Ballabendigala / බල්ලාබැදිගල (1920m) hike

Ballabendigala (1940m) is a mountain situated at peak wilderness. (Syn.Ballanbendigala, Ballanbendihela බල්ලන්බැදිගල, බල්ලන්බැදිහෙල) I have first noted the name of this mountain in a list few years ago but couldn’t point in the map where it is. Later Keshan have pointed it and we were able to find it in metric map. Since then it was a dream of Keshan and myself to hike to this mountain with attracting name.
Google map review showed the closest village to the peak is Hamilton estate at Nallathanniya. Though the approach is from Hamilton estate (central province), peak is situated at Kegalle distrcit (Sabaragamuwa province.) It is the border of central province and Sabaragamuwa province and we are crossing the distrcit margin in this hike.
Later we got to know it is the highest point of Kegalle District.

Ballabendigala (1940m) in Google map-circled. Arrow shows the other peak of the range-Yaka Andu Gala. (යකා ඇඩූ ගල) Yaka Andu Ella flows from this mountain.

Ballabendigala and Yaka Andu Gala in Google map.

View of Ballabendigala, Yaka Endu Gala, Dakinapura (දකිනපුර) and Saptha Kanya from Sri Pada Maluwa.

It was Sri Pada season and weather was perfect. Our plan was to start the journey as early as possible from Hamilton estate. Transportation from Hatton was not a big problem in Sri Pada season. After reaching Nallathanniya we had early breakfast for fairly high price. (It is unfair to have high price for food in Nallathanniya as it is situated at base of Sri Pada). We have followed short cuts to reach the upper border of tea estate at Hamilton estate.
The early start in dawn catered beautiful morning sceneries with sun rise. We couldn’t avoid of clicking these. Sun rise was over Hortain Plains, right over Agra Bopath and Thotupola mountains. It was not difficult me to identify the sudden drop of central hills as Rahangala. Just lateral to Hortain Plains, Pattipola Wind Mills, Hakgala, Kikiliyamana with towers were seen. Maussakele reservoir played a main role in the scene with glistening surface with sun rays. It was around 6.30 am when we reached the upper border of Hamilton Estate.

Hamilton Estate of Lakshapana.

Members of the journey without me… Shashi, Kavinda and Keshan

Silhouette

Breath taking…

Estate road of Hamilton estate

Towards Nuwera Eliya-Towers of Kikiliyamana

It’s Dell Mountain

Hakgala and wind mills of Pattipola

Sunrise over Hortain plains. This is the same view we are getting from Sri Pada-Uda Maluwa

Enjoying….

Sun rise….

Glistening Maussakele reservoir

Agra Bopath and Thotupola mountains. Sudden drop in right side is Rahangala.

Maussakele Reservoir

Beautiful sun rise

Unlimited photography

Hamilton estate is a well maintained estate belongs to Lakshapana group. There were enough short cuts to reach the trail head without following proper estate road.

Hamilton Line Houses.

Beautiful Hamilton Estate.

Golden tea….

Hamilton Estate

As we assumed earlier it was a journey through thick forest. The buffer zone contact with the tea estate had a good foot pathway and we ascend along it. There were evidences of human activities here including firewood cutting. Later this foot pathway has vanished and we had to follow the Google map.
If I describe the route we have followed, there was a small hill to be climbed before get on to the base of Ballanbendigala. There was a remarkable undergrowth forest consists of Bamboo and Nelu. This undergrowth is not that much significant in first hill.

Into the wild

Into the wild

Actual peak-Ballabendigala

Peak of Ballabendigala is seen at the end of first hill. Now we are at the base of actual peak.

He is figuring how to get on it

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Disappearing moon….

Team at base of Ballabendihela Mountain

Good morning….

This is the edge of the mountain

Hike through the forest of Ballabendigala was strenuous as woven Bamboo and dry Nelu. Luckily this Nelu and Bamboo were dry enough to separate them by hand. And there were less amount of leeches as well. And we have noticed Elephant dung and some of those were quite fresh. Therefore we had to be watchful in every step.

Entering to the thick forest.

A place with lesser under growth

Through dry Bamboo…

Fresh Elephant Dung

Having a break….

After about one hour continuous hike from the base, we were able to reach a place with window view. It was the same view we had morning but in different colours.
Apart from previous mountains we have seen Piduruthalagala with towers, Hanthana with Katusu Konda (කටුසු කොන්ද), Great Western etc.

Window view

Towards Hortain Plains-Agra Bopath, Kirigalpoththa and Thotupola

Dakinapura, Dell and Hakgala in order

Hakgala and wind mills at Pattipola

Piduruthalagala with towers. Piduruthalagala range extends. Great Western and Kotagala

Kotagala zoomed…

? Maskeliya Town

Hanthana range with Katusu Konda.

Enjoying the view through the window.

After another stretch of Nelu and Bamboo, we have reached the flat peak of Ballanbendihela. Last phase of hike was less strenuous and we came across few water streams. If Google map is not there it is difficult to direct towards the peak of Ballanbendigala.
There was an open area with flat rock surface situated just beyond the highest point of Ballanbendigala. This was somewhat unexpected finding as we observed it as covering mountain. This slab rock is the most important place of the journey as it is like an observation point of sacred peak. We have spent about four and half hours to reach the top of Ballanbendigala from upper border of Hamilton estate.

Reaching the top of Ballanbendigala

This is the most spectacular view we had in this journey: Sri Pada, Bana Samonala, Darmarajagala and Yaka Endu Gala. Yaka Endu Ella drops from Yaka Endu Ella.

Sri Pada with Hatton route.

Bana Samonala Gala over Sri Pada

Darmarajagala

Yaka Endu Gala

Other side of Sri Pada range

Towards Gawarawila

We were blessed with perfect weather

Capturing….

There were bushes and few large trees on top of Ballanbendigala.

Sri Pada Hatton route. We have observed a large crowd along the path as it was a weekend.

Zoomed view of Hatton-Sri Pada route. Note Ambalam at Hatton route.

Shashi is on top of Ballanbendigala

It’s me….

මුණි සිරිපා වදිමින්නේ

Keshan’s style…

Heading to second view point…

Highest point of Ballanbendigala is situated about 200-300m away from this slab rock. There was another view point towards Hatton side on the way to the highest view point. But the total view we got from Ballanbendigala was around 270 degree as Saptha Kanya and Maha Piduruthalawa (මහ පිදුරුතලාව) side is covered by the forest.

Back to forest to reach the highest point of the mountain.

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Highest point of Ballanbendigala. There is a collection of stones there, it evidenced villagers have been there before.

On top of Ballanbendigala

On top of Ballanbendigala

Happy faces on top after a successful journey.

Second view point on top of Ballanbendigala

View of Maussakele reservoir

Rilagala / Pasmale range. Piduruthalagala range is behind it.

Piduruthalagala range and Great western. The drop of Dimbula-Pathana MWE is circled.

Dakinapura is the nearby large mountain occupies main part of the picture.

Sri Pada…..

We have walked about another 500m away from the highest point expecting a view point towards Saptha Kanya and Piduruthalawa but it was not there. After spending about one hour on top of Ballanbendigala we have start the return journey. It took about three hours to get back to the starting point at Hamilton Estate. It was a great achievement of my long awaiting dream.

Yea…I achieved it.

It is a team work.

Thanks for reading