Wawetenna an off the beaten travel location has been hidden from popular travel forums for years. Times to time many inquiries have been made by travelers on this marvelous travel location, but none has received answers satisfactory. As per the 1:50,000 map of Kandy, there were two locations with the same name. Finally having analyzing limited data available, a place closed to Madamahanuwara was identified as the real Wawethenna where a panoramic view point was existed. This travelogue is dedicated to all who interested on re-discovering of this hidden travel location.

It was 11.00 am. We were on our way home from Mahiyanganaya, abounding the scheduled activities of the day. When we passed Hunnasigiriya, a little memory on Rajagala & Wawetenna was came in to my mind. But we could not obtain proper travel information until we stop for a tea in a café closed to Madamahanuwara. Having satisfying ourselves with “Pol rote” with “Kocchi Lunu Miris” like dynamite, I had a chat with the shop owner. He was a very helpful man and gave me few travel tips what I wanted to know the most.

As per his tips, we found a narrow route at a huge bend; later we got to know as “Hulan Wanguwa” at A26 Hi-way. Before get in to the sub route, we inquired on road condition from a three wheeler (Tuk-tuk) driver, who just reached the main road from the said sub route. What he said was the distance to Wewethenna from there was about 5km and the route could be managed with our van since usually three wheelers do. Further he mentioned that three wheeler drivers of the area used to visit Wawethenna occasionally for fun. We encouraged much with the comment he made in his words “එතන එල පොට්එක අය්යා“. How ever at the end of the day; we realized that the information given by him was not acceptable except the last one. The distance from the Hulan wanguwa to Wewethenna was 9km & the road was not recommended for a van like ours but an off road vehicle.

First sight of the Estate road started from “Hulan Wanguwa”

The road was narrow and steep. Surface was completely eroded and stones exposed were armed with sharp edges for damaging tires. Most of the time our vannete used her full strength to protect the oil sump from boulders; exposed in the middle line of the road.

The first landmark of our route was a tea store. Up to that point the road was some what manageable though there were several road segments in bad condition.

Office of the Grama Niladari @ Rajagala

The tea store was located at Rajagala. Rajagala was important due to existence of the place where the King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe; the last King of ours, captured by English in 1815. The exact location was hidden from outsiders due to not providing correct road information by villagers. Because villagers believed that memento was a sign of traitorous & shamed on that historic incident.

Having moving another 500m uphill, we reached a three way junction (way point 2) where a Hindu shrine was located. We turned right & proceed along the lower path. Since the junction was populous, we faced no difficulties to verify our route.

first three way junction (way point 2) where a Hindu shrine was located	A broken culvert we met just after the way point 2
Hindu Kovil	Hulan Wanguwa (Zoomed) visible in a distance

Having passed nearly a kilometer we met the first vehicle in that route. We were much lucky that we met the same at rather wide bend where a Catholic shrine was located.

wide bend where a Catholic shrine was located

From there onwards the road laid through a turpentine forest. At the middle of the same we reached another 3 way junction. As like previous one, this was also populous & we could verify our route from villagers. How ever we met the second effective 3way junction in the next 75m uphill. (Waypoint 3) from there we took the left, the uphill one, while the right one lead to A26 hi-way.

Peaceful lives in country side

the second effective 3way junction (Waypoint 3)

Again the poor vehicle had to use her full strength to overcome obstacles in the narrow road ascending continuously. Having traveling nearly 2km, we reached the 3rd effective 3way junction (Way point 4) in our route to Wawethenna. We turned left & proceed up to the line houses located nearby. The junction was special since the right side path was lead to Moragahamulla junction at A26, which we tried at the end of the day.

Feel free

Having verifying our route; we proceed uphill. It was nearly 1.5km distance from those line houses to the summit. Half of the same was driven through the turpentine plantation while the rest; the final segment was laid through a natural vegetation. The road was steep & narrow as usual and allow no room to turn-back a vehicle in the middle.

Line houses are visible below	Towards the summit
obstacles

Finally we reached our dream destination; yes it was seemed as the door step of the heaven. The climate & the surrounding were much similar to the Horton plane. Wind and low depth soil had made trees on the plane pigmy. Earth of the summit was consisted with whitish sand as same as the summit of Namunukula. The plane was larger than few hectares and part of the same was covered with the reservoir, which was almost empty due to the drought.

Finally we reached our dream destination

Wawethenna; it was seemed as the door step of the heaven

Earth of the summit was consisted with whitish sand as same as the summit of Namunukula

There was a view point wider than 180o and it was not interrupted with mist due to the dry weather condition at that time. The valley where the Victoria reservoir was located was clearly visible. Remaining of an abundant estate bungalow made the place mysterious.

The valley where the Victoria reservoir was located was clearly visible

Remaining of an abundant estate bungalow made the place mysterious

Wawethewnna is worth visiting travel location and also recommended for camping lovers. It was 1.5km to the nearest civilization that you can have portable water. For other purposes, you can use the water in the reservoir. If you need any dessert, you can collect Chinese-guava (චීනපේර) from thousands of trees grown around the reservoir.

thousands of Chinese-guava (චීනපේර) trees grown around the reservoir.

When we visit there, young team had been enjoying there. They had reached wawethenna with two there wheelers. They were kind enough to provide road information on an alternative route for us. Since I was mad on returning the same route, I accepted their proposal cheerfully. Having spending nearly an hour there, we decided to take our move.

A young team reached Wawethenna by 3wheelers were enjoying there

The return path was same up to the way point 4. From there onwards we used the other route which was rather acceptable in condition. After the Hangurugama Estate, the road was concreted.

Road laid along the edge of the reservoir

Large butterfly found at the forest patch

Way point 4 – the third effective 3way junction

Sign board of the Hangurugama Estate (Way point 6)

At Welekumbura junction the concreted road joined with a well paved tarred road. Turning right, we conditioned downwards until we find the carpeted road driven from A26 to Victoria dam. It was more than 4km of continuous descending from Welekumbura to that junction. Having turning right again we reached Moragahamulla junction from where we get into the A26 Hi-way. We felt comfortable having seen a road sign board indicated that the distance from there to Kandy was just 31 km.

cabbage

Waypoints