the surrounding mountains were bathed in its golden syrupy rays. We stopped and took a long break massaging our cramped muscles and doing a short documentary. We could see from Gombaniya, Kudagala, Katukithul Kanda, Udawannimana, Bambaragala, triple rocks of Lakegala, reservoirs of Mahaweli and further to the right, Kehelpathdoruwa and Galamuduna. It was like looking at the heaven, here are some of the shots so far.

Tony using his own methods

The ones used by Samarasekara

Gosh	Many like this

Taking a break

Bunch of them

Katukithul Kanda and Udawannimana in sight

Clear view

Gombaniya and Kudagala to the left and Rehena Ketu Pathana to the right on top

Lakegala to the right. You can see Ressa at the V shape between Komalegala and Udawannimana in the middle

Down below

Meemure paddy fields

Some of them are being ploughed again

Lakegala looking great

Swaying in the winds

Gombaniya

Kudagala

Time to go

We resumed our journey from there and climbed further up and finally arrived at the top. It was covered with the trees and with no clear viewing point. When we were discussing of a possible route in the morning, Samarasekara informed Nava mama of only one option available for us. However little did Tony or I know how narrow or dangerous this path was going to be. We squeezed through the thick prickly bushes and arrived at the top of the Aluth Deyyange Gala, rather the edge of the top. Oh my gosh! this was definitely heaven. If you don’t believe me now, you will when you see the pictures below.

We could see almost 300-degrees all around very clearly. From the left we could see the Udawannimana and from there coming a full 300-degrees to the right we saw Lakegala, Gala Muduna, Sudugala, Corbet’s Gap, Knuckles and further to the right was Gombaniya towering above the whole of the mountain range. The wind was very strong here and we found it so hard to stay standing here. Looking at the path below which was along the narrow rocky ledge we were wondering if we could make it. To make things really interesting, we donated our rope to Samarasekara along with Tony’s sleeping mat for their use. Now we had to make it on our own.

Amid all of this, our target Appalla Pathana looked inviting full of lush greenery. Appalla is used for a bowl which is used to cook curries in the villages around Knuckles. This plains looks very much like a bowl aka Appalla thus giving it this name Appalla Pathana. Nava mama went ahead doing a recce to make sure the path was negotiable and he’d seen prints of Sambar hooves while Tony and I did the photo shoot. Well, today we had to rely on the Sambar Positioning System it looked like. All this time it was Navarathne Knuckles Positioning System but this will do for a change. So are you ready to follow a Sambar? If you are, come along.

He said that we had to be very careful if we were to cross this. I asked what this was called and he replied that it was called as Kadamaga or in layman’s terms, the place where it joins two mountains. So while we gather our things and maneuver around the Kadamaga, you enjoy these pictures.

GPS Location at the edge of Aluth Deyyange Gala

Lat: 7.43787 / Lon: 80.83188

Altitude: 1194m

Back in the jungle track

Have to walk with a difficulty

Don’t know what this is

Knuckles range

Lakegala

Kehelpathdoruwa and Galamuduna to the right

The large Appalla Pathana

See the Mini Appalla Pathana below the big sister?

Can you see the Sphinx Rock in the middle and far?

Knuckles range

Gombaniya looking amazing

Meemure

Do you see the jeep parked which belongs to Nava mama?

Another zoomed in portion of the paddy fields

Another part

Can see a house as well

Lakegala close up

A grand combination

Folks of the same age

Our target

Kadamaga I & II

We started our descent towards the forest patch between Kadamaga I and II. The path went steeply downhill before we had to adjust it slightly to the left to be able to avoid the most difficult terrain and then reach the safety of the forest patch before attempting the second lot. As usual Nava mama was the point man followed by Tony with shaky legs and then me taking pictures of every step. Tony kept asking me to put the camera away and concentrate and I told him that I was at my best concentrating when I have my camera at hand.

He kept muttering nonetheless and the going was tougher as we had to reach out for the nearby plants and rocks keeping our feet planted solidly. Nava mama kept on helping us through and finally after a lot of back-sliding from Tony, we arrived at the safety of the forest patch. This is where we decided to take a break and have a little water. We felt exhilarated by the views all around us and it helped to forget about the sheer steep climb down. While we sit down for a bit, enjoy some pictures of our descent. Remember, there’s another part like this for us to tackle.

GPS Location at Kadamaga I

Lat: 7.43713 / Lon: 80.83313

Altitude: 1146m

Nava mama holding onto Tony

Nice sceneries

All around

Where we were a minute ago

Got some plants to hold onto

Further down we’ve come

Meemure once again

Can you see the path to the right?

Appalla Pathana mocking us from far

Close up, we had to get down through the forest patch to the right to get to Meemure

Forest patch, what a relief!

Following the Sambar

All dried up

Blocked path

Probably the Sambar’s

They too are taking a break

Having a chat and an energy bar

Ok, here we go. The forest patch helped us revitalize our bodies and we walked out of it to find another steep climb downhill. Now the Appalla Pathana looked at almost touching distance so in our minds we were only interested in getting there so the difficulty of the terrain presented very little problems. As usual Nava mama followed the hoof marks of the Sambar showing he’s not just a seasoned villager but also an experienced tracker as well.

The four-legged Sambar would’ve had very little problem getting across this narrow strip. If there was a leopard after it, things would’ve been a helluva lot easier. Gosh, the views kept me rooted to the rocks and I forgot to take pictures of many beautiful scenes as I was more interested in taking them into my mind through the eyes. After a couple of jumps, we touched down on the best ever plains in Knuckles, Appalla Pathana that gives the best views of the surrounding areas. We jumped up and down in joy hugging each other. While we celebrate 48 hours of rigorous trekking, you see the pictures of Kadamaga II.

GPS Location at Kadamaga II

Lat: 7.43716 / Lon: 80.83292

Altitude: 1094m

We were at the top of what you see

The ravine below leads from Kirindiketiya where we were all the way to Kaikawala

Closer now

Once again on the go

Gombaniya kept us company

So was Lakegala

Almost touching distance

Udawannimana

The forest patch before the Appalla Pathana

Finally we are here

Appalla Pathana

It was the ultimate joy to have been able to make it to this place. However, we had quite a long way to get back to Meemure and as usual there was no path but to follow the Sambars downhill. Time was against us now but I wasn’t gonna cut our journey short by any means. We walked up the flat terrain which is garnished with lush greenery grass towards one edge of the Appalla Pathana. It presented many more beautiful views. The terrain was an ideal grazing ground for the cattle and Sambar. However the narrow ledge between Appalla Pathana and Aluth Deyyange Gala prevents cattle crossing to this wonderful feeding ground.

You could see the top of Andirigala which was below the edge, then the mountains towards Kalugala, Corbet’s Gap and even the Sphinx Rock (Hellena Gala in the villagers’ terms) was visible. Moving to the right was the Knuckles Peaks and the top of Alugallena Cave could also be seen. The Knuckles range connected further to the right with Gombaniya, the highest peak of Knuckles. If you took a full circle you could see the edge of Aluth Deyyange Gala where we came down. The path was so scary looking from here and Tony exclaimed how on earth we managed to make it across. My beloved Lakegala was also there after the Katu Kithul Kanda and Udawannimana.

Below us was the Mini Appalla Pathana which you saw slightly below the bigger one and below that was Kaikawala village. We saw the water stream which makes Heen Ganga at Kaikawala but at the top it’s known and Guru Oya. We spent quite a long time enjoying these views. I simply didn’t wanna leave this place but Tony kept urging on. So while we go to the other end of the Appalla Pathana, enjoy these pictures.

GPS Location at the edge of Appalla Pathana

Lat: 7.43430 / Lon: 80.83531

Altitude: 1057m

A huge plain but not even

We did it and in style

Towards the east

Behind, can you see the steep path where we came

Tony going for a better view

“I’m in heaven baby”, I shouted

Ok, we’ll walk to the edge and see

Nice sloping grazing ground

Tony is ecstatic

The slope towards Kirindiketiya

Nava mama leading as always

You can see Aluth Deyyange Gala in the foreground and can you imagine how we tackled that tiny strip of ground to get here?

Andirigala below

Kaikawala paddy fields below and Kalugala and Karambaketiya villages in the distance

Guru Oya starts from the Knuckles to the right, you can see the fiant line among the bushes

Mini Appalla Pathana

Now the path of Guru Oya is very prominent

Gombaniya range

Kaikawala below

Edge of Appalla Pathana and Andirigala below; we had to climb down from Appalla Pathana to Andirigala to reach Meemure

Andirigala itself is a good place but couldn’t climb to that

Nava mama mesmerized by the view

I felt like dancing

We’ve seen many things in the Knuckles together

My hiking partner survived the brutal exertion

Off we go

We walked around towards the forest patch bordering the Andirigala. This was a place to be savored night and day. However we had very little time to spend here making it painful to leave. Lakegala kept beckoning to us as if reading Tony’s thoughts. Now was the tricky part as we had to keep looking for the Sambar trail to get through the Andirigala forest and reach the safety of Meemure.

We edged towards the forest patch while Nava mama kept looking for the Sambar hooves’ marks. Finally he managed to find the trail with a spacious opening ideal to camp out. We had no food left except for a pack of salty and chilly biscuits and most of all a creamy cheese pack. We sat on the shady area and savored the last bit of food we had. The journey was long and hard so we needed to have every bit of energy we could muster. On the other hand relieving all the weight we could get rid of. So enjoy the pictures and we’ll get ready. Oh before we leave, it was a good idea that we didn’t get here for camping last night because even if the scenery was something straight out of heaven, there was no water spring anywhere. It’d’ve been too difficult to stay without water.

GPS Location closer to the Appalla Pathana Campsite

Lat: 7.43500 / Lon: 80.83532

Altitude: 1036m

Lakegala is above the bushes

Gombaniya

Looking back

Oh hello!

Very beautiful

Looking for the path to enter the jungle

Finally found it and here is a nice camping place but no water

Branches providing the shelter

Enjoying what little is left

A nice inclusion

Sliding through the Andirigala Forest

We followed the Sambar sometimes losing our way but again finding it back again. The path was going steeply downhill. The going had to be softened by the trees on the way and then sliding along with our backs. Tony simply refused to use his legs and kept testing the friction of his back. However it seemed endless and the sun was on the other side going down. Time was flying so was us until finally we reached a point where my beloved Lakegala could be clearly seen with the paddy fields of Meemure below us. “We’re closer now” Tony said for the umpteenth time.

In my haste, I got entangled in a thorny vine cutting my left palm and fingers drawing quite a lot of blood. However the medicine was right by as Nava mama peeled a bark of a tree and squeezed a brownish yellow juice and spreading it on the wounds. Then as our water was fast depleting, Nava mama found the only spring at Andirigala which stays flowing even in the worst of the droughts. After cleaning the place, we filled our bottles and got back on the path until we came to another flat rock with even more beautiful views of Lakegala. “We must be real close now” Tony was sounding desperate now.

Having maneuvered through the thorny Wewel plants and vines, we arrived at Nava mama’s place. The household had been worried and were very glad to see us. Everyone gathered around asking how the journey was. The giant bull of Nava mama welcomed Tony with a friendly wave of its tail. While we narrate our stories, you check out these pictures.

Maneuvering along a sloping edge

Some art

Only the flowers no leaves

Now that we are climbing towards the Meemure we can only see these

Oh ho, see the innovation, a man-elevator

Galamuduna

Prickly

Do you see the butterfly? If not, it’s time for an appointment with your ophthalmologist

Sambar sleeping ground

Now she’s gaining her usual sensual shape

Sliding down

Oh gosh, managed to hold on

Andirigala spring

Clearing a place for us

We were lucky to have him with us

Back on the move

Another suitable camping ground

I love those

Another open area I told you about

Lakegala now more pointy

Green bamboo, very useful for the villagers but not possible to cut them now they’re part of the reserve

We were at the top and can you imagine how our downhill journey must have been?

Little more

Few leaves

Colorful ones too

She never left us

Sheer joy of the bull after seeing Tony

So was Tony’s after seeing the fellow

A much needed break for the old bones

We found Athula to take us back to Hunnasgiriya and until he arrived, had a nice cool bath and a delicious rice and curry lunch. We’d been on the go for 60 hours inside one of the most beautiful and arduous forests in the world. This was a journey to be treasured and I got Nava mama to draw a rough sketch of our path using his granddaughter’s pastels. You can see the detailed video on the video journey and see the picture of the sketch below.

Looking at the sketch made of the journey

Here it is, watch the videos for more details

Well folks, we bid farewell to Nava mama promising to come back once again. Meemure, Lakegala and I are inseparable. I’ll be back in Meemure at the first chance. I felt as if a part of me dying as we left this beautiful place on earth.

It was 6.15pm when we left Meemure and driving along the dark and terrible road we reached Hunnasgiriya close to 8.30pm. On the way we saw a bushfire closer to Loolwatte and the villagers were quite unfazed by it despite it being spread across a huge area. Hopefully the authorities managed to extinguish in time.

We were lucky to find a Bibila-Colombo bus at 9.30pm at Hunnasgiriya and slept through the journey until it arrived at Fort at 1.30am. This is when Tony and I parted our ways and headed home. Here are some Panos from the journey.

Pano 1

Pano 2

Pano 3

Pano 4

Pano 5

Pano 6

Pano 7

Pano 8

Pano 9

Gosh, what a journey it was. Even now I feel really happy thinking about it. I didn’t wanna overload you with a mile long journey thus broke it into 3 episodes. Here I hope I manage to take you on a journey which you hadn’t even thought about.

Well my friends, I’m tired now and wanna start getting ready for the next journey. Will see you with that and it’s gonna be the best ever experience in my life and coincidently it’s gonna fall on the eve of my birthday. I’ll bring you the experience after this. Until then keep travelling and stay safe.

This is Sri signing off for now with loads of love.