Hike to Explore the caves on the Kapuketugala mountain @ Knuckles.

As a part of the 3-day Haritha Diyatha trip to Illukkumbura in Knuckles, a cave exploration hike was organized in the Kapuketugala area. First the team visited the Ranamure village and recieved blessings at the "Gale-Bandara (Rawana) Devalaya". The hike began from Narangamuwa, along the Narangamuwa-Lakegala trail. Mr, Pradeep Samarawickrama was the expert advisor for the hike, while Mr. Wasantha Rathnayake of the Forest Department was our tracker.

@ the Ranamure 'Rawana' Devalaya
 



Preperations for the 'Poojawa'



Making the Offerings
(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)



Our tracker Wasantha on the right-hand-side.

seeking blessings....



the 'Kapu Mahaththaya'.








The 'Gale Bandara (Rawana) Deviyo'
(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)



the sacred Deva's blessings,
 which may have miraculously  saved our lives
@ the end-of-the-day !



 



leaving the devalaya

at the base of Kapuketugala




Ready for the climb




up-along the steep slope

one-by-one.....











with additinal reinforcment
when seems needed























view down from cave No. 01
(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

 



another's turn







(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

 

(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

 

Inside Kapuketugala Cave-1 (Apex. 700m above msl)

Inside cave No. 01
(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

 

'Lakegala' as seen from inside cave No. 01 

 

crossing the steep rock surface horizontally
to reach the Kapuketugala cave No.02

 

 

Entrance of Cave No. 02

 

the 'cliff' infront of the Cave No. 02 entrance

 

Gihan's tensed moments between the two caves
(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

 

(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

 

(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

 

 

 

 

 

Ashan, on the only piece of rock
everyone found refuge while crossing from cave-to-cave

... and that piece of rock as seen from below !

 

Ajith, with his Historical Rope !
This rope to which all our lives were dependent,
brocke at the top while we were descending,
miraculously when no-one's life was hanging-off it.
(Photo by : Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake)

 

Going down with causion !

 

 

 

A 3-day visit to the KANNELIYA forest reserve

A group of Haritha Diyatha members & friends visited the Kanneliya Forest between the 03rd & 05th of April 2015. The group travelleled to Galle by train, and took a bus from Galle to Kanneliya via Udugama. It was a 2km walk from the Kohollegama junction bus-stop upto the Forest entrance office.
They explored the Bio-diversity of the forest, travelling allong the Kabbale-Kanda mountain trail upto the 'Kuda-kabbale' peak & along the Narangas-ella trail upto the Yoda (Giant) 'Navada' tree. The 'Anagimale' falls was visited and the 'Cave trail' & 'Pus-wela trail' were too covered.

Special thanks to Mr. Weerasiri Gamage of Kohollegama, Mr.Gunadasa Pathirana, Our tracker Mr. Lasantha Kulasekara & rest of the Forest Department staff at the Kanneliya Forest Conservation centre.

Just got-off the bus @ the Kohollegama junction
(Photo taken by Mr. Weerasiri Gamage)

the 2km walk to the Forest centre
(Photo courtesy by: Mr. Chamitha Rathnayaka)



The Kanneliya (Man & Biosphere) Forest Reserve

 

The Kanneliya Dormitory; Our Home for 2 nights

Hiking-up the Kabbale trail

Climbing before 'the Leeches climb' !

Seen the 'Sea' @ a far distance; almost at the peack !

In the 'resting-hut' on top of the Kuda-Kabbale peak

Kuda-Kabbale peak - 03rd April 2015.

'Kabbala-Kanda' mountain as seen from far.....

Tracker 'Lasantha' leading the way....

Hump-nose Lizard ; Kabbale-kanda trail



? Skink ; Kabbale-kanda trail

Garden Lizaerd ; near the Forest entrance

A Crimson Rose ; just 'born' out of its Cocoon
(04th of April 2015 @ 6.45 am / in front of the Dormitory)

Black-headed Yellow Bulbul ; Kanneliya Dormitory Garden

White-rumped Munia ; Kanneliya Dormitory Garden

Sri Lankan Kangaroo Lizard ; Narangas-ella trail

Southern Purple-faceed Leaf Monkey
(Trachypithecus vetulus vetulus)

Spot-winged Thrush ; Narangas-ella trail

Wet-Lowland's Giant Squirrel
(Ratufa macroura melanochra)

'Anagimale-ella' lower part of the water fall

'Anagimale-ella' - upper water fall

A tree of 'Mushrooms'

a Mushroom

a Mushroom

'Bandura'

a Snail



a Snail

A Moth

A beetle ?

The Group in-front of the Kanneliya Forest Dept. Dormitory; just about to leave
(Photo courtesy ; Mr. Chamitha Rathnayake / Photo taken by ; Mr. Lasantha Kulasekara)