Heading for the Plains

12-4-3 Saturday March 4th

Sumith organised for us to leave Stafford Bungalow at 5.30am - so we had a lovely drive into the breaking dawn through sleepy nearby Rafaela towards Nuwara Eliya - the so-called City of Light. 

As we climbed up the hill and out of the valley the dramatic dawn broke - the golden glow punctuated with dark puffy strands of cloud is layered into the pale turquoise skies. The road was quiet just a few locals muffled against the cold early morning waiting for their work pickups.   

We stopped briefly at the impressively posh The Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya, previously the governor's mansion, and then drove upwards to the UNESCO world heritage site national park at Horton Plains.

Just short of the highest railway station in Sri Lanka we stop for roti, chilli paste and sweet tea for breakfast, at a road side cafe Sumith liked. Poor Sumith, he had already had to change a puncture and so we left the tyre there at the cafe in case of further disasters! We noticed that Sumith is really keen on taking photos of us! 

As the road climbed steadily between the villages we spot tree ferns, rhododendrons and fine eucalyptus groves. As we climb up to the plains we stop at the view point to look across to the Peak Pedro, the highest peak of Sri Lanka, and spot tree ferns level with us and hand long giant millipedes. 

Once we got to Horton Plains, Sumith led us on a fantastic circular walk through meadows and cloud forests to waterfall and viewpoints, at 7000' feet. Here he is, wrapped up against the cold, pointing out the view points on the route.

View of Adam's Peak the fourth highest peak in Sri Lanka. 

When we weren't admiring the spectacular views we had time to see the national animals of Sri Lanka - the jungle fowl and the giant squirrel - not to mention the white eye and yellow earred bulbul, red tit, and sambar deer. We stopped for photographs at Martin's pool and Bakers Fall. 

As we walked up the hill from Baker's Falls, we were met by one of Sumith's fellow guides who had spotted a miniature rhino horn lizard in the undergrowth just before Baker's Fall.

And finally below the spectacular view from Little World's End - 700' drop to the valley below.

During the course of our walk we saw all four of the highest mountains of Sr Lanka, and as we drove out of the park were delighted to see a group of Samba deer by the road.

We stopped for tea on the way up to the Plains and again on the way down. On the way up we had just driven through a sensational dawn and on the way down after a great walk around the plains to "World's End" we stopped again - the second time it was chucking it down with rain. The rain lay in huge red swirling pond like puddles. The pattern of the weather since we got to the tea country had been a fine sunny warm morning followed by torrential rain in the afternoon. 

We discovered today that Sumith whose surname we had understood until now was Graph, in fact bears the impressive surname of Samaradiwakara. He is an impressive chap all round. Despite feeling the chill of the cool mornings up in the hill country he led us on a brilliant walk and looked after us very capably. 

Home then to a Stafford Bungalow welcome, and a great dinner with Ann & Kinnaird. 

The staff at Stafford Bungalow are wonderfully attentive and pay great attention to detail at the Bungalow, where service is paramount. One little delightful touch is that every night, for instance, a member of staff would enquire during dinner, if you would like a hot water bottle. Awaiting you in bed after a delicious dinner was a miniature hot water bottle which warmed the sheets beautifully, another delightful touch. 

The sign for the Stafford estate.