Family Trip To Knuckles ( Deanston)

Knuckles Is my Second favourite Destination .I have been there for 7 times now. From a long period of time I needed to take my parents on a trip .So I was thinking about a scenic but a place with easy tracks. So did my dear friend SANKETHA. He also wanted to take his parents and family to a scenic but less adventurous place where everyone could enjoy without getting tired.

So I bet there is no place better than Deanston for that purpose. Trust Me …Hiking Mini Worlds end and walking 2km to the base of Dothalugala (Till the camp cabin) was an easy task for heart patients like my mother and Sanketha’s Father. So Deanston was in our both minds and we did the arrangements quickly by booking the FD bungalow (From Battaramulla Office).

Some Information

Battaramulla Forest Department Office 0112875540
Deanston Office (Kumara) 0813885227

Rates: Deanston Bungalow – Rs. 2016/-per night, Dothalugala Camp Site & Cabin –Rs. 4400/- Per night

We Met at Pelawatta around 5.30 a.m. on 28th morning and proceeded. Stopped for breakfast at Ambepussa at famous” JINADASA THALAGULI HOTEL “At Kadugannawa our car had a breakdown so I request Sanketha to go forward and purchase all the goods we needed for the stay at Bungalow. Also I inform him to take his parents and Family to Mini Worlds end trail as we were getting late. Also informed the caretaker of the bungalow about their arrival as I had the papers ( Booking ) with me.

So After finishing all the shopping at Hunnasgiriya they had reached the Forest bungalow about 1.00 p.m. (They were caught to rain closer to Theldeniya). After taking lunch they have done the Mini Worlds end Trail. After repairing the car we came to Deanston around 3.30 p.m. and we started Mini worlds end hike at 4.00. It would have been better if we all could do the trail together but gloomy weather conditions did not allow us to take that decision. ( Note Both our groups took the left path to ascend and right path to descend in the circular track )

Sacred Dalada Maligawa. This time couldn’t go inside due to lack of time

Two waterfalls seen far away closer to Hunnasgiriya ( near 36/37 km Post )

They have started the Mini World’s End Trail PHOTO : SANKETHA

They met a notorious fellow too PHOTO : SANKETHA

Mini Worlds End observation Point PHOTO : SANKETHA

Misty Mountains PHOTO : SANKETHA

Sanketha’s Mother ,Father and Son PHOTO : SANKETHA

Happy Man ……..The Notice board mentions the surrounding peaks and other attractions PHOTO : SANKETHA

We started at 4.00 p.m. Whether was bit gloomy

Pond

Group Photo

Mini Worlds end Drop…..It was drizzling

View from observation Point

Happy couple

We finished the hike at 5.30 (Our return was quick due to rain) and came to bungalow. Sanketha’s Mother, Father and wife warmly greeted us and discussed about morning incident. Unfortunately I forgot to give Sanketha some Alum when we departed at Kadugannawa so they were infected with leeches. After having a wash we all had hot milk coffee and gave the menu for dinner. Till dinner it was a family gathering. My parents and Sanketha’s were chatting about various things while sanketha and me were busy on studying the info. One thing really confused us was the altitude of Dothalugala peak was given as 1500m although it’s mentioned in our trail guide as 1400m. We realized it next day. The reason is the trek is not up to the peak it’s only up to an observation point where altitude is 1400. We had the dinner around 8.30. Started the chat again had another plain coffee to avoid the coldness. We said goodbye to each other and went to sleep

I would like to mention about the Dormitory too. It’s more than worth for just Rs. 2016/-. It has two bed rooms 4 beds in one and 5 beds in the other. Both contained attached bathrooms. Rooms and bathrooms are clean. Only minus point is the beds are storied ( Thattu Andan) where someone has to climb to the top . It has a visitor room where someone can have a relax chat, Conference room with chairs and so many boards on the walls giving details about knuckles peaks, villages, flora & Fauna etc. It contained a separate dining area. Kitchen and caretakers room is closer to dining area. Mind you the caretaker Kumara is a very humble and helpful guy and his food is very tasty. Normally you have to bring kerosene for the electricity but they gave us hydro electricity as it was raining at that period. The garden is full of orchids and other beautiful flowers .Also there is a small stream behind the bungalow where one can have a cool bath. (No space for swim) . When you look from the garden the peak Dothalugala is seen majestically and in the other side the forest office. Hope this info is enough for the time being and you should come and experience what I mentioned.

At the conference room PHOTO : SANKETHA

Two storied beds PHOTO : SANKETHA

We all woke up around 6.00 a.m. and enjoyed the beauty of the surrounding. After having breakfast we started walking towards Dothalugla Base. The view of the mountains was magnificent. But we faced a heavy leach attack. So we all applied alum and continued. Around 9.30 a.m we reached the Camp cabin. After some refreshments Sanketha and I decided to do the Dothalugala circular trail keeping the others at the open area. I asked my father also to join with us if he liked. He happily joined. We gave others the key of the camp cabin so as to stay inside if it rained.

Peak Dothalugala was trying to hide from us using the mist cover

Sunrise from forest office end

flowers

Beauty

So many orchids

Different

flowers

More flowers

Water stream behind the bungalow

Flowers closer

New to me

Starting to walk towards Dothalugala

Entrance

Another 1.8 kms more to camp cabin

You can do this with a 4WD.But walking is better and it’s easy too

Road to Meemure is seen far away

Relaxed walking

Hi Hi Sanketha took him to give a hiking experience .But due to leeches he refused to get down

Family photo

Misty Mountains

Scenic

Around 9.30 we were at camp cabin

It has two separate rooms

Inside a room. See no beds, chairs or tables. It’s made for having shelter if rained

Separate kitchen

Open area .Left is the starting point of Dothalugla trail. To the right is the path to camp sites and the waterfall

Group Photo

Starting the hike .As in the trail guide and the sign board we started from left and finished from right end ( Total distance 4.5 km )

I loved the view

My father is like a forest officer

Kuru Gas ….one of my favourites

Water streams every where

Mist every where

Tiny cascades

Path is well maintained

There were some earth slips

Natural path

People were cleaning the path

Came to the peak within one hour

At the peak

Cow boy De Dothalugala

Elevation. This is not the original peak but the highest point in the trail made by FD.

Mountainous forest

lovely

view

wow

Two Organizers

This path was much scenic but much difficult than the left path. So remember to stick to the trail guide

Water was flowing along the path

Closer to the trail head

Came back at 11.30 p.m. One of the few friends who accompanied us .We treated them with biscuits

Then We all went to the camp site . To reach it one should climb down ( To the right hand side from the open area ) for about 100m and walk a little  left  from a T Junction . If you go right, downwards further for another 50 m you will reach the waterfall with a natural pool

Camp site with a great view. Now there are three camping beds

View from camp site

And the waterfall which is another 100m down. Natural pool is safe for bathing if you can bear the cold

Front view

Around 12.00noon we left the camp site and started walking towards the Deanston bungalow. We reached there around 1.00 p.m. After having lunch and packing our bags we said goodbye to Deanston around 2.30 p.m. We did not forget to visit the Information centre of deanston office

Coming back

Yahangala was sen clearly in the return journey

More views

Back to road

Information centre ( Up Stairs )

Information -Click Image to Enlarge

Information – Click Image to Enlarge

Information – Click Image to Enlarge

Remember this – Click Image to Enlarge

Our humble caretaker is in the middle

It was a memorable journey for both my and Sanketha’s Family members. They enjoyed a lot. Now not only of mine and Sanketha’s  , Knuckles is a very good friend of them too. They want to visit knuckles again and again……….Hey Knuckles You are such a charming fellow……….We’ll come back again

Hey Charming Knuckles ! We’ll come back again

Thanks for reading