Independence at the Chariot path of Ravana

Year and Month	2016 February 04
Number of Days	01
Crew	05 (Age 25-35)
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	Motor Bikes
Activities	Scenery, Photography, Hiking & Waterfall hunting
Weather	Misty at the top. Sunny during the day
Route	Mawanella -> Gampola -> Pussellawa -> Delta Estate -> Frotoft (Perattasi) -> Chariot Path -> Helboda Estate -> Thalawanthenna -> Punduloya -> Dunsinane -> Return in the same route(Thalawanthenna -> Pussellawa)
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Carry water bottles Avoid rainy days for hiking & visit Waterfall Follow the footpaths. Ask directions from locals Perattasi This is the name for Frotoft. They also use the name Frotoft. Meththappu/Pittani This is the name used for the plains/chariot path.
Related Resources	Trip report chariot path of Ravana and Sitha on top of Piduruthalagala range and James Taylor’s Loolecondera! Lak Viskam report Amazing Lanka link on Dunsinane Falls
Author	Ramzy
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Independence at the Chariot path of Ravana

This was one of my long waited trip. Ashan’s Trip report on Chariot path motivated me to try this one. We planned this to do within one day without camping. The Chariot path trail starts at ‘Frotoft’ also called as ‘Perattasi’ a small village is located 10-12 km from Pussellawa town. There are two buses operating in this route. We are not sure about the time schedule of the bus so we decided to go with our bikes.

We all gathered at Gampola town at around 7 am and travelled to Pussellawa and reached Puseellawa in 30 minutes. We took our breakfast at a small hotel in the Pussellawa town. As we were not certain about the route we asked the shop owner about the Perattasi route. Shop owner guided with some land marks. We travelled towards Nuwaraeliya around 2 km and there is a tea Estate Board to the left mentioning ‘Delta Estate’ at a curve. There is a road upwards and this is the road to Perattasi. The first few kms are well carpeted and the rest is manageable. The road is very much scenic. There are lots of cross roads and its always better to ask direction from the locals.

Upper side of Gerandi Ella

You can see the condition of the road

Delta Estate

Kothmale Reservoir

The Old Frotoft Hospital is the Final destination of Pussellawa-Perattasi Bus. Yes, Its a Private Bus station. There is a Grocery shop in the Ground floor to the left side. An uncle runs this shop and he helped us with the direction to get on to the tail head. He is a very helpful person. We kept our things there at the shop and started to go to trail head. The path starts just in front of this shop.

Old Frotoft Hospital

The hospital seen from the path

Scenic

Our target at the background

At the Trail Head

We walked around 1 km from the old hospital to reach the trail head. From here we travelled around 2-3 km to reach the Chariot path. People in the area call chariot path as ‘Meththaappu’ and also as ‘Pittani’. There are several cross paths in the main trail. It’s better to follow the Google trail given in the Ashan’s report.

.	A resting place

Thick forest path

Just entered

Heavenly

Somebody camped her

.	There is a foot path

The vantage point

Views

The rock phase

.	Some research going on

After spending some time in this view point we searched for the famous ‘Seetha’s tear pond’. It’s located almost the center of this plains.

The exact location of tear pond

The tear pond

Feeling the tears

Searching some water to drink

Taking water

The team

.	Path towards Mooloya Estate

Path covered by flowers

Without mist

Misty

After spending around 2 hours we decided to return back. The climate was normal. Water sources available at the top only. So it’s better take water bottles.

Returning

Back at the Hospital

After coming back to the Frotoft old hospital we collected our things and had some snacks there at the shop. A Refrigerator available in this shop so we had some cool soft drinks there.

Our next destination is Dunsinane falls at Pundalu oya. Therefore we should go to Thalawanthanne. So we took the Helboda estate road to reach Thalawanthenna. The road start after passing 1 km New frotoft Hospital to the left. This is a very scenic road going through a forest. There are ‘Do not make sound’ boards and ‘Hunting prohibited’ boards displayed in this road. This forest is a Nesting place for some birds(Eagle).

Beware

We reached Thawalenthanne and took the Punduloya road. The Dunsinane falls located in the Punduloya -Nuwaraeliya road and its start after passing the Pundalu Oya town.