Waterfalls in Thalwakele-Nawalapitiya road

Nawalapitiya and Thalawakele are two areas situated in different districts (Kandy and Nuwera Eliya) connected by B grade road-B317. Travelling along this winding road gives opportunity to visit number of waterfalls. This is my attempt to give information about some waterfalls situated in this scenic road.
We started the journey from Nawalapitiya using public transport-bus. My first destination was Queens Berry estate cascades situated at Queensberry Estate. I have been there for Rilagala / Pasmale hike and noted these cascades when we entered the estate.

1. Queensberry estate waterfalls / ක්වීන්ස්බෙරි වත්ත දිය ඇලි
This is the hallmark of this trip. Kadiyanlena Oya (කඩියන්ලෙන ඔය) originates from the water streams at Queensberry estate. Baby Kadiyanlena Oya forms four cascades during it’s course in Queensberry estate.
Some of these cascades will get your attention once you get down at Queensberry junction. There is a foot path to reach the main stream from main road at Queens Berry junction and we crossed it by the bridge. Then followed the foot path through the line houses to reach the base of Queensberry estate falls-1. Actually this is a side stream of Kadiyanlena Oya.

This is the view you will get when you get down at Queensberry estate. You can see Queensberry estate waterfalls No 1 is flowing. (Middle of the picture)It is easy to track the path from here. Pasmale range is seen behind.

Queensberry estate waterfalls No-1 /ක්වීන්ස්බෙරි වත්ත දිය ඇලි-1 (6.984124, 80.593300)

This is a side stream of Kadiyanlena Oya. It is about 10m in height.

Side view of Queensberry Falls-1.

Queensberry Falls-1.

Anupama is at Queensberry Falls-1.

Posed with fall No-1.

Orchid

This is baby Kadiyanlena Oya. Water from Queensberry Falls-1 also joins with it.

Initial stage of Kadiyanlena Oya.

Chat after work

The estate road follows the path of Kadiyanlena Oya. We also followed the path of Kadiyanlena Oya to view more and more waterfalls. Then we have reached the factory junction and get on to the right side of the Kadiyanlena Oya. Kadiyanlena Oya forms a waterfall with two steps just below the factory junction. I would like to name it as Queensberry estate falls No. 2.

This is another road side cascade formed by a feeding stream of Kadiyanlena.

Queensberry estate waterfalls No-2 / ක්වීන්ස්බෙරි වත්ත දිය ඇලි (6.989835, 80.599624)

Queensberry Falls-2. It is about 10m in height and flows as two steps.

Queensberry Falls-2.

Upper part of Queensberry Falls-2.

Upper part of Queensberry Falls-2.

Top of Queensberry falls-2.

Enjoying…

Kadiyanlena Oya forms falls No.3 soon after Queensberry estate Falls-2. Again we followed the stream in it’s right side to reach the base of Queensberry Estate Falls-3.

Queensberry Estate Falls-3 /ක්වීන්ස්බෙරි වත්ත දිය ඇලි-3

Queensberry Estate Falls-3. This waterfall flows in angle with height of 5/6m.

Queensberry Estate Falls-3

Queensberry Estate Falls-3

Queensberry Estate Falls-3

Holes

Fast flow…

Posed with the fall

Queensberry estate warerfalls-4 is situated at downstream of Queensberry estate waterfalls-3. It is about 10m in height and the most beautiful one out of these four ladies.

Queensberry estate waterfalls-4 / ක්වීන්ස්බෙරි වත්ත දිය ඇලි-4

Queensberry Estate Falls-4. It is about 7-8m in height.

Queensberry Estate Falls-4.

Closer view of Queensberry estate falls- 4.

Closer view of Queensberry estate falls- 4.

With Queensberry estate Falls-4.

During our Rilagala hike we have come across few waterfalls situated above Queensberry estate Falls No.1.I would like to name them as Upper Queensberry estate Falls.

Upper Queens Berry estate Falls.

Upper Queens Berry estate Falls.

Upper Queens Berry estate Falls

We said good bye to Queensberry estate and entered to Thalawakele-Nawalapitiya road again. It is the junction of Queensberry estate and Kolapathana estate. You can view all these cascades (except fall No-1) formed by Kadiyanlena Oya at 18th Kilometer post at Thalawakale -Nawalapitiya road.

Exit from Queensberry estate

Pride of Queensberry

Pasmale range / Rilagala

Hill top

Queensberry estate Falls-2, 3 and 4.

Kadiyanlena Oya and Queensberry estate falls.

Kukulagala

We have walked towards Nawalapitiya and came across another road side waterfall just opposite to 17th km post. This waterfall seems about 10m in height and flows in two steps. I got to know it is not seasonal but low water level is seen during drought. I would like to name it as 17th Km post waterfall.

17th km post waterfall (6.995849, 80.605313)

17th Km waterfall and Thalawakele-Nawalapitiya road.

17th Km waterfall in Thalawakele-Nawalapitiya road

17th Km waterfall in Thalawakele-Nawalapitiya road. It flows in two steps.

Set of line houses

Our next stop was famous Kataboola Falls.

Kataboola Falls / කැටඹූල ඇල්ල (7.012832, 80.586246)
Kadiyanlena Oya forms this beautiful waterfall at Kataboola tea estate. Classic Kataboola Falls has three parts. Two parts above the bridge and last one below the bridge. If you look at this fall at 11th kilometer post you can see another part of the cascade situated above the first part of Kataboola Falls. I have pictured it through current wires. Literature says the first part is about 8m in height.
This is the place where Kandy district is separated from Nuwera Eliya district.

Upper part of Kataboola falls.

Classic view of Kataboola falls over the bridge. 1st and 2nd part of the fall are seen.

1st and 2nd parts of Kataboola Falls.

2nd part of Kataboola falls. This was captured from the bridge.

2nd part of Kataboola falls.

Just before form 2nd part

Lateral view of 2nd part of Kataboola Falls.

Lateral view of 2nd part of Kataboola Falls.

The bridge and arches. Thalawakele-Nawalapitiya road goes over it.

The bridge and arches.

1st part of Kataboola Falls. Travel with Chathura TV programme was shoot here when we were there.

1st part of Kataboola Falls.

Closer view of first part of Kataboola Falls.

Closer view of first part of Kataboola Falls.

First part of Kataboola Falls.

We are at base of Kataboola Falls

Base of Kataboola Falls

Kataboola power house

You can pass the bridge and enter to Kandy district. There is a foot pathway towards downstream just after the bridge to reach 3rd part of Kataboola Falls. Kataboola power house also can be seen here. Total height of Kataboola Falls is about 25m.

We are entering to Kandy district-Pasbage Korale Pradeshiya Saba.

Road, bridge and 3rd part of Kataboola Falls.

3rd part of Kataboola Falls.

3rd part of Kataboola Falls.

3rd part of Kataboola Falls.

When you walk towards Kadiyanlena town after passing Kataboola Fall, you might notice a tiny silky falls (7.017984, 80.585882) in right hand side within 500m. It is about 10/12m in height and can be approached by a side road at 11km post.

Tiny and silky waterfall is seen on at Kataboola.

Closer view of Kataboola.

Closer view of above falls

Closer view of above falls

As it is a cascade difficult to get whole waterfall in one picture.

When Sri visited this area he has found new waterfall situated at 9/11 bridge and named as Kadiyanlena Falls as it is closer to Kadiyanlena town. This fall is about 6/7m in height and looks like mini version of Kalthota Duwili Falls.

Kadiyanlena Falls / කඩියන්ලෙන ඇල්ල (7.019176, 80.576610)

Plunging of water to form the fall.

Kadiyanlena Falls. Similar to Kalthota Duwili Falls.

Kadiyanlena Falls

Kadiyanlena Falls.

Just before Kadiyanlena Falls, You may notice another waterfall in right hand side with power plant project. This is not seasonal as I have noted it twice with similar water levels. We didn’t attempt to reach the base of it as we were running out of time.

Side waterfall situated closer to Kadiyanlena Falls.

Side waterfall situated closer to Kadiyanlena Falls.

Searching for Kotmale Maha Pokuna (කොත්මලේ මහ පොකුණ ඇල්ල) and Kotmale Maha Kandura Falls (කොත්මලේ මහ කදුර ඇල්ල)
These two waterfalls are mentioned in books (even it was mentioned by Ebhard Kawushad in his book-A guide to the waterfalls of Sri Lanka). But no exact location mentioned about these falls. I have found an old discussion in Lakdasun forum about Kotmale Maha Pokuna and Maha Kandura Falls. As Kotmale can be approached from Kadiyanlena I have visited these two waterfalls as well.

According to Lakdasun discussion I tried to locate these fall. We got the bus to Thispane from Kadiyanlena and got down at Thispane (තිස්පනේ) town. Luckily we met a three wheel driver who is knowledgeable about the area.
We drove up to Harangala (හරoගල) junction and turned to Kalapitiya road (කලපිටිය පාර). Soon after the turn there is a waterfall with a bridge, might be Kotmale Maha Pokuna Falls.
According to Eberhard Kautzsch description, Kotmale Maha Pokuna Falls is about 10m tall waterfall and situated closer to Harangala town. There was a large pond at the base of this falls to give the name “Maha Pokuna” (මහ පොකුණ). After the expansion of road this pond might has been vanished. Only controversy is they say it is situated at Thalawakele -Nawalapitiya road.

? Kotmale Maha Pokuna Falls with the bridge.

? Kotmale Maha Pokuna Falls with low water level.

? Kotmale Maha Pokuna Falls.

We drove further along this road and reached 2nd kilometer post. Just opposite to 2nd kilometer post ? Kotmale Maha Kandura Falls is situated. It is a cascade with three or four parts. We tried to walk along the water stream but it was unsuccessful due to slippery rocks.

Lower part of? Kotmale Maha Kandura Falls.

Upper part of ? Kotmale Maha Kandura Falls.

? Upper part of Kotmale Maha Kandura Falls.

? Upper part of Kotmale Maha Kandura Falls.

There was a road lateral to the stream and we walked up along it to reach the upper part. After walking through bushes we were able to get a satisfactory picture of upper part of Kotmale Maha Kandura Falls.

Kotmale Maha Kandura Falls

Kotmale Maha Kandura Falls

Kotmale Maha Kandura Falls

There is a nice view point towards Kotmale reservoir if you walked beyond 2km post along Kalapitiya road.

Kotmale Mahaweli Seya and Kotmale reservoir from view point.

Kotmale reservoir and Dam

In between these two waterfalls there is another water stream which is good for bathing. (At 1/5 bridge)

The place where we had a bath.

The place where we had a bath.

At the end of this journey I was able to visit following waterfalls at Thalawakele-Nawalapitiya road.

1. Queensberry estate waterfalls 1,2,3 & 4
2. 17th km post waterfall
3. Kataboola falls
4. Side falls of Kataboola Falls
5. Kadiyanlena Falls
6. Kotmale Maha Pokuna Ella
7. Kotmale Maha Kandura Ella

Thalawakele-Nawalapitiya road ends at Dimbula junction (දිඹුල හන්දිය) to join with Nuwera Eliya-Thalawakele road. After Queensberry estate you can visit Mount Vernon Estate Falls and top of Devon Falls as well before this road gets end.

Thanks for reading