Etipola (1265m) – Mighty peak in Matale

Year and Month	June, 2014 (22nd)
Number of Days	One Day
Crew	03 (Anupama, Ashan and My self)
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	Bus, Motor bike and walking
Activities	Mountain climbing, Sightseeing and Photography
Weather	Gloomy, later it cleared
Route	Colombo -> Matale -> Asgiriya junction in Madiwela road –> Asgiriya lime houses -> Etipola
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Start the journey in early morning. Leech protection methods to be followed. Better wear attire due to Mana and thorny bushes. It is good if you have a pair of gloves to handle Mana bushes. There is a small water stream on top of the mountain. Therefore water is not a major problem in this hike unless it gets dry. There are buses from Matale to Madipola frequently. But only one or two buses to Asgiriya. We came by Madiwela bus and got down at Asgiriya junction. Then we travelled by the bike. Road condition from there to Asgiriya is not that much good. It is about 3-4km walk from there to Asgiriya lime houses. To our knowledge, no clear pathway to climb Etipola. If you tackle initial forest patch then it is easy to creep along Mana bushes and then you may find a foot pathway up to the peak. (Most probably made by wild buffalos).
Related Resources	Trip report – Brandy Rock (1130m), Matale
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Etipola (1265m) – Mighty peak in Matale

Mighty Etipola Mountain drew my attention in two times. First experience was in our climb to Brandy rock (1130m) which was situated just below and front of Etipola Mountain. At that time we were wonder what is this Mountain. Then in my visit to Selagama mini world’s end, I noticed Etipola Mountain and it stimulated me to climb it.

Ashan and I came to Matale in early morning and got Madipola bus from old bus stand of Matale. When we got down at Asgiriya junction, Anupama was there in his bike. We three were not scared to go by the bike as we knew traffic police is not in that road.

Our wild guess is to find a path to climb Etipola behind Brandy rock.

We followed same pathway up to neck of Brandy rock. (Refer trip report on Brandy Rock)

Etipola Mountain and Brandy rock. Photo taken by Ashan in his Wilshire climbing

Brandy rock (1130m)

Road condition was not good in some parts

Starting point

Climbing up along the forest patch. Those days there was a clear foot pathway in this part

This is a land mark water stream. We crossed it and climbed up in it’s left hand side till reach the Mana patch

This is the crucial part of Brandy rock climbing. It’s angle is about 60-70 degrees. But it can be climbed with the help of bushes

View of Brandy rock

Surrounding view. Black arrow shows Makulussa and red arrow shows Ambokka-only a part

Looked back. Black star shows the junction of Asgiriya lime houses. White arrow shows our pathway. This is the neighbor mountain-Wilshire

Asgiriya lime house junction. Zoomed view

At Brandy rock neck

View of Etipola Mountain from Brandy rock. Note there is a steep ascend between two rocks. No way to reach Etipola from this side

After we realizing Etipola can’t be approached from this side we went back along the same pathway. Our next plan was to reach the other end of Etipola Mountain and climb along the edge of the mountain. But it was bit difficult to reach other end of the mountain because of forest patch. Then we went through the forest patch and climbed up along the Mana patch. There was a foot pathway through the Mana patch but was not that much clear. Sometimes Mana was higher than me. Once we tackled first Mana patch, then it was bit easy to go through rest of them which was on top of the Mountain. Actually the peak of the mountain on the other end. Then we had to climb further on top of the mountain to reach the peak. Before the peak we came across a forest patch with buses and some large trees. There was a clear foot pathway along that area till the peak.

Same map taken from Ashan’s Brandy rock report. Green arrows show our way. Black star shows Asgiriya lime house junction/3 way junction. Blue star shows Brandy rock. Red arrow shows our way back up to other end of the mountain. Purple arrow-climbing along the edge of the mountain. Green star-Etipola peak. (Click Map to Enlarge)

Going back after failed attempt from Brandy rock side

Climbed up through initial Mana patch

Anupama and Ashan creeping through Mana bushes

Following initial Mana bushes, latter is not that much tall. Although this seemed as the peak, it is not

Having a rest

We filled our water bottles from there

Mana	I am struggling with Mana

A view point

He found a bony part

Looking back

Entering to the last forest patch. Almost clear foot pathway was there

Reached the peak. Anupama is fixing the flag there

We came to the peak after 2hour climbing. Peak had a good panoramic view. Makulussa peaks, Ambokka, Arangala and Wilshire Mountain were seen in one side. Biso Gala, Batalagoda Lake and rest of Kurunegala district were seen in one side. We made our return journey in 1hour.