Great Western Hike

We planned to do this hike inspired by Ashan’s report. With a short notice we decided to go on Saturday and do the hike on Sunday morning and get back home the same day. We were anxious on the hike as Ashan was describing this as a strenuous and adventurous hike. As usual we agreed to go with no local guides so that we can experience adventure by missing the route. Especially we are always thinking about our privacy when accompanying a local guide. But we always welcome their suggestions and helps before we start the hike.

We started from Mawanella around 9.45 pm by getting into a Colombo – Kandy CTB bus and we reached Kadugannawa around 10.05 pm. We had to wait until the Night mail train reached Kadugannawa. She came on time and we landed in our destination Great Western around 2.45 am. It was damn cold climate when we were getting down from the train and then the Station Master allowed us to sleep in Visitor’s rest room. It was so tired day and we woke up around 6.00 am, rushed to prayers and started taking photos. The morning view was awesome from Railway station. Pidurutalagala and Sri Pada were in just opposite view to station.

Early morning view from Great Western Railway Station

Walking along the track to find the east..

.	View from Railway station – Opposite direction

SriPada – view from railway station

The mountain spans about 2km at a higher altitude. As per the village men they mentioned that there were two routes one was beginning just some meters before the station and the other was nearly a km away from the station to the Badulla side (near the kovil, just before the bridge). We preferred the latter route as it was meant to be the shorter of the both. So we decided to walk along the rail road towards the kovil. Just before the bridge the road for the kovil starts with the steps. And when we were climbing the steps it was so tired. And at the kovil there was a small stream from which we collected some water and resumed our hike.

Staring the trail.. you have to walk towards left until you find the bridge

Make sure that every curve in your life you might meet obstacles

and you let them go..

Starting point of the trail.. These steps will test your legs definitely

The Railway bridge

It is nice to see when sun rays kiss these green blankets in the morning

It’s a wakeup call from nature..

Walking along the bridge is an awesome experience..Most times we just passed them in train journeys

The funny part in the hike is that we came to know that we have missed our breakfast arrangements (breads) in Mawanella. We could not buy any food items from Great Western area as no shops were opened in that morning. Village people said that shop will be opened around 9.00 am. Waiting for 9 am will let us delay to start the hike, so we decided to start the hike without the breakfast.

What you could see in this hike is its always ascending 

We have climbed through the left side of the mountain and you could (zoom and ) see how ascending is last part

Anyhow we have taken some canned fish and onions with lymol bottle. So we had to prepare a dish from Cream Cracker biscuits, Onions and canned fish. This made us even more interest on the hike as we are climbing with empty stomach and when hungry we take biscuits and onions.

The sun was burning our backs as most of the time throughout the hike was exposed to the sunlight without any shade. So with those hardships we just kept our momentum and kept on marching up as we had the desire and motive to reach the top. On our way we found some marks that proved that the way we were heading was right.

Way to go more ….

.

There might be other routes, but our destiny let us to select the left hand side of the mountain

As we climbed two third of the mountain the dangerous part of our hike came to our reckoning. The altitude was so steep and the bushes were not so hard for a grip, so we had to keep each of our steps carefully. And we had to use our hiking poles to support our endeavor. And with immense difficulty we reached the summit of the mountain. I remembered Ashan’s comment that he was climbing with the help of hiking sticks. Even we used sticks to climb the last part. It was so slippery rocks in the last part of the climb and we could not hold them longer than a minute. Simply it was superb and dangerous adventure for us. We loved it and we continued with our team spirit. As usual we thought that we have missed the easiest path and we are climbing in a different path.

No doubt, Team effort is the success of every hike

BTW our team was in high moral even without proper meals and water. I can remember that we faced a situation where all our water bottles are emptied and we had to drink the lymol for our thirst. With burning sun over our head we were able to reach the top around 1.00 pm. So it was nearly a 5 hours climbing.

Do not try this hike with a good team sprit…Slippery rocks always and hike degree ascending

Hold the trees.. There are the ones that will help you

Then we took a rest on top of the mountain (the camping site) and we prepared our crazy meal again. This time we baked the canned fish along with the tin and add lymol and onion slices. (Taste did not matter on these situations). After spending some quality time in the top we found out some other path to get down. So we decided to go on that path as the path which we climbed up was steep and it was not wise to go on that route. So we started to climb down from that route and also we found the hindu shrine while we were walking

A lovely butterfly found on top of the mountain (@ Camping site)

A new friend

The climbing down part was so hectic. It also slippery and we used to go sliding down as nursery children. Later this down part began for hunting water. It was so thirsty because of lymol drink.

Water the precious gift by nature

Finally we were able to reach the stream which crossing the railway bridge. So with the path clear we all were charged up to get down as all had to catch the train at 6pm. And at nearly the end of the slope we came across the stream. It was nearly after 6 hours we were seeing the water. We refreshed our souls with the heaven water.

Its Crystal

The GREAT Western. You are great and gave us a good adventure

Then we walked along the stream and came to the estate road. We reached to the railway track exactly near the bridge where the abandoned line houses are there. It was around 5.15 pm and then we walked to railway station. We then took the 6 pm train to Kandy and reached Kandy around 11.15 pm. We were able to get into a Ampara bus from Good shed bus stand and back to home with great memories of Great Western