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| Year and Month | March, 2015 (15th) |
| Number of Days | One Day Trip |
| Crew | 03-Thinuwan, Nirosh and Niroshan |
| Accommodation | Uma Guest House-Uwa Thanna |
| Transport | Train, climbing and walking |
| Activities | Mountain climbing, Photography and Rail hike |
| Weather | Excellent till evening. Then we were caught to a rain. |
| Route | Colombo -> Idalgashinna -> Climbing Idalgashinna Mountain -> Ohiya -> Udaweriya estate -> Kalupahana |
| Tips, Notes and Special remark |
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| Author | Niroshan |
| Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread |
I have noted Idalgashinna Mountain in my first visit to Haldummulla old fort . It gave me the idea of conquering in the day of trekking from Haldummulla to Idalgashinna . She was wrapped with mist on that gloomy day when we reached Idalgashinna Railway Station.
We got into 14th Saturday night mail from Colombo and reached Idalgashinna station at about 4.30am with chilling cold. After inquiring about climbing pathway we headed to the mountain around 6.30am. It was a brightened day and surrounding view was beautiful. First we climbed up through the tea estate and reached the end of the tea patch where Pinus trees start. There was no foot pathway within the Pinus forest. After about fifteen minutes we reached the second highest point where it provides good view towards Koslanda, Beragala, Haldummulla and Belihuloya. Southern plane of the country was visible far away. We had our breakfast there and noted highest point of the mountain in our left hand side. It was bit difficult to reach there due to acute ascend. This place also provides good bird’s eye view but not well as the first place.
 Idalgashinna Mountain-View from Haldummulla |
 Misty view of the mountain on my way from Haldummulla to Idalgashinna. |
 Idalgashinna Mountain- Photo taken on my way to Beragala |
 Kittens rolled at Idalgashinna Station. |
 Good morning Idalgashinna….. |
 Directions-The concrete road goes up from black star to orange star. There is a water tank at orange star. Then take foot pathway up along the tea patch. |
 Towards Welimada plateau. Namunukula is seen far away. |
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 Land mark-Water tank |
 Beragala Mountain and Idalgashinna station |
 First target of the day-second highest point |
 Along the tea patch |
 Going up through Pines Forest |
 Superb view towards Kalupahana. Black star-Wangedigala, Black arrow-Balathuduwa, Red arrow-Gommolliya and Blue arrow towards Hortain plains |
 Zoomed view of Balathuduwa and Gommolliya |
 View of Bambarakanda Waterfall |
 Zoomed view of Need wood tea factory |
 Central picture shows Sabaragamuwa University |
 Drop of Kuragala |
 Colombo-Badulla road get it’s turn at Haldummulla |
 Might be Pettigala??? |
 Thinuwan gets his drop to the highest point of Idalgashinna Mountain |
 Beragala Mountain |
 Getting down |
 Rail turn at Idalgashinna station |
Our second activity of the day was to walk from Idalgashinna station to Ohiya station. This rail walk meets highest number of tunnels in between two railway stations. There were 14 tunnels (No: 35-No: 22) between Idalgashinna and Ohiya. Total stretch of this railway track is 8.85km and tunnel No: 29 is the longest (181.09m) out of all these.
 Oil man |
 Our walk starts |
 Sampo signal ahead |
 Walking with a weight |
 Tunnel No:35-First tunnel we met |
 Group photo |
 Thinuwan in the Man-hole |
 Tunnel No:34 |
 Bridge in between tunnel No:34-No:33 |
 Black and white |
 Tunnel No:33 |
 Tunnel No:32 |
 Tunnel No:31 |
 Tunnel No:30 |
 View of Tunnel No:29 from No:30 |
 Into darkness |
 Tunnel No:27 |
 Tunnel No:26 |
 In between tunnel No:26 and 25 |
 Road side cascade |
 Tunnel No:25 |
 Scenic |
 Tunnel No: 24 |
 She is coming |
 Tunnel No:23 |
 Tunnel No:22 |
 Reaching Ohiya |
 Ohiya station |
Our last activity of the day was to descend to Kalupahana from Ohiya via Udaweriya. The time was around 1.30pm and we had Rotti from Ohiya. The boutique people said we wouldn’t able to reach Kalupahana before the darkness if we follow the normal route. Then they said about a short cut to omit the first part of the route and asked us to use a three-wheeler in that phase.
Nirosh and myself said good bye to Thinuwan (He got the train to Haputhale to go to Colombo) and started the journey by the three wheeler.
This alternative road is a connection between Udaweriya estate and road towards Hortain plains from Ohiya. We entered Udaweriya estate and passed famous Devil’s staircase in our journey. Estate workers were so kind and showed us some short cuts to follow. By 5.30pm we reached somewhere closer to Bambarakanda Holiday Resort and called for a threehweel to complete rest of the journey.
 The road from Ohiya to world’s end |
 This is the junction where road gets divide. Bad road goes toward Udaweriya estate. |
 I couldn’t avoid myself snapping this beautiful road |
 This is the place where our short cut started |
 Getting down through mist |
 Note- This red crosses indicate not to follow. These marks will guide you to the road towards Hortain plain |
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 Entering to the upper part of tea estate |
 Hortain plains get cleared |
 Getting down through Devil’s stair case |
 Devil’s stair case |
 Decorated my trek bottom |
 Entering to Kingslyn estate |
 Famous map in everyone’s reports – Click Image to Enlarge |
 Udaweriya estate |
 Seasonal waterfall |
 Directions |
 One of line houses we met |
 Painted Pagoda |
 Descends through the tea estate-We followed short cuts |
 The bridge |
 Passing famous ‘V’ cut |
 View towards Samanala Wewa reservoir. |
 Following rain |
 Last shot of the Day-Bambarakanda Waterfall |
Thanks for reading