Oolu falls, Yatiyanthota - Few hours in a drizzle of Olu –petals

 

Few hours in a drizzle of Olu –petals

 

Year and Month	December, 2009
Number of Days	One day
Crew	4 (30 to 38 years age)
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	Jeep (CJ5)
Activities	Photography, Waterfall hunting, Natural bathing, exploring hill tops rarely visited by outsiders, Scenic & off road drive.
Weather	Clear day
Route	Colombo/Veyangoda-> Karawanella -> Yatiyantota-> Amanawala ->Weweltalawa -> Yatiyantota and return on the same route
Tips, Notes and Special remarks	Road from Yatiyantota to Amanawala (“Olu ella”) was in good condition and can be managed with a car.   If you wish to visit Weweltalawa with the road driven across the tea estate, you have to get permission from the tea factory; since those are private roads belonged to the tea estate. Leave nothing there since that was high restricted areas of the catchments of We Oya.     Serious 4x4 vehicles are needed to reach the summit where ITN/SLBC towers were located. Never ever try with vehicles having low power or low ground clearance; since there were no return points until the summit.   It’s better if you can carry a stock of water at least for drinking purpose.
Author	Viraj

 

 

Few hours in a drizzle of Olu -petals.

 

 

We were beaten by sun rays showed no mercy. But in the next moment we were covered & protected by an umbrella woven with crowns of trees. Rubber was introduced to Sri Lanka by English in 1876.  From the day it introduced as a crop, Rubber plant has been served the country for not only earning of coins, generating a culture of cultivation. Meanwhile rubber is known as the only crop which served the environment much the same like a forest. As like providing evidence for the same, the atmosphere of our surrounding became more & more fresh & comfortable in each kilometer.

 

The road was driven along the valley of We-oya (River)

 

we were covered & protected by an umbrella woven with crowns of trees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the last day of year 2009. Four of us, Buddhika, Saman, Werasinghe & me were participants of the journey. We were moving towards “seaforth” from Yatiyantota.  The jeep was driven in low speed to enable passengers to explore the beauty of the environment.   

 

 

Reaching Malalpola

 

 

 

A road side beauty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The road was driven along the valley of We-oya (River). Many seasonal waterfalls at road sides enhanced the beauty of the environment. Houses, boutiques and many other buildings used in rubber processing met on our way; memorized sceneries in movies of 1960s. 

 

 

Memorized sceneries in movies of 1960s.

 

 

Another seasonal waterfall ( or Gorok ella ?)

 

 

Reaching tea lands

 

Clove harvest

 

Having traveling nearly an hour we came to the first travel location of the day. It was the wooden bridge at Amanawala village. The bridge was consisted with a number of wooden sleepers. When we drove through the bridge; it emitted a sound of “Daka doka”. At the end of the same, our jeep was parked at the edge of the cliff.  The bridge was important not due to this “daka doka” song, because of having the 5^th highest waterfall of Sri Lanka, the OOlu falls. Since it was formed with a branch of WeOya stream a tributary of Kelani River, Olu fall was considered as the highest fall in Kelani River. The fall expanded to the both side of the bridge.

 

When we drove through the bridge; it emitted a sound of “Daka doka”.

our jeep was parked at the edge of the cliff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fall cascaded to several. Because of the huge height, there were no provisions to taste the beauty in full, unless it observed from the mountain opposite to the same.

 

 

 

Upper part of the the 5th highest waterfall of Sri Lanka, the Olu falls

The section of the waterfall above the road

 

A villager directed us for a safe pool close to the “thunmodara” (3way junction) where the Olu fall meets her bridegroom “way-oya”. Having hours of cool dip with them, we said good bye to the couple newly wedded, since we were in a thought of exploring Weweltalawa, one of the highest rain receiving area out of the country.

 

Way oya

 

Cool dip at we oya

 

 

We had to drive few kilometers back to reach the junction where the narrow estate road was started. Since it is a private road, you need to get permission from the tea factory at the said junction. Otherwise you may have to return from the road barrier located in a distance of few kilometers upwards.

 

Reservoir of the mini hydro power plant at “Peragas handiya”

 

Swing bridge over the We Oya at “Peragas handiya” - Malalpola

 

 

 

The road was well paved but narrow, hilly and bendy required very good driving skills to pass the hair-pin bends at a single attempt.  Cable trolleys use for transporting tea leaves from hilltops to collecting centers made the scenery much interesting. We were passing high restricted area of the catchments of the We-Oya. Finally we reached the end of the restricted area, it was Wewelthalawa. That was a nice plane; surrounded by ranges of mountains covered with velvety tea plantations. Climate of the plane was much similar to Nuwara eliya. Since the area was in a country side, there was no human sign at the plane except few buildings (it was a full moon day also).

 

 

The road was well paved but narrow, hilly and bendy

 

 

 

 

 

The road was well paved but narrow, hilly and bendy required very good driving skills

 

 

Cable trolleys use for transporting tea leaves

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were passing high restricted area of the catchments of the We-Oya

 

 

 

 

Wewelthalawa Division

 

 

 

That was a nice plane; surrounded by ranges of mountains covered with velvety tea plantations

 

 

 

Wewelthalawa

 

 

 

School building at Weweltalawa

 

 

The ITN/SLBC transmission towers were clearly visible to the plane

 

 

 

 

The ITN/SLBC transmission towers were clearly visible to the plane, though they were located in a distance not less than 5km to Wewel-thalawa. They were how attractive was we were compelled to drive towards the same. Up to 2 or 3 kilometers it showed not much tough drive. But the final two were really tough. Finally we were at the police post of the summit of the mountain. As per the police offices there, we were so lackey to be there in such a clear surrounding. Most of the times, the area was fully covered with thick mist. How ever in a clear day you can see up to the Western horizon (Colombo city) from there.

 

 

 

we were compelled to drive towards the towers

 

On our way to the summit

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the giant of SLBC

 

 

Photographic moment

 

Sun was emitting his last rays

 

 

We left the place at the dusk. Powerful fog lamps helped the driver to find the correct path. We were blessed by the “Unduwap” full moon with drizzle and dewfalls periodically, until we reached Yatiyanthota.