Year and Month | Day 01-Maho to Moragollagama-2017 Octomber 14th Day 02-Moragollagama to Awukana-2017 Octomber 18th |
Number of Days | Two |
Crew | Nuwan and Myself |
Accommodation | Not applicable |
Transport | By train, foot and bus |
Activities | Rail walk, Photography and sight seeing |
Weather | Day 01-Intermittent showers Day 02- Brilliant weather |
Route | Day 01-Colombo->Maho-> Konwewa->Moragollagama Day 02-Colombo->Awukana->Negama->Siyambalangamuwa->Moragollagama->Kurunegala->Colombo |
Tips, Notes and Special remark | Maho to Moragollagama (18.5km) 1. Easiest way to reach Maho junction is travelling by the train. The first train reaches Maho junction is Udayadevi (6.05am from Colombo fort). This is called Udaya Dewi-up and the other train from Batticalo is called Udaya Dewi-down. 2. There is a slow train starts from Maho at 6am. Maho junction can be reached by bus as well. You can get Colombo-Anuradhapura (57) bus and get down at Daladagama. It is about few kilometers from there to Maho. 3. This is again one of least busy railway lines. We came across only one train apart from the one we came from Colombo fort. But there are oil trains and cargo trains. 4. Walking along the railway line is prohibited in law. To refresh this law, railway department arrest few people once a year and produce them to court. According to law only tea estate workers can go along railway line to reach their estates. 5. Please study a bit about surrounding of railway track. It will make the journey interest. 6. Beware of wild elephants. 7. Carry a water bottle to fill from stations. I have noticed all stations have drinkable water. 8. Believe me it is a paradise of butterflies. First day I didn’t spend time to capture them. Second day was the day of butterflies. 9. Last bus from Moragollagama to Kurunegala is at 5pm. Moragollagama is a small town with few boutiques.Moragollagama to Awukana (16.3km) 1. Watching and capturing butterflies need more patience. We tried to do it as much as possible during the rail hike of this part. 2. There was about 2km from railway line to Maha Siyambalangamuwa Lake. It was an extracurricular activity. 3. I am not a butterfly lover and not familiar with their names. Butterflies were identified according to “A pocket guide to the Butterflies of Sri Lanka.” By Himesh Jayasinghe, Chamitha De Alwis and Sarath s. Rajapakshe |
Related Resources | A pocket guide to the Butterflies of Sri Lanka.” By Himesh Jayasinghe, Chamitha De Alwis and Sarath s. Rajapakshe |
Author | Niroshan |
Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread |
Udaya Dewi (උදය දේවි) is the name of Colombo-Batticalo train which leaves Colombo fort by 6.05am. Maho junction (මහව හන්දිය) is the place where northern line and eastern lines separate. Express Udaya Dewi gets a rest at Maho junction and train engine is attached to the other end of the train. Hereafter Udaya Dewi changes the track to eastern line.
This was one of long awaited rail walks to be done at dry zone along Batticalo line.
I wanted to do the rail walk from Maho junction to Habarana as forest coverage of this section is satisfactory. Though I have done this stretch as four parts in different directions, I would like to write as one report consists of two parts.
Udaya Dewi usually doesn’t get delay and reaches Maho junction by 8.55am. Nuwan and myself got down at Maho junction waited till train pass us. It is interesting to watch where three railway lines get connected at Maho. Maho has a fuel station as well. People gathered at tail end of the train to watch how the engine is attached with the main body. Once the train left we started the journey.
Maho to Moragollagama (18.5km)
After passing Maho station we came across Maduragama Lake (මදුරගම වැව). It seems an abounded lake situated somewhat closer to the railway line. Yapahuwa (යාපහුව) rock has risen from my right hand side after passing Maho station. Then we crossed the road to Yapahuwa and halted at Yapahuwa rail stop. We got a rest at Yapahuwa rail stop and Batticalo-Colombo morning train passed us there. Then railway line has passed a rocky mountain area and later I found the name of this interesting mountain as Diyabettekanda-දියබෙත්තේකන්ද (256m) in the map. Konwewa (කෝන්වැව) substation was found after Yapahuwa. A torrent rain was started when we passed Konwewa station and we had to stay at a”Pela“of a chenna. Another rocky mountain called Nikawewa (නිකවැව) Mountain was seen when we passed Ranmukgama (රන්මුක්ගම) substation. Nikawewa isolated mountain was seen till we reached Moragollagama (මොරගොල්ලාගම) station. It was around 4.45pm and we refreshed at station to get the last bus at 5pm to Kurunegala from Moragollagama station.
Moragollagama to Awkana (16.3km)
Though it is mentioned as Moragollagama to Awkana, actually I did it in other way due to transportation difficulty in the evening.
We arrived at Awkana railway station by Udaya Dewi train around 10.45am. The train was about 30minutes behind it’s schedule and Udaya Dewi-down also passed Awkana station few minutes later. Awkana (අවුකන) was a small town and famous Awkana Buddha statue is situated in walking distance from the station. After packing with some food stuff we started the rail walk to Moragollagama.
There were plenty of butterflies gathered around wild flowers on either side of railway line. We spent much time to capture them. Negama (නෑගම) was the first substation came across following Awkana. This section was fairly crowded with houses on either side of the railway line. Wild elephant board was noticed after Negama substation. Soon after we entered the forest reserve called Kahala-Pallekele (කාහල-පල්ලේකැලේ) and railway line goes through the forest section. There was a high possibility of coming across wild elephants and we have noticed old elephant dung at rail way line. At the end of Kahala-Pallekele forest reserve we crossed a cart road where left hand side road ends at Maha-Siyambalangamuwa (මහ සියඹලන්ගමුව වැව) Lake. We spent a time to visit Maha-Siyambalangamuwa Lake as well. Galgiriya mountain (ගල්ගිරිය කන්ද)-longest isolated mountain was seen on right hand side of the road. It brought my memory back to 3 years where I noticed this beautiful mountain while travelling to Polonnaruwa by Udaya Dewi train. It made me to go there and conquer Galgiriya Mountain. Next station was Siyambalangamuwa (සියඹලන්ගමුව) substation where we had a small break. We wanted to walk next few kilometers to finish the day without having a break as it was almost 3pm.
Moragollagama (මොරගොල්ලාගම) was the destination for the day and we were lucky enough to capture a cement train which passed Moragollagama station.
Butterflies I came across
Thanks for rerading