Alugal Lena Mountain / අලුගල් ලෙන කන්ද (=1780m)

Alugal Lena Mountain is situated at Knuckles forest reserve closer to Knuckles five peaks. . As famous Alugal Lena (cave) is situated at base of this rocky mountain, it’s called Alugal Lena Kanda. The drop of the mountain seen in Meemure side and Corbett’s gap is attractive. I was eyeing on this peak for a long time and decided to do it as first hike of 2019 as current trend is setting towards Alugal Lena Mountain.

Knuckles five peaks and Alugal Lena Mountain. Photo was taken from Corbett’s gap. Actually only four of Knuckles five peaks seen here. Rest of the mountains are the peaks between Knuckles range and Alugal Lena Kanda

Knuckles five peaks and Alugal Lena Kanda from Kota Ganga plains.

Closer view of Alugal Lena Mountain

How it was seen to Sphinx-1 rock

It’s acute drop to Meemure side

How Alugal Lena Kanda is seen to Meemure

Alugal Lena cave at base of Alugal Lena

How it is seen from the base. This was taken on our way to Meemure from Alugal Lena.

Majestic appearance of Alugal Lena peak

Alugal Lena Kanda in metric map. Actually it is not marked at metric map.

Knuckles five peaks and Alugal Lena Mountain. This shows our approximate route.

The route I followed to Alugal Lena Mountain was to descend from Knuckles 4th peaks. Knuckles five peaks are situated closer to Alugal Lena Kanda in 1844m attitude. Therefore we have to descend from Knuckles peaks to Alugal Lena Mountain. Let’s see how it happened.

As you know Knuckles five peaks can be approached in two ways:
1. Bambarella-Knuckles route
2. Thangappuwa-Knuckles route

Here I decided to follow Thangappuwa-Knuckles route as it is easy to reach Thangappuwa early morning rather than Bambarella. We have reached Theldeniya around 5am by bus and hired a three-wheeler to Thangappuwa. It was around 6.50am when we started from Thangappuwa. There was significant cloud cover around and we followed the acute ascend through the tea estate. We had the breakfast after reach the top of tea estate. This trail goes along fairly flat area after passing the tea estate till it branches to Alugal Lena cave. Specially to be mentioned about four dogs also joined with us for this journey and they were with us till we were back to Thangappuwa. Soon the mist covered us and it added some extra beauty to pictures. Seems Harinda was enjoying the mist a lot. After passing the foot path to Alugal Lena cave the trail has a little ascend and then we entered an open area where old camp site was situated. It has been abundant for a long time. We have passed several water streams after this and Harinda has showed the last stream before Knuckles peaks to fill our bottles. Actually I have been only up to Alugal Lena along this path and Keshan was a newbie to Knuckles. Therefore Harinda was our guide.

Keshan and Harinda are ready for the journey

Following Knuckles trail from Thangappuwa. It is an acute ascend from Thangappuwa through tea estate to Knuckles peaks

There was significant cloud cover on that day. Note Koboneelgala is covered with mist. Thangappuwa is seen at middle.

Reaching fairly flat terrain

Get blessings…

Flat area of Thangappuwa trail

Road side beauty

Short bushes with small leaves

Road side beauty

Mist adds a beauty to pictures

Kncukles-Thanpappuwa trail

Crossing a water stream

Hari is testing the strength of newly built bridge

Close up….

Misty view

Misty view

Where it branches to Alugal Lena cave (Keshan is showing) and knuckles five peaks (Harinda is showing).

The open area where old cap site was situated

Harinda recalled his memories about Knuckles camping here

It was like Hyena

So called last water stream before knuckles peaks in Thangappuwa trail.

Mountainous forest

බෝවිටියා

Another open area with slab rock where people have camped

Then we had rapid ascend of the trail till we reached the first peak of Knuckles. Suddenly surrounding was clear and we were fortunate to view distance peaks including Piduruthalagala range and Sri Pada. After passing the path to Bambarella, the ascend was more and we have reached next view point just before the first peak. Hunnasgiriya peak and Kandasamigala were well seen from there. Gradually we have reached the highest point and most visited place of five peaks-second peak. It was around 12noon when we reached there and surrounding was bit misty. Our target-Alugal Lena Mountain gets clear on and off. It was not a good day to enjoy the view from Knuckles second peak.

Surrounding gets clear

Surrounding gets clear. Note Piduruthalagala range and Sri Pada.

Unknown peaks

Hunnasgiriya-right side pointed one and Kandasamigala. (Middle globular one)

Piduruthalagala range with it’s towers

Sri Pada

Hunnasgiriya peak

All in one

Reaching the next view point before first peak

Dogs are enjoying the view

Closer view of Kandasamigala. Line houses of Bambaerella is seen just below Kandasamigala.

It’s me…

Keshan with dogs

Wild flowers

Wild flowers

Colorful

Knuckles first peak and its camp site

View of first peak on the way to second peak

Reaching the highest of Knuckles five peaks. Knuckles second peak.

Line houses at Bambarella

Thickly grown

Doggies having a rest after a hard trek

Our target of the day-Alugal Lena Mountain. It gets clear on and off.

It was not hard to work out how to reach Alugal Lena Mountain after analyzing of mountains beyond Knuckles second peak. We have climbed third peak and entered the meadow between third and fourth peak. Just after climb fourth peak through this meadow, we decided to go down towards the peaks between 4th peak and Alugal Lena peak. There are another three or four peaks to be passed before Alugal Lena Mountain

Reaching the third peak

There was a small foot path under the forest canopy of third peak towards the meadow of third and fourth peak. Therefore we crossed the meadow and hiked to 4th peak rather than following the proper path from third to fourth.

One set of peaks in between 4th peak and Alugal Lena Mountain. Alugal Lena Mountain is seen under the misty cap.

We are at base of 4th peak of Knuckles.

Our next plan was to get on to this intermediate peak and walk over it to other side.

Under the forest canopy

Hari had a tough time here

First time I have seen these bushes bearing some fruits

Under the forest cover

Finally we came in front of this mountain

It was around 1pm when we reached this place. There were another set of peaks to be passed and Harinda decided to stay here without going there. There was no option for Keshan and me other than rushing to the peak. Surrounding was misty for some degree and we decided to go ahead to Alugal Lena peak. It was like a run rather than hiking to the peak. We were totally stick on Google map and passed ups and downs to reach the peak. It was a journey through Nelu bushes and mountainous forest. After two hours from last point we were able to reach the highest point of Alugal Lena which is covered with short bushes with thick leaves. So the highest point of Alugal Lena mountain has these typical bushes (It is a Rhododendrons sp.) and has no proper place to stand. Someone has visited before has raised a Sri Lankan flag there. As surrounding was misty we were not able to identify other structures. We spent time to get portraits and selfies rather than capturing landscapes.

Harinda decided to stay here. We followed above mentioned direction to reach Alugal Lena Mountain

There were several sections of these kind of mountainous forest. It was nice to walk under it.

Coming out of forest

Reaching a blind end of the mountain range. This is a kind of place we couldn’t understand the Google map. Therefore we had to go back to the tail of Alugal Lena Mountain and go towards the peak.

මහරත්මල්

Mist is coming out….

The place where Wild boar have stayed.

Kind of an open area we have passed

Four dogs prefer to follow us rather than stay with Harinda.

Nice place with grass.

More and more mountainous forest closer to the peak

Lovely

Just before final ascend

Reached the highest point of Alugal Lena Mountain. Someone has raised the Sri Lankan flag there

We are on top Alugal Lena peak.

Selfie on top of Alugal Lena

On top of Alugal Lena Mountain.

Bushes with thick leaves. It is a Rhododendrons sp.

These kind of branching pattern called symposia branching. These bushes are dwarf for wind and these dwarf nature is common in high elevation.

Different colours

Posed

Hay…we achieved it.

We were on top of Alugal Lena peak. Quite late achievement. 3pm.

As we were running out of the time, we headed to the place where we kept Hari. It took another 2 hours to reach there as we have missed some areas of the path. The mist was thick around and we were managed to reach the clear path of Knuckles at dusk. Our descend happened with aid of head torch and we were able to reach Thangappuwa around 10pm. I should specially remind four dogs who hiked with us. They must be the first set of Dogs reached Alugal Lena Mountain.

In return journey.

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