The Dell Mountain (1860m)

Year and Month	April, 2016
Number of Days	Two
Crew	2 (Myself & Chamara)
Accommodation	Thanu’s guest- Tientsin bazzar, Bogawanthalawa
Transport	Pajero
Activities	4WD drive, Photography & scenery
Weather	Misty & overcast
Route	Bogawanthalawa -> Dick oya -> Hatton -> Thalawakela -> Lindula -> Diyanillakele estate -> Bambarakelley group -> Dell -> Returned back on the same route
Tips, Notes and Special remark	It’s better if you can carry a stock of water (1L per person) and food products. Start as early as possible because the mountain might get covered with mist. Do not carry Plastic items (Minimize), Make sure you bring back everything you took. It’s a long 4wd route through winding roads and you need a 4wd jeep (10Km stretch). Better to go there with the aid of Google maps because you might not come across anyone. No need of a guide. To Enter the Telecom tower premises you need prior permission
Author	Ashan
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The map – click to enlarge

Google map – click to enlarge

The Dell as seen from great western

as seen from sripada

view of dell range from base of kotagala

After tackling Bopaththalawa in the morning we decided to head towards the elusive Dell Mountain. I saw this mountain for the first time when I was hiking Great western 6 years back and ever since that I have been staring at it on my successful attempts to Adams peak. The difficult task was on deciding the route and after going through Google maps for many hours we decided to take the route via Lindula. From Lindula junction we took off along a road which ran parallel to Agra oya. The road which we took was in good condition up to Bambarakelley tea factory where the 4Wd journey began. From here onwards we went through winding tea estate roads and reached the base of the mountain where a small tea measuring hut and a by road which ends up at the last line house colony could be found. We took the left road which was getting narrow and at some places covered with bushes. Since it started to rain the road was like a river and the difficult terrain made things much more challenging. The last stretch was one heck of a climb and I needed to activate 4wd mode. I had to carefully navigate this section because the road was eroded at many places.

landmarks (Bambarakelley factory)

on the way through tea estates

difficult 4wd path

tower no 1

We stopped at the second tower and walked towards the main tower which is the telecom tower. The tower keepers said we need prior permission to get in but we weren’t planning to get in because the view was already obscured by mist. When we were planning to return back the mist cleared off on one side providing a grand view of Great western which was covered with an icing coat of clouds. We also noted many tea factories at Lindula, Thalawakele regions. Towards the east of the mountain we found a lovely plain where Agarapathana and Bopaththalawa side could be seen. Bogawanthalawa was hidden by Elabeddakele range and Adams peak side was completely covered by mist. We also witnessed thundering at Horton plains just over Kirigalpoththa and we decided it’s time to head back.

misty day

tea estate on top of the mountain

restricted zone

looking back towards tower 2

ghostly ride

misty

tower no 2

main tower of Telecom

lanka bell tower

mist clearing out

tea estates

lindula

bambarakelley

lonely tree

mist covering a gigantic great western

great western peeping through clouds

a factory

landscape

7th highest

ambewela wind mills

kirigalpoththa seen through the mist

heavenly

probably Lindula town

one out of many

another view point

lovely

mist engulfing mountains

burnt

Towards Agarapathana

elabedda range

Kirigalpoththa and HP

looking down

wow

spooky

valley

Siri padaya hidden by the clouds

Elabeddakele range

new houses

scenery

heavenly

vertical view

isolated

landscaped

dynamic

Dell range

returning back

nice place to set camp

saying good bye

The return journey was also not an easy one and Chamara had to get down at some places to aid me in navigation. Though it was misty we were not too disappointed with the outcome and we were just happy that we did visit this mysterious flat mountain at last. We came back to Chilaw via Pundalu oya and it was a long drive through one of the most winding routes of hill country.