Seven Virgins and Five Boys

This hike was postponed to a few times and we were so anxious on doing this. Even though the climate was rainy on April Holidays we decided to do this utilizing the small vacation we had.

We left Mawanella around 11.30 am on 13th April and reached Kadugannawa Station and waited for the Badulla train to go to Nawalapitiya Station. The train was too late and arrived at 12.40 pm. The train, fully packed with passengers began its destination. Unfortunately the train stopped due to technical failures after passing GeliOya. So we got down from the train and crossed the paddy field to get on to the road.

From there we took a bus to Gampola, from there we took to Nawalapitiya. We were able to catch a bus to Ginigaththene from Nawalapitiya. Luckily we got the last bus to Maskeliya at 4 pm (on 13th of April). It took another 1 hour to reach Seven Hills Farms junction (“Hathare Kanuwa”).

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We asked a few village people about the route. They said there are two routes available

1. Take the LHS path to the bridge and start to climb through 5th Number colony. You can reach second mountain from left via this route.
2. Take the RHS path to bridge and walked nearly 3-4 km (you have to pass Laxapana waterfall junction too) and start to climb from the estate or Kothellena School.

We could not take the 1st route as a gate of Laxapana dam is opened on that way. So we walked on RHS of the bridge and there was a shop. We bought some more items for our needs. Then we walked along the road and tried for guides. As it was Avurudhu season there was no available guides and also we couldn’t come across a person who has reached more than 3 of the mountains. So as usual we thought to try it ourselves. As it was 6 pm, we thought of staying in the Ambalama of the village and to continue our hike next morning.

It was a convenient place to pass the night where you can get water form a nearby stream. View of the hills from this Ambalama was amazing. If someone with soft hearts arrived to climb that, they will definitely drop the idea of hiking Seven Virgins. Even we were shocked about its terrible view. The view so terrible and you cannot think about climbing it.

Having breakfast looking at devil virgins

Next day morning we started to walk RHS nearly 100m from Ambalama. You will get a water stream and a mango tree. Though we had to go some more distance as the villagers said, we decided to climb from near the mango tree. And taking the bearing to a low height, we decided to climb up as if we get on top of a the mountain we can take the edge and take the route to mountains.

Resting point in Tea Estate

Climbing through the pine trees

After the tea estate we had to climb through the pine trees. We were welcomed by our lovely friends “leaches” from there. The slope was high and we had to walk along the small bushes. Then we came through a bamboo jungle. It was easy to climb by holding the bamboo sticks.

It gives more terrible view while climbing through the pine trees

There is no other choice. You have to hold the grips and climb the tree

After an ascending the hike we reached a place where we were trapped and it was very difficult to climb up. Fortunately we found a fallen down tree on our left hand side, we had no other choice than climbing up that tree as it was almost the slope was almost 90 degrees, and the tree had some grip to our hands where we can have a hold and get over that trap. It was a wonderful experience to us. As adventure loving team we enjoyed it very much. In the mean time we consider on the safety too.

Trees are the ones whom going to save you!!!

More to go

We found a resting place too.. view from this place is amazing

The last part of climbing the tree was bit difficult. Though we were took a risky route we were lucky to do so as we were able to find a small part of the plane debris in our way. From there it was 70 degree slop up to top of the mountain. At last we were able to reach the camp site at 10.30 am. It took 3 hours for us to climb the 1st mountain.

Reaching the root of the tree. Bit slippery in this area

From this place onwards you can get clear path to rest of the mountains

We took a rest at camp site and cleared the leaches from our body with salt. We found a bit clear path from the camp site to rest of the mountains. So we followed the path and came to Second Mountain around 12.00 pm

Memories of Seven Virgins will lasts with us – Debris of crashed flight

A Clear Image of debris (after washing) – We suspects this is seat cover or something

On our way we found elephant dung. We were shocked to see them as it was nearly 60-70 degree slop and how could elephants come to this place? But we did not see any elephant there. We had our lunch and took a nap at camp site 2.

Resting point in Tea Estate Elephant dung !!!!

Beware. Looking down is disastrous

From there we took off to the next mountain and we had to be in great presence of mind as we were going through the edge of the mountain. A small slip would take you hundreds of feet the bottom.

Its nearly 60 degree ascending always

Resting at a place where there was Elephant dung

.	What if you spent a night at this place like a leopard?

The route to the 3rd mountain (5th overall, as we got on top in between 2nd and 3rd mountain) was too long and risky. When we reached that mountain it was almost 3.30pm. so we decided to drop off the idea of climbing the next two 6th and 7th as we had only a day left and we had to be in our office a day after. So we decided to turn back to the 4th mountain, and pass the night there.

On our way back to the 4th mountain it started to rain heavily and it was hard to find the route we came from. With so much of effort we came to the camp site on top of 4th mountain. By the time we reached there the rain has eased and we put up our tent and laid off for the day. Next morning we woke up and continued our hike back.

With the same intent we were marching and we came to the camping place where we climbed up. That was on the middle of 2nd and 3rd mountains. From there we decided not to climb down by the path we climbed up. Because it would be more dangerous than we climbed up. So we collectively decided to climb up to the 2nd mountain or from there to the 1st mountain, so that we would be able to find an easy way. For some a bit of time it was so, there were some traces of human activities.

Friends are everywhere !!!!

And after we crossed the 2nd mountain and had to climb for the 1st one too. And from there we saw some timber cutting had been taken place and so we thought that we were nearby. But not for so long as from there we were lost. We think it must be a work of illegal timber racketeers, who have made this trap. Any way we tried all possible ways to get down. But all places were almost 90 degrees slope and it was almost rock everywhere. So we travelled further and hoped we could get a better place to climb down. But only the time was running out and we never found a way out of those virgins.

So we decided to get down somehow or the other and we got to a place where the slope was almost 85 degrees and nearly 40 feet down. We had no other option, other than to take that extra bit of risk. So by using the rope we climbed down in two intervals, 1st 20 feet and the next 20 feet. The trees were too helpful for us. It was one of the terrific and most fearsome experiences we had in our life.

It’s one of the adventures experiences to climb down like this

That slipping movement even with ropes

Thankfully every experience makes our heart hard and we know that as adventure hikers if only risk is the remedy we should take it. But not forget the survival methods. And from there we came to the coffee garden and 200m from there we reached the village and they welcomed us and gave us Avurudhu. And it was a treat to our mouths.

Reached the village…

While talking they said that there is a “wallapatta” case going on the area. And taking prior permission from police is vital, and as we were regular hikers they never made an issue out of it.

We were walking as our legs are going only

We reached the village 2 mountains left from LHS of this photo while we climbed through the middle of the range.

Seven Virgins!!! After they lost their virginity

And after having a bath we reached 4th mile post at about 5 pm, and we came to know that there were no buses at that time so we had to hire a three wheel to Ginigathhena. And to our fate even the three-wheeler also broke down. After repairing it we reached Ginigathhena around 7.30pm and from there also it we got on to a Jaffna bus and it too broke down and any how we reached Peradeniya and we hired a van to Mawanella and reached back home.

It’s our adventure loving crew