| Year and Month | 2016 Octomber 10th |
| Number of Days | One day |
| Crew | 06-Eshan, Prabath, Kasun, Prakash, Chamara and Myself |
| Accommodation | Previous day night at YMBA-Kandy T.P: 0812233444 Unable to book over the phone. You can just ask about availability. But this is a kind of cheap accommodation at Kandy closer to bus stand and railway station. |
| Transport | Bus, Three Wheel and Hiking |
| Activities | Hiking and Photography |
| Weather | Excellent |
| Route | Colombo->Kandy->Ududumbara (උඩුදුම්බර)->Kalugala (කලුගල) ->Udailuka(උඩඉලුක) ->Velangolla Pathana (වෙලන්ගොල්ල පතන)-> Yahangala (යහන්ගල)->Back to Kandy along same route->Polonnaruwa |
| Tips, Notes and Special remark |
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| Related Resources |
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| Author | Niroshan |
| Comments | Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread |
Yahangala/bed rock is the mountain with unique shape of a bed situated at eastern edge of Knuckles massif. This rock related to Rawana legend. King Rawana’s body was kept here for last respect following he became unconsciousness by arrow flew by Rama’s bow. Therefore it is called Bedrock / Yahangala. According to folk this rock is situated at “Gale Bandara Deviyange Adawiya”-ගලේ බණ්ඩාර දෙවියන්ගේ අඩවිය under his protection. My first experience of Yahangala goes back to 2012. It was a memorable journey of two days and we camped at Velangolla Pathana where elephants were roaming. Next day we climbed the mountain without any pre knowledge of the route. And we didn’t have enough water to fulfill our thirsty.
Year back I visited Velangolla Pathana to visit Kehelpothdoruwegala කෙහෙල්පොත්දොරුවේගල (1529m). Four years after I wanted to visit Yahangala as a one day trip as well as the guide of the team. This trip was successful as I knew the area very well, good preparation and excellent weather.
Different phases of Yahangala from different places
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  When my visit to Ulpathgama (උල්පත්ගම)…captured early morning |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  The appearance from Velangolla Pathana |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Appearance of other side….Captured on my way to Kehelpothdoruwegala |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Yahangala and Velangolla Pathana together |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  View of Yahangala from Kehelpothdoruwegala |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  View of Yahangala from Uda Galdebokka-උඩගල්දෙබොක්ක |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  View of Yahangala from faraway of Velangolla Pathana |
We stayed previous day night at Kandy and got the bus to Ududumbara. From Ududumbara we got another bus to Dambagahapitiya and hired a threewheel to Uda Iluka where the foot pathway to Velangolla Pathana starts. We didn’t need to wait for the Kalugala bus from Ududumbara as it starts at 8.30am.
Anybody who needs to conquer either Kehelpothdoruwegala or Yahangala needs to reach Velangolla pathana first. There is a clear foot pathway with continuous ascend to Velangolla Pathana. First it goes through the forest patch and then comes to open with Mana bushes on either side.
After I hour of the journey we reached Velangolla pathana. There was a tap line crossing the foot pathway which is a good place to fill bottles.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  The trail head |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Starting the journey |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  This nice foot pathway to a house where small foot pathway starts to Velangolla Pathana |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Part of the team |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Through the village |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Entering the forest |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Going through forest patch |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Finishing the forest patch |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Boys enjoying the journey |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  The place where we stopped to fill water |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Filling water. Click credit goes to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Surrounding view |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  There is a small forest patch after Mana section. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  View of Velangolla Pathana. This is the only high point you can see when you walk to Velangolla Pathana. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  View of Velangolla Pathana. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Nawenagala in most left and Garandi Gala in most right |
Velangolla Pathana/ Yahangala pathana is a nice almost flat area. The foot pathway continues as the foot pathway to Udagaldebokka. There is a small Dewalaya-Gale Bandara Dewalaya (ගලේ බණ්ඩාර දේවාලය) as the landmark. Right hand side is for Yahangala and left for Kehelpothdoruwegala.
We had our breakfast there and enjoyed the surrounding view. Yahangala and Kehelpothdoruwegala are seen as giants in Velangolla Pathana. Recently someone has burned Mana of this Pathana but there were fresh Mana at our visit probably due to rain. The welcome view of Yahangala at Pathana is discouraging due to it’s extreme rocky surface. I can remember our first attempt in 2012 we struggled with this rocky surface to reach the top.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  This is the junction at Dewalaya. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Garandigala and might be the grove for Garandi Ella |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Our target. This white line was our attempted route in 2012. But it is not possible to climb along this route. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Team at Velangolla Pathana. Click credit to Chamara |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Team at back drop of Kehelpothdoruwegala. Click credit to Chamara |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Velangolla Pathana/ Yahangala Pathana |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Dreadful rock surface of Yahangala |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  It is not possible to go along this surface to reach the top. |
The basic of Yahangala climbing is going on right hand side of the mountain along Velangolla Pathana and get on to the mountain along it’s back. When you go around the mountain you can walk closer to the rock but there is large number of boulders situated closer to the mountain. There was an unclear foot pathway as well. Then from back of the mountain you can climb up like stair case and get on to the peak of Yahangala. In 2012 it was kind of a difficult task as we were running out of water and thickly grown Mana bushes. But this time it was fairly easy.
It should be careful in walking at Velangolla Pathana due to roaming elephants. We have noticed one elephant and my next visit to pathana after one week we noticed three elephants.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  You have to go on right hand side of the mountain first. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Coming down along Velangolla Pathana |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Coming down along Velangolla Pathana |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Velangolla Pathana |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Fresh Mana |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Going down. It was bit difficult due boulders situated closer to the rock. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Elephant Dung. Click credit to Chamara. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Go around the mountain. Click credit to Chamara |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  The cave we found on our way to Yahangala. This might be a good place for camping. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  We have reached the tail of the Mountain. Note there is clear foot pathway. Click credit to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  View of Velangolla Pathana Click credit to Chamara. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Jumbos in Pathana Click credit to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Climbing started. Click credit to Chamara. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Waiting for others. Click credit to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Tail of the mountain. Click credit to Chamara. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  This is the route how you get on to the top. We got this picture of Yahangala in our next week visit to Velangolla Pathana. Click credit to Chamara. |
We have reached the peak in around 2hours time. Top of Yahangala is a flat area with no big trees like it’s name bed rock. There are small bushes spread over hundred of acres of the top. It is an ideal place for camping but can except extreme wind during night. We walked over the top and had some clicks. It provides 360 degree view over surroundings from top of Yahangala. One side you can see Velangolla Pathana and it’s peaks. There is a drop from Velangolla pathana towards . Hasalaka and the plain next to eastern border of Knuckles massif could be seen over there. Other structures were Kehelpothdoruwegala, Lakegala, Garandigala, Thelambugala, Hetakatuwegala and Galpadihela. Minipe Lake, Mahaweli River, Hasalaka Lake and Sorabora Wewa were also seen.
After enjoying the view we started return journey. We were able to reach Uda Iluka by 5.30pm but no buses were operating from there to Ududumbara at that time. Luckily we got return bus to Dambagahapitiya and returned to Ududumbara by two three wheelers. It was a nice one day hik
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Top of the mountain. Click credit to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Top of the mountain. Click credit to Chamara. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Top of Yahangala. Click credit to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Top of Yahangala. Click credit to Chamara. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  View of Lakegala/ Gal Thuna. Click credit to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  The highest point of Yahangala with it’s drop. Click credit to Chamara. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Kehelpothdoruwegala. Click credit to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  The team on top of the mountain. Click credit to Chamara. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  The drop… Click credit to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  The lake at Ulpathgama. Click credit to Chamara. |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Coming down. Click credit to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Coming down. Click credit to Chamara. |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Fascinating view at the edge of Yahangala |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Having a rest |
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Sun set at Velangolla Pathana |
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  Team at the end after successful climb except myself |
Thanks for reading