Day hike to Pettigala-1 (1405m)

Year and Month	2019 September 03rd
Number of Days	One
Crew	06-Chamal, Kavinda, Widuramina, Myself and two guides (Raja and his helper.) Raja is fairly a good guide and well cautious on safety. Raja-0779520842
Accommodation	Previous day night at Widuramina’s place at Balangoda
Transport	By bus and hiking
Activities	Hiking, Sightseeing and Photography
Weather	Intermittent gloomy and Rainy
Route	Colombo->Balangoda-> Pettigala estate->Pettigala 1->Back in same route->Colombo
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Leech protection methods to be followed. Better have a guide. But you can make it without a guide by using Google maps. It is a moderate strenuous hike. We spent about four hours to reach the top under bad weather. First bus to Pettigala from Balangoda starts at 5.45am. Next bus is at 7am. Better be at Pettigala junction rather than Balangoda stand to get into the bus. Last bus leaves Pettigala estate by 6pm. Hiking along the stream in rainy weather is a challenge. But you can enjoy number of waterfalls. Trail head is situated at 1120m. There is about 200m hike along the stream. Top of Pettigala 01 is a good camping place but you have to carry water. There is an alternative way to reach Pettigala range from Opanayaka area. There is no water source once you leave the stream. Better carry a bottle of water.
Related Resources	Pettigala (Pethiyagala) 1500m, giant of Balangoda was conquered! There is bit confusion of my observation regarding Pettigala 01 and 02 with Ashan’s report.
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Day hike to Pettigala-1 (1405m)

Pettigala is a range of mountain can be seen at Balangoda when you travel along Colombo-Badulla road. Spiky appearance of this mountain range attracts mountain lovers to conquer it.

Spiky appearance of Pettigala is shown by arrow. The photo was taken from Vantage point of Nagrak.

How it is seen to Balangoda town. Pettigala has a misty cap most of the time.

View of Pettigala (right side) from Dethanagala

Ashan and Harinda have been at Pettigala few years ago. Ahsan’s report was the only available help for this hike with his guide’s number. Though I was planning to do this hike later, it was prompted by Widuramina’s invitation. During his short visit to Sri Lanka he wanted to do this hike. It was a great help as he is from Balangoda area. Widuramina has discussed with Raja (the guide) and date was fixed. Main obstacle was the short lasting rain over the area in morning hours.

Let’s move to the metric map. There are different peaks in Pettigala range named at metric map: Pettigala 1 (1405m), Pettigala 2 (1506m), Hunuwalakanda (හුණුවලකන්ද) (1523m), Kabaragala, Ununugala, and Badagala. Highest peak of this range is Hunuwalakanda. What we conquered is third highest of the range-Pettigala 01.

Click image to enlarge: Pettigala 1 (red), Pettigala 2 (green) and Hunuwalakanda (blue) in metric map.

It is in Google map. Pettigala 01 (purple), Pettigala 02 (Green) and Hunuwalakanda (red)

The day starts with drizzling and we got a ring from the guide about the difficulty of the hike with rain. But we have determined to do this hike even in the rain. We got the first bus to Pettigala and travelled to Pettigala estate. We were asked to come to new Pettigala division and it was about 2km hike from bus stop. It was worth to walk along estate road with enjoying the view. There were number of seasonal cascades situated at Pettigala estate with rain.

Journey begins: Widuramina (left), Kavinda (middle) and Chamal (right).

Along estate road

How Pettigala is seen to Pettigala estate

Pettigala 01 is seen to Pettigala estate

End of a gloomy day. Sun is rising….

Walk to new Pettigala division

Pettigala estate

New Pettigala division

Pettigala estate

Good morning…..

Seasonal cascades following rain….

Greenish…

Dewalaya…

Pettigala 01 and Pettigala 02

We have met Raja at New Pettigala Division. After having breakfast at his place we have walked to the trail head along estate road. There was a fainted foot path from the trail head and soon it ended at a water stream. This stream origins from the valley between Pettigala 01 and Pettigala 02. Main part of the journey lies along the stream. It was bit time consuming to go along the stream especially in rainy days. High water level and slippery boulders were main obstacles. But we were rewarded by beautiful waterfalls situated at Pettigala water stream. Once we had to bypass the stream due to acute steepness. After about 200m ascend along the stream we have entered the forest.
Undergrowth was less in upper part of the mountain. Guides have used a rope in one occasion to take us up. Within about 30minutes we have reached an open area which is considered as the top of Pettigala 01.

Get into wild….Trail head

Enter to the stream

Hike along the stream

Surveyor mark came across in stream

Our guides consider this as the easiest way to reach Pettigala

Having a break

Forest

Waterfalls at Pettigala stream

Another waterfall

Misty weather

Another fall

Another beauty

Raja (left) and his helper

Nelu

Get into the forest after the stream

?එනසාල්

Bamboo and Nelu are main undergrowth of the forest

Reaching the top of Pettigala 01

The open area and slab rock on top of Pettigala 01 are favorable factors for camping. Pettigala 02 and Hunuwalakanda were appeared in other side. Though we suggested to go to Pettigala 02, our guides were reluctant to go there as it is time consuming. We have noted another surveyor mark on top of Pettigala 01. (Nobody got a photo) Weather was fairly good when we reached the top. We have moved to the edge of Pettigala 01 to get the surrounding view. The view was not that much clear but we were able to note Colombo-Badulla road, Balangoda town and Opanayaka area. Guides have accompanied us to another point of Pettigala to get the view but whole area was gloomy. It started to drizzle again to push us to move back.

On top of Pettigala

Formed by hikers

Open area on top of Pettigala

Pettigala 02

Having a long break after a strenuous hike

Rhodendrone spp.

Going to the edge of the mountain to get a view

Others of the range: Pettigala 02 and Hunuwalakanda

View from Pettigala 01

Colombo-Badulla road

On top of Pettigala 01

How it happened…..

Return journey was difficult as water level of the stream has risen. We were able to reach Pettigala estate in 2 hours time following the same path. Surrounding was clear when we reached Pettigala estate. Dethanagala, Hawagala, Adarakanda, Vantage point of Nagrak, Balathuduwa, Gommolliya, Hortain plains, Balangoda town, Samanala Wewa reservoir and wind mills at Weligepola area were nicely seen from Pettigala estate.