A day hike to Hagala/Havagala (1400m)

Hagala (හාගල)/Havagala (හාවාගල) is a mountain which can be noted when you travel along Colombo-Badulla road after passing Balangoda till Pambahinna (පඹහින්න) in your left hand side. It is another mountain related to Rama-Rawana legend and it says the part of this mountain was pierced by the arrow released by Rawana’s bow. That place is still can be seen at Hagala range. The name Hagala also derived by this story. And this area is declared as a forest reserve.
My first inspiration about Hagala Mountain was Ashan’s report. I have been at nearby tourist attractions but Hagala was in my to-do list for a long time. After reading reports about Hagala climbing I decided to go there on a Sunday with a team of four.
Keshan and I got into the bus from Pettah and joined with Nalinda in front of Belihul Oya rest house. We missed 8am bus and decided to go by threewheel after having breakfast.
Our first target was ancient cave temple situated at Landuyaya as the fourth person of the trip was on the way.
We got down in front of Ihalagalagama (ඉහලගලගම) maternity and children center and followed the concrete road in front of the center. The temple was situated in middle of paddy fields and we had to walk on weir. Farmers were planting paddy as this was the beginning of Maha season.

Ihalagalagama ancient cave temple (ඉහලගලගම පුරාණ ගල්ලෙන් විහාරය)
Ihalagalagama ancient cave temple belongs to King Mayadunne era-මායාදුන්නේ රජතුමා (18th century). Nowadays you can see ancient image house with three Buddha statues. The chief priest (only priest of the temple) was friendly with us and showed the temple well. Another special feature of this temple is having two stupas. The flat area where this temple is situated called Hulugalathanna (හුලුගලතැන්න) and it is margined by Hagala in one side and Hirikatu oya with the mountain at Kariwaththa (කරිවත්ත) in other side.

View of Hagala in my visit to Garandi Ella (ගැරඩි ඇල්ල)

Paddy fields at Hulugalathanna

Galagama falls is seen

Adarakanda (ආදර කන්ද) and the mountain situated at Kariwaththa

Starting of photography

Walking along paddy fields

Hagala is seen in back drop paddy fields

View of cave temple-Two stupas

Sitting Buddha statue belongs to Kandyan era

Sitting Buddha statue-2 belongs to Kandy era

Sleeping Buddha statue belongs to Kandyan era. Outer surface was renovated in later stage.

Old stone parapet

After visiting ancient cave temple at Ihalagalagama, we headed towards the Landuyaya junction where trail head starts. We had to walk along the paddy fields and connect with the concrete road and walk up to Landuyaya junction where other friend was awaiting. Landuyaya junction has a grocery and the trail head starts next to the grocery. We walked down the concrete road and the foot pathway starts on right hand side of the concrete road. This foot pathway descended and passed two bridges and then crossed a tea patch. We met few villagers at tea patch and they advised to go upwards in next forest patch till we meet the clear foot pathway. Then we passed the first water stream and next mana patch was bit difficult to tackle. Following the mana patch we entered the proper forest where under growth was less. Then we crossed the second water stream and with time we reached so called foot pathway.

Walking along paddy fields….

Walking along Hulugalathanna

Adarakanda/Paraviyangala and the mountain at Kariwaththa are seen

Concrete road next to Grocery

The foot pathway starts

Crossing the first bridge

Crossing the second bridge

Climbing the forest patch

Going along the forest patch

Scenery……

Crossing the tea patch

First water stream

Mana patch which was difficult to cross

Forest patch with less under growth

Second water stream

This might create a beautiful waterfall in rainy season

Our main aim was to find the foot pathway

Reaching the foot pathway…..

This foot pathway brought us to the top of Hagala Mountain. There was fairly less forest cover on top and main population was Mana. The foot pathway goes along mana bushes to connect view points and the camping site. Hagala seems to be an ideal place for camping but getting water is the main problem. The best view point is situated somewhere down the camp site and it provides the view towards Samanala Wewa reservoir, Colombo-Badulla road, Pambahinna university, Adarakanda/Paraviyangala, Non perial estate, Balathuduwa, Gommolliya Kanda, Wangedigala and Belihuloya. From other side you can view Balangoda-Pinnawala area. The view towards Balangoda side was not that much good due to mist. There was a drop between the main part of the mountain and other part. (It happened due to the arrow released by the bow). We didn’t attempt to cross it due to limited time factor.

Happy faces of the day after coming across the foot pathway

There were red flags to indicate the foot pathway.

Mush rooms

Reaching the top

Camp site-1. There is a foot pathway from here to main camp site through the forest

Reaching the summit and going through mana bushes

Searching for phone signal

Closer view of mountain at Kariwaththa, Paraviyangala/Adarakanda, Gommolliya range.

Zoomed view of mountain at Kariwaththa/ Non perial Gap

View towards Balangoda-Pinnawala area

Sabaragamuwa University

Samanala Wewa reservoir

Adarakanda and Belihuloya area

Paddy fields of Landuyaya

Colorful

Kandulassa (කදුලැස්ස)/ Sundews-Drosera spatulata

The view through the mist and camp site-2/best camp site on the top

Summit of Hagala

The drop at view point

The part separated from main mountain of Hagala. We didn’t try to cross it.

Group photo on top of Hagala

Camp site of Hagala….

Less forest coverage of the top with mana

View from the top

After spending about an hour on top of Hagala we started our return journey.
We decided to follow the foot pathway with red flags this time. It ends at the tea estate and from there we decided to get down through the Pinus. Getting down along Pinus forest was bit difficult. At the end of the Pinus forest we connected to the tea estate and a foot pathway could be traced through it. It was around 5.30pm when we reached Landuyaya junction but didn’t wait for the bus. We hired a three wheeler to the main road and refreshed at Belihuloya. It was a good day!.

Coming back…..

A giant

Coming through the forest, Red flags were really helpful

The mana patch after the forest

Dry Mana

Pinus forest

Thanks for Reading