Four minor peaks of Kurunegala-Nathagane, Werapola, Kadiragala and Gonagama Kanda

Year and Month	2017 December 30th –Nathagane and Werapola 2018 March 10th –Gonagama Kanda and Kadiragala
Number of Days	Separate two days
Crew	Nathagane and Werapola Kanda- Anupama, Achintha, Nuwan and Myself Kadiragala and Gonagama Kanda-Anupama, Keshan and Myself
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	By bus, bike and hiking
Activities	Hiking, Archeology, sightseeing and Photography
Weather	Nathagane, Kadiragala and Werapola Kanda-Excellent Gonagama Kanda-Gloomy
Route	Mentioned under each rock
Tips, Notes and Special remark	All these rocks have temples situated at base. Foot pathways starting from the temples. Therefore better inform the temple about intention of your journey. (It would be important with current security condition). No risk of trap guns. Carry a bottle of water. Especially for Nathagane hike. You don’t have water on top of the rock. All these four rocks situated around Wariyapola, close to each other. Attitude gain of Nathagane hike is about 200m. It takes about 3hours to explore the full range. There is a marked foot path to Nathagane stupa and highest point. Please note the point we have reached on Gonagama Kanda is not the highest place. But it has a view and flag was placed. It needs two days to cover all four places. You can add Wellagala (වැල්ලාගල) to this list as it is situated nearby.
Related Resources	Nathagane (නාථගනේ) ticked off my to do list. Kadiragala /(කදිරාගල)
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Four minor peaks of Kurunegala-Nathagane, Werapola, Kadiragala and Gonagama Kanda

Kurunegala District is blessed with number of isolated mountains. I have been at highest (Bisogala-823m) and many of them. This is sharing my experience of another four minor peaks at Kurunegala District. They are
1. Nathagane (330m)
2. Werapola (=120m)
3. Gonagama Kanda (=320m)
4. Kadiragala (=130m)

Nathagane (නාථගනේ) (330m) (7.572861, 80.277480)

Route: Colombo->Kurunegala->Mahakeliya in A10 road->Nathagane

Nathagane is an isolated hill situated between Kurunegala and Wariyapola. This is well seen to A10 road (Kurunegala-Anuradhapura road) with stupa on top of the rock.

Nathagane and Werapola in metric maps. Click image to enlarge.

We have driven along A10 road and got the turn at Kelimune (කෙලිමුනේ) area to Nathagane Buddhist Monastery. There was a concrete road till the car park of the monastery. It is a common feature of all these rocks where a temple or a monastery situated at base of each rocks. It was a brighten day when we started the climb. As it was the meditating time, monks were not around. The welcome from the helper was not Soon we missed the forest path and hiked through dry zone forest. Within about one hour hike we were able to get on to the rock where surrounding view is available.
In this journey we have reached three view points on the rock, including the place with Stupa and highest point of the range. Yakdessagala range and Gonagama Kanda were always rising in front of Nathagane.
good but we walked up to Bo tree of the temple and followed the foot path behind it.

Concrete road to the monastery.

Rules

Three man team for the journey: Nuwan, Anupama and Achintha

Through dry forest

Kuwenigala

The view

Yakdessagala is always rising in front of Nathagane

Gonagama Kanda

A10 road and concrete road at Kelimune to Nathagane

More and more boulders to pass

Second view point was the “gala” with stupa. Someone has marked the path by yellow arrows to Stupa. It was a pseudo stupa which is made by metallic frame covered with white sheets. This place is the best view point out of all. It must be the reason to build a stupa on top of it. We were able to identify Yakdessagala, Ethugala, Andagala, Hadurukkanda, Belgoda Kanda, Parape kanda, Gonagama range, Werapola, Kadiragala, A10 road and Deduru Oya reservoir.

Path way is marked

Journey includes rock climbing session as well.

The rock with stupa

Under brighten sky

Wellagala

Fainted view of Yapahuwa

What a view…

Now we are at same level of stupa. This is like the ridge of the rock.

Window view

Clear foot path

Nathagane stupa

At Stupa Gala

Waving flag…..

Whole area is visible to stupa gala

The road

Highest point of the range-our next target

Kadiragala is with its white Stupa like frame on top

Kurunegala-Wariyapola road

Hadurukkanda, Belgoda kanda and Parape Kanda

Ethugala is seen in the middle with back drop of Hadurukkanda

Long sloping rock is Andagala

Majestic face of Yakdessagala

Dolukanda range is seen behind Yakdessagala

Gonagama range

??Biso gala is seen beyond Gonagama range

Wellagala

Deduru Oya reservoir

Roof of the monastery is seen

Nathagane stupa

Coconut estates, paddies and nearby lake

Greenish paddies

Towards Alawwa and Polgahawela area

Squares

Heading to highest point of the range

We returned back to foot path and followed the way to the highest point of the range which seems covered by forest. Arrow marks guided us to the highest point where a flag is placed.

The path under boulders

To the highest point….

Arrow marks to the highest point of the rock

On top of highest point of Nathagane range

Highest point of Nathagane range

At highest point of Nathagane range

Wariyapola town

Wellagala with Deduru Oya reservoir behind

We have spent about three hours to explore the whole range of Nathagane. We proceeded up to other end of the range where we met group of teenagers who climbed the rock from that side. Then we got down straightway through the forest to reach coconut estate at base of the rock. Within another 30minutes journey we have reached the entrance of the monastery where we parked our bikes.

Back to village

Werapola rock is situated closer to Nathagane. Therefore it is better couple this visit with Nathagane hike.

Werapola (වේරපොල) (=120m) (7.599740, 80.259627)

Route: Colombo->Kurunegala->Werapola in A10 road->Werapola

Werapola small rock is seen to A10 road at Mahakeliya (මහකෙලිය) area. Just after passing Mahakeliya we turned to left and reached the temple at base of Werapola rock. Here podi hamuduruwo voluntarily came to show the path. After about 30minutes hike along the rock we have reached the top of Werapola.
You can see a ruined Stupa on top of Werapola rock. It provides 360 degree view to surrounding. We were able to view Yakdessagala, Gonagama Kanda, Nathagane, Wariyapola town, Wellagala etc.

Werapola rock is seen to main road.

Angle of the rock

Podi Hamuduruwo voluntarily came with his pet dog

Reached top of Werapola rock

Surrounding view

Werapola Lake

Nearby factory

Wellagala

Kadiragala

Buddha statue and Pirivena

Yakdessagala and Gonagama rock

Yakdessagala zoomed

Nathagane

Dematawa Kanda

Paddies

Wariyapola town

Ruins of old Stupa and a frame of stupa is placed there

Frame of stupa

Getting down…

Second highest peak of Yakdessagala range-Gonagama Kanda (ගෝනාගම කන්ද) (320m) (7.616723, 80.312867)

Route: Colombo->Kurunegala->Kudagalgamuwa->Gonagama kanda->Gonagama

Yakdessagala is a range extending from Andagala (අදාගල) to Gonagama. Highest point of this range is Yakdessagala and Gonagama is the second highest point. When you are in front Yakdessagala range this cross section can be nicely seen.

Gonagama Kanda and Yakdessagala range

Gonagama range seen from Nathagane

Hike to Gonagama Kanda is a 30-45min workout through dry zone forest patch. We got the bus from Kurunegala to Gonagama via Kudagalgamuwa (කුඩාගල්ගමුව) and got down at Pimburuwellegama Sri Sumangala Thapowanarama temple. It is a straightforward hike behind the temple but there was no foot path. Summit point is a rocky surface and marked with a flag.
We were able to identify Nathagane, Werapola, Wariyapola area, Yakdessagala, Ethugala and Deduru Oya reservoir under gloomy condition. It was not a good day for identify surrounding landmarks.

We got down here.

Keshan and Anupama

Uphill walk to Gonagama peak through dry zone forest patch

Small Cave

Rock surface

Reaching the summit

Nearby paddies

Pimburuwellegama Central College

Bird’s eye view of Sri Sumangalarama Thapowanarama Temple

Wariyapola road zoomed

Moving from one rock to the other

Approximate path we came

Yakdessagala is seen

Summit with the flag and other end of the range

View towards Wariyapola

Nathagane-where I have noted Gonagama peak first

Wellagala

Another nearby temple

Deduru Oya reservoir

Dry paddies

Range continues

On top of Gonagama Kanda

Small cave under the summit

Coming back

After getting down from Gonagama Kanda, we have moved to nearby ancient cave temple called, Karathana Len Viharaya. Karathana Len Viharaya is situated few kilometers away from Wariyapola town.

Karathana Len Viharaya (කරතන ලෙන් විහාරය)
Karathana Len Viharaya is a cave temple situated at Wariyapola area. Image house of the temple is situated at cave which has two entrance. Stupa of the temple is placed at bit higher position than the cave.

Karathana cave temple

Entrance to cave temple

Buddha statue and painted celling

Flight of stairs to Stupa

Stupa

Kadiragala was the last destination of the day. On our way to Kadiragala, we have crossed Maguru Oya (මගුරු ඔය) where Yakdessagala, Gonagama kanda and Wellagala are seen nicely

Official transport provider

Nathagane range is seen over Maguru Oya. Tip of Yakdessagala is also seen.

Wellagala

Kadiragala

Boats at Maguru Oya

Kadiragala (කදිරාගල) (=120m) (7.627125, 80.255990)

Route: Colombo->Kurunegala->Wariyapola->Kadiragala

God Katharagama (called Kadira-කදිරා) has visited here to meet Walli Amma (වල්ලි අම්මා) (later his wife). Therefore it is called Kadira+Aa+ Gala=Kadiragala
Kadiragala RMW is situated at base of the rock. It says this RMW was built during King Walagamba period. We got permission from the priest and started to follow steps to Kadiragala. It is about 10minutes hike along steps to top of Kadiragala. Though we are supposed to come across stone inscription on side of the steps, but we didn’t see it. On top of Kadiragala, you would see a Buddha statue, small stupa with a pond. Remains of an old stupa is also seen there. Kadiragala is a nice flat rock with 360 degree surrounding view. It includes Nathagane, Werapola, Wellagala, Yakdessagala, Gonagama Kanda and Dolukanda.