Soldiering onto Greater Hikes – Great Western

You are embedded in my mind….

It was year 2001 and my first-ever train journey was to Diyatalawa with my AL class friends from Fort by 5.55am Podimenike Train. It really was a remarkable and unforgettable journey. We were on our way to do a project on Horton Plains and heading to stay at one of my friend’s place in Diyatalawa.

I was on the foot board the whole journey, highly excited, enjoying it to the max. We passed many things and stations along the way. But one thing in particular got embedded in my mind. That was “Great Western Station”. The entering onto the Station area was grand and I can still remember that day. I’ve been viewing that picture every now and then and couple years back came to know about the GW Mountain which is surprisingly the 6th highest in SL.

But it never occurred to me to do this till I joined Lakdasun (that has inspired me tremendously to achieve greater things) and heard that this could be done. At the Lakdasun gathering on 2nd of March 2013, helped me meet with lots of people with great experience.

I then came across Ashan’s report on GW and thought it would be grand if we could do this. However, it wasn’t not one of my priorities and been in the back of my mind all along. However, t suddenly dawned on me that it’s now or never. I casually suggested this to Harinda in April and he readily agreed. I didn’t wanna wait long and fixed it for first week of May. This was pushed back to second week coz of my beloved Meemure and Hasalaka trips and it turned out to be a hidden blessing as it rained very heavily in the first week.

We panicked and I was very worried. I kept calling Morgan (he’s also called Velli) and checking the weather and it was always raining. I decided to call it off if it kept going on like that and buying the train tickets was also delayed. However, to our great relief Morgan said the situation is getting better on 09 May. It was barely 3 days for the trip and we agreed to get the tickets and go anyway. Unfortunately all the sleeping berths had been booked and had to settle for 2nd class. If it rained we would abandon the hike and do something else like waterfall hunting around Talawakele.

10 and 11 May, the weather improved dramatically and I was beyond the point of getting cranked up. So on the 11th night around 7.30pm Harind joined me at the Fort station and after buying snacks and biscuits for the journey we got on board and were ready to venture into new heights.

General Information about GW.

• 6th Highest in SL. (2,212m – 7,257ft)
• It got its name Great Western from the English who ruled the up country, they named nearby places Somerset, Glassaugh, etc.
• Located right behind GW station with an elevation of about 748m (2,454ft).
• GW station is between Watagoda (from Col) and Radella (from Badulla) and has 5.01km and 3.4km in between respectively. (Good for a rail walk)
• From Colombo it’s 199km and from Badulla 93km to the GW station. Difficult to access by road. You can come from Talawakele to the nearby village where Morgan lives (about 1km away) and then walk from there. If you wanna do that, do check with Morgan.
• Don’t try this if it’s raining coz the path is very slippery. The earth is soggy and the underbrush is so thick. The climb is too challenging, at times near vertical and there are very little footholds and branches to cling onto.
• The trail can be separated into 4 parts. It’s about 6-8km in total. Strenuous trail and shouldn’t be attempted without a guide.

1. GW station to the Trail head along the railway track (about 1.5-2km). There are steps built into the mountain to a Kovil on your left hand side just before an Iron Bridge. You can start your trail either along the Kovil steps or near the Bridge.
2. From the Railway line to the beginning of the Forest Patch through the Kovil. About 1.5km
3. Through the forest patch to the top (about 2-2.5km)
4. Along the top to the summit (about 1.5km)

We had nice and long chat about our adventures and planned a few too for the near future. We decided to get some shut eye around 10.30pm. However, the poorly maintained carriages and seats offered little comfort. My seat was broken and it felt as if sitting on a rock. The whole carriage was reeking of the lavatory which was stinking so bad I found it difficult to breathe let alone sleep. This was my worst experience on a train journey (I’m a frequent traveler) and had jitters about the hike. Harinda managed to get short bursts of shut eye (just like his short breaks along the hike ).

From Nawalapitiya, it was on a crawl due to the mist. It was so thick you could have cut them like cheese and have. This delayed our arrival time by good 1.5hrs. We reached GW by 4.15am and I was glad to get out of that stinky rat hole. Morgan had informed the station of our arrival and they helpfully opened the rest room and let us stay till the morning. Anyhow, the chilly cement benches offered little consolation and I decided to sit and wait till the dawn. By 5.30am, it was light enough and I got out immediately and came out despite the cold. It really was like heaven. They say that you can see the Adam’s peak from the station but the thick mist wouldn’t have any of it.

We started snapping away and a dark cloud was heading our way making us skeptical. However, after about 15mins, it went away as if seen our concerned looks. Morgan arrived with hot coffee and packed breakfast. We washed and changed into combat gear and went away around 6.30am.

The map I found

Just arrived…

Early morning, couldn’t wait anymore

Lovely station…

She’s watching us

It really is Great

Here comes the Nawalapitiya bound train from Nanuoya

Good old German W3 engines at work

Step 1 – GW station to Trail Head

The mist got thicker but Morgan predicted good weather, free of rain. We passed a small but abandoned hut which had built for a watcher man. The reason being, rocks had fallen from the mountain onto the rail track last year closing the line to Badulla for full 48hrs. They even have put up a notice there. Army’s demolition team had had to blow those rocks away and clear the path.

We reached the trail head, about 7.00am where whitewashed steps leading up to a Kovil is clearly visible on the left hand side. This is just before an Iron Bridge, where there’s another trail. The trail through the Kovil is relatively easier but longer whereas the one off the Bridge is difficult but somewhat short. We obviously had no debate over which one to take. (You guessed right, the easy one )

Flowers at large at the station

So cute

Never ending penchant for the flowers

Some more

Still going strong, coz made in England

Mist hung thickly

Walking to the starting point

Fine Pine forest

Specially when it’s raining real hard

Where the rocks had dislodged

Rocks which were blasted by Army…

Iron bridge before the kovil steps…

The fellow I went with…

Step 2 – Trail Head to Forest Patch

Up we went along the steps, and according to Morgan there are nearly 200 steps up to the Kovil. It’s been built after a promise (in Sinhala, Bharaya). It goes like this:

Nallusami was a KP (a sub Superintendent) in one of the estates and once he had got lost on the path of the mountain. He got panicked and reached the point where now the Kovil is built. (It used to just a small worshipping place). According to the story, he’d found his way like a miracle and to show his gratitude to God Paththini, he’d promised to build steps right up to the Kovil from the railway line. He did build them and overtime, the villagers have renovated them.

Morgan did the rituals at the Kovil and as always, I asked for good weather (which was duly granted) and having filled our containers to the brim with the spring water near by, we went along the foot path up. The going was not to bad coz the path was clear and Harinda took his nice and short 30-second breaks. Along the way, we found the hooves’ marks of the stags on the earth and Morgan said they might’ve just crossed the path. We also saw the markings where jungle fowls had been digging for their breakfasts and wild boars for their previous night dinner. The mist kept coming in keeping the sunlight away (which was a blessing) and the chill in the fresh air kept us going.

About 1km away, I was hungry and good wait no longer for breakfast. We sat on the path and had a sumptuous (in my terms) meal of hot hot Roti, mouth-watering Lunu Miris and Dhal. Cream crackers dipped in Dhal and Lunu Miris was just the icing on the cake. Harinda kept hiding the cheese for the summit. We got our things ready, not leaving even a scrap of paper behind and got back on track. Soon we entered into the thick forest and it was dark inside the forest.

Entrance to the Kovil

The 200 steps

Our super-duper guide Morgan

Paththini Kovil

Overlooking the lush greenery

Morgan doing the rituals

Giving us blessings

Tea estates below

Gorgeous

Another 30-second break

Misty tree

Stags’… just been there

Harinda is catching up

Horton plains like

Breakfast… delicious

Mini train coming to taste our BF

Gosh, now the hard bit

Step 3 – Climbing up to the top.

Things got more and more difficult the sooner we reach into the steep bit of the climb. Morgan said that the forest department people based in N’Eliya doesn’t visit the forest up in the hill. They apparently, just come by train and walk about the tea estate below and go back to their warm offices not caring what’s happening up in the hills. We saw so much evidence to prove that wood choppers had been busy at work. So many trees had been cut down and we came across many not-so-big tree trunks yet to be taken away. Some had been left to rotten so that they can be used as firewood.

Morgan said that the forest department officers arrest anyone who’s even trying to get some firewood in the tea estates below saying that they destroy the forests but not really looking where it actually happens. They are barking up the wrong tree.

After sometime, we came across a funny looking tree with white trunk, but to see the bark had been gnawed by stags. I was very curious coz they had very greedily taken it clean off. Just out of my never ending curiosity, I just picked at a remaining piece and chewed it. Wow, it tasted nice, mixture of sugar and peppermint with a touch of bitterness to it.

I kept chewing it like chewing gum most of the up hill journey. Then we came to the most difficult part with a very steep climb through thick bushes, rocks and slippery earth. However, climbing up is easier compared to coming down. It’s just scary. Once the steep got too much for us, Morgan had to climb first and give us his rope to support ourselves up. Same way we came down but Harinda nearly went all the way to the GW station, but managed to hold onto the rope bruising his arm.

Photo taking opportunities were hard to come by coz we sometimes had to use our arms as well to support us. Harinda kept switching himself to 4WD (all four limbs). After a lot of huffing and puffing we were finally on the top but the journey was far from over. We had another long way to walk across to the summit at the other end about 1.5-2km.

Looks like Batu

So many artistic things

Not edible

Katu Imbula?

Dead ones

Stag’s favourite meals, barks of this tree

No artist can match this..

Close or far, she’s great

More arts of the Mother Nature

Still misty…

Harinda is showing the damage done to the forest

Very difficult going

At last, reached the top… plenty more to walk

Step 4 – Walking across to the Summit

We reached a rock surface and were surprised how high we actually were. We got a great view of (still partially covered by the mist) Radella Broadcasting tower, Nanuoya and beyond that Piduruthalagala Mountain range with the telecommunications towers, Hatton-Nanuoya road via Thalawakele. It was such a great panoramic view.

Moving further on, we saw the rock forming the summit of the GW and about 100m below we saw kinda Hawk or an Eagle perching and screeching. We managed to take a few pics of the fellow (pity didn’t have about 40+ zoom on me) but my 20X plus digital zoom got me a passable pic. I had to use Harinda’s back instead of the tripod to eliminate the shakiness at the extreme zoom range.

Passing a makeshift Kovil, only with a Trishul which had been dug out by the searching boars. Just beyond there was a tree with fertilizer bags hung like flags. Morgan said many think that this is the summit and turn around but not so. Then it was the camping site and as I said above, there were only charred remains of wood remaining, no plastic or papers strewn about. So whoever did the camping had done a tremendous job (hoping they didn’t throw anything over the rock to the bottom) and hats off to them.

Just through a thick bush, we reached the summit. Some team from Kandy had gone and put up a flag not at the correct place but Morgan had put it up near the actual summit. There is hardly any room to sit and wind is fierce. Be very careful coz the edge is always wet due to mist and deadly dangerous.

We had our remaining breakfast, more Roti, cheese and cream crackers with the precious Lunu miris and dhal. It took us exactly 4hrs to reach the top (by 10.40am) and decided to stay till 11.30am hoping the mist would clear enough for a few pics. Around 11.10am, I decided it’s pointless to wait anymore but Morgan reassured it will clear away. About 11.15am, the mist cleared even though partially, and we managed to get a few pics and turned around.

Mist was so stubborn…

Tea estates below…

Grand pic

Jutting out of the rock… love those colours

He’s the one who was making noises all the time

Know the fellow?

Ready to fly away

This is towards Radella

Rock formation of the summit… more to go

Life on the rocks…

Vividness

Lovely

Morgan was constantly on the phone with the station checking the train times

The three musketeers

This is marked as the summit, but not actually… further more to go

Camping site

The flag carried by a previous group but had hung at the wrong place, Morgan had put it here

Mist enveloping the surrounding and she was so cool with drops of water

Not to be taken away…

Love that water on the leaves

Finally a breakthrough – GW station

Village further on

Morgan’s village, the Kovil in the middle

The ground beyond Morgan’s village

More buildings and villages nearby

Railway and its quarters below

Mist went away completely

The edge is slippery and earth is very loose….

There comes Udarata Menike bound for Colombo

Passing the quarters below

Disappearing

Panoram

Coming back….

Along the way, we stopped by again coz Morgan wanted to show us the Colombo bound Udarata Menike snaking its way to the GW from Nanuoya station. We heard the train but the mist still very stubbornly refused to go away. However, as the train appeared at the bend, the mist went away and we managed to take pics of the new Chinese S12 train. Light blue was very prominent against the green background and it’s longer with 8 carriages and two either side engines than the good old M6 with 6 carriages. However, Morgan predicted those new Chinese ones will be outta service in 10 years…

Then it was time to take on the horrendous downhill journey and Harinda used his rock sliding skills to the max. He made new inroads and paths were cleared as if by magic. He said “I wish I could fly to the GW station from here” and I wanted to help him with my Kung-Fu and replied that I could maybe send him right into Morgan’s village and with luck he’d end up at the Station. He simply wouldn’t hear any of it and trust my skills. Instead he used his own methods and after a strenuous journey we did the worst part and heaved a sigh of relief.

Walking back we came across the Stag-gnawed tree and I wanted another tiny piece of chewing gum. It tasted grand after the exhausting climb. I was relieved to get back to the open area and we heard the Badulla bound Podi Menike coming from GW and waited anxiously for her to appear. It was very clear as we were very close to the bottom and it was easy to point and shoot.

Came back to the Kovil, paid our respects for giving us good weather and making our journey a safe one, replenished our water bottles and was on our way back to the GW station around 1.30pm (It only taken 2 hours for the downhill).

Near the station, there was a butterfly beauty bathing in the sun. She said that she just returned from Adma’s peak and posed for a few pics for me. The workers were redoing the track changing the old sleepers at the station.

We were hoping to catch the 2.15pm train back to Colombo and there was a delay. We washed and had the delicious lunch brought to the station by Morgan’s wife. There was a dog (now you gonna wonder what’s so special about a dog, right?) and surprisingly his name was “Kema” (food). We gave him some of our lunch and when called “Kema” he responded. Funny things do happen.

Apparently, the delay got worse coz the M6 engine had failed at Nanuoya and they were waiting for a replacement from Nawalapitiya which was good 2hrs away. We didn’t wanna push our luck anymore instead took the Badulla train to Nanuoya around 4.00pm and then proceeded to N’Eliya. Fortunately there was an AC bus leaving for Colombo at 5.15pm and took it and reached Colombo around 10.00pm.

Well, that’s the story of the Mysterious girl of GW. She is so proud and wouldn’t let many people get close to her. She keeps her beauty hidden most of the time with mist. So should you ever to attempt her, don’t do anything to harm her beauty. She’s such a gorgeous mountain.

It was my first trip with Harinda (a Lakdasun member) and there’ll be plenty more coming in the future.

Sri & Hari de Great Western fairy tale ends here and do enjoy the pics…. Ask any questions…

Radella broadcasting tower

Abandoned Tea factory, they had tried to convert into a garment factory but not worked out

Wild boars are responsible for these…

Making new paths

Bidding us farewell

Don’t wanna leave her

The other peak…

There goes Podi Menike towards Nanuoya

Up close, I guess the guard is looking at us

10 carriages in all

Morgan leading the way…

The path you have to take across the mountain to the summit… easier shown than done

She just said Hi…

Told me just returned from Sri Pada

Happily agreed to pose for a pic for me

Side view, see the Butterfly Walk

Signals not ready yet

Walking the final bit…. legs screaming at me

Changing the old sleepers

Hard work

Ready to weigh?

Tiny tiny birds eveywhere…

The first ever pic of a Maina, had to go all the way to GW to take it

Here’s the fellow with the funny name “Kema”

“Darling, don’t look, they are taking our pics”

08.30am Badulla train coming in to GW

This is the only old engine at work now due to the introduction of Chinese S12

See ya later guys…

Lady… see you later….