![]() |
Copyright Notice: Please obtain permission from the author before duplicating, re-publishing or adapting content of a trip report |
![]() |
Be a responsible traveler! Watch this video before you hit the road! Download Video: MP4|3gp |
![]() |
Do you like to contribute a Trip Report? learn how to or download template and start straight away! |
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 |
|
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.
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.
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.
Thanks for reading