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| Year and Month | 2019 December 17th |
| Number of Days | One |
| Crew | 04-Anupama, Eshan, Charith and Myself |
| Accommodation | Not Applicable |
| Transport | By bus, motor bike and hiking |
| Activities | Hiking and Photography |
| Weather | Excellent |
| Route | Colombo->Ibbagamuwa-> Polpithigama->Saliyagama->Ranmukgama->Nikawewa Kanda->Back along same route->Colombo |
| 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
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Nikawewa Mountain / Nikawagampaha is situated closer to small remote town called Moragollagama (මොරගොල්ලාගම) in Kurunegala District. I have done the rail walk from Maho to Moragollagama and returned to Kurunegala by bus via Kumbukgate-Ibbagamuwa. On my way back to Ibbagamuwa I have noted this mountain with the temple at middle of the rock. It was the most attractive feature of Nikawewa Mountain which made me to hike it. Later in map reading I understood, I have passed the other side of this mountain during my rail walk.
Ancient Nagala Temple (නාගල රජමහා විහාරය) is situated at base of this Nikawewa Mountain. Some parts of the temple are situated at middle of this rock. But it is not allowed to walk to this upper part of the temple except in Poya days. Nikawewa Mountain is a range with few peaks and approach seems easy from railway line side rather than temple side.
 Nikawewa Mountain is seen to rail way line when you just pass Moragollagama railway station towards Awukana |
 Nikawagamaha / Nikawewa Kanda in metric map |
 Nikawewa Kanda in Google map. Here I have marked Saliyagama junction (arrow) and Ranmukgama station. Our approximate path is shown by black line. |
 Aerial view of Nikawewa Mountain |
 Nikawewa Mountain. Note it is arranged as few peaks. This is the temple side of the mountain. You can see two parts of the temple are situated at middle of the mountain. |
Let’s move to the hike:
Our plan was to approach the mountain from Ranmukgama railway station along railway line. Ranmukgama railway station is a small one situated closer to Moragollagama. I have travelled from Colombo and joined with Charith at Ibbagamuwa. Ibbagamuwa-Madagalla road was a scenic road with rocky isolated mountains and greenish paddy fields. It draws my memory to six years back as I have visited some ancient places at this road. We met Anupama at Kumbukgate and Eshan joined with us from Polpithigama. We have passed small junction at Saliyagama and turned to Saliyagama-Galgamuwa road. The road crosses the railway line at Ranmukgama. Nikawewa Mountain was situated in our right hand side when we travelled from Saliyagama junction. There was a gravel road runs parallel to railway line towards Moragollagama station. We have stopped our bikes at last house of this road. House owner was friendly and gave necessary instructions to hike the mountain in positive manner.
We have walked further along the railway line towards Moragollagama till we come across a small lake in right hand side. I can remember all these lakes were dry when I did the rail walk. As it was the rainy season of Rajarata, lakes were full and paddies were greenish. We crossed this small lake along it’s bunt and came across another small one beyond paddies. There was a small marshy area next to this lake and we found our way to enter the forest along this.
 Members of the journey: Anupama, Charith and Eshan (right) |
 Other side of Nikawewa Mountain. |
 Train is passing… |
 Rocky face of the mountain…. |
 This is the first lake we have crossed… |
 Along the lake bunt |
 All greenish… |
 Hidden second lake…. |
 Morning decoration |
 Small marshy area situated at base of the mountain |
 . |
It was another dry zone hike under giant trees and over boulders. Within 1-1½ hours time we have reached a peak of the range, but it seems not the highest of Nikawewa range. (As we didn’t follow the Google map properly)
 Under dry zone forest cover… |
 There was no foot pathway |
 This was such a common finding. |
 Rising up…. |
 Uncommon |
 On the way up…. |
 A small cave |
 A break….. |
 Reaching a top…. |
 Coming out of forest…. |
 Seems we have reached a wrong peak… Higher peaks are situated next to this. |
Next step was to move to the highest peak which was situated at middle of the range. Again we got into the forest cover and reached a point where surrounding was clearly visible. It was like a middle point in between the highest peak and the one we have reached. After another 10-15 minutes hike we were able to reach the peak where the flag was set. This place has 3600 view towards surrounding. We were able to view Yapahuwa, Diyabettekanda, Rasseruwa Kanda, Ritigala, Kahala Pallekale range, Erawulagala, Galkoth kanda, Gedaragalapathana, Beliya Kanda, Dolukanda range, Manikdena, Karanampotha, Na Uyana Kanda, Kadigala, Arangala, Mana Kanda and some of Knuckles range.
Galgiriya was the most nearby giant which I conquered few years ago.
We were lucky enough to see the train is passing area. According to the Google map the highest point of the range was the one next to this flag point. As we were short of time we didn’t try to go there.
 View from the middle point |
 Reached a middle point where surrounding was clearly visible |
 . |
 On top of the peak where flag is set |
 Flag point. The peak we have reached first is seen next to this. |
 The view |
 Rasseruwa Kanda |
 Yapahuwa (right) and Diyabettekanda (left spiky one) |
 It’s giant of Rajarata-Ritigala |
 Greenish paddies at Moragollagama |
 Paddies at drop |
 Whole area is refreshed with rain |
 Kahala-Pallekale range… |
 Bambaragala, Erawulagala and Galkoth Kanda |
 Towards Dolukanda range |
 Nikawewa Lake |
 Nikawewa Lake bunt |
 Ancient Nikawewa Temple |
 Three ranges: Gedaragala Pathana, Kahala-Pallekale and Knuckles range
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 Beliya Kanda and Manikdena |
 Kadigala and Arangala |
 Nearby giant-Galgiriya |
 Mana Kanda and Ritigala |
 One of factories at Polpithigama |
 Train is coming from Moragollagama station |
 Train is passing |
 I am on top of the peak |
 First peak we have reached… |
 When we were on top…. |
 When we were on top…. |
 We were on top of Nikawewa Kanda |
Return journey was happened peacefully and we were able to reach the starting point in one hour time. On our way back to Ibbagamuwa, we have visited a beautiful lake at Maeliya (මාඑලිය). This lake is reserved only for fishing.
 Back to starting point…. |
 Where we were |
 Maeliya Lake |
 . |
 Na Uyana Mountain and Karanampotha over Maeliya Lake. |
I would like to visit Nagala temple in a Poya day to complete this journey.
Thanks for reading.