It is located in the most bizarre place; no sea front nor a lake front, but alongside a rivulet with no fish for the hook. Moray Estate is a remote tea plantation in the fringes of Sri Lanka’s peak wilderness; ‘Samanala Adaviya’, colloquial to the native or the ‘Adams Peak’ protected area.
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| Moray Estate - Rajamalay Division |
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| Samanala Kanda surrounded by the Peak Wilderness |
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| Mist setting in the forest canopy in the fringes of the Peak Wilderness |
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| Mist setting in at Moray Estate |
Its origin as narrated by the caretaker ‘Sin-John’ was when the Sterling Companies [referred so when the plantations were registered under British Companies ] managed the estate; Rainbow Trout was introduced in the waterways for sport fishing. This section of the Baththullu Oya too was introduced with trout just as in rivulets of Horton Plains. The location being remote from habitation a make shift abode was built for the comfort of the anglers which was equipped with open spits for grilling the trout. Today with the ‘Colonial Sahibs’ gone Maskeliya Plantation Company manages the location for Nature Tourism. Most plantation companies today have diversified to Nature Tourism and Industrial Tourism opening the Tea Factories to the public. The hut that gave comfort to the angler is now expanded to three large huts with basic facilities depicting ‘wild-west’ type dwellings, accommodating 5 – 8 persons; a heaven to the urban nature lover who could afford a booking.
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| Baththulu Oya a tributary of Kelani Ganga. |
For me, an ‘outgoing’ man in retirement age blending with a set of ‘going-out’ type young architects and engineers, was like fathering a large brood.
Saturday October 6th 2012, we set off from Colombo In a Mitsubishi J44 jeep nine in all stopping over for breakfast at Kitulgala, carrying our lunch in packets to be had on the way. Everyone being of the adventurous type ignored the heed to take better roads, preferred the jeep-able off roads via Laxapana Falls and the Seven Virgins Mountain Range.
Deepthi & the Jeep
Being over adventurous in a rough terrain negotiating bends that needed the revers gear and caring the rear wheel from going over the edge we run out of time and decide to go in for a very late lunch with only a stop over at Maskeliya for provisions.
Late in the evening negotiating a treacherous route in thick fog and drizzle we arrive at the location; tired, weary and hungry. Lunch taken at a time more suitable for supper and a dip in the ice-cold water in the rivulet; everyone was back in high spirit.
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| Ice cold water to keep the spirits high |
Soon it was to be nightfall, and John lit up the kerosene lanterns. The dim yellow light in the smoggy glass chimney protecting the flame and the tingly feeling of kerosene vapour in your nostrils, took my memory back 35 years; there was no electricity then in our homes and your nostrils collected the black soot from burning paraffin and kerosene.
Dinner was prepared part in the kitchen and part in an open spit keeping to the tradition of grilling fish….. but this time grilling chicken. We had dinner in an outhouse that had provision to hold a bonfire in the centre giving us the much needed warmth. With the bonfire receding we settle for the night hoping for brighter and clear skies in the morning.
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| Tea in the border of Peak Wilderness |
I am up with the first light and is out for the only reason why I am here; to get a glimpse of the Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush ……..an endangered endemic bird that is said to frequent this location. I am alone for almost two hours in the forest patch adjoining the facility. I am back in the hut with the rest of the members disappointed for what I have not seen and for what I have seen.
I did not see the Whistling Thrush this day and I am told the wet months of December / January are the best. But I was thoroughly disappointed of what I saw in the forest other than the birds. It was horrid to see the amount of trash strewn in the immediate surroundings of the facility.
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| Polythene and trash strewn in the forest |
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| Burning Plastic |
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| Empty bottles accumulating |
It is true that one cannot restrict the habits of clients and run business in tourism. But one could always encourage clients into best practices, and it is mandatory that the facility managers shoulder ‘responsible tourism.’ It is seen that much of the clientele visiting this location carries the spirits and chasers with them, but leave the empty cans bottles and the plastic torpedoes when they leave for home.
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| Advise clients to take back the waste |
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| Plastic torpedo bottles |
The messages displayed to the clients to keep the place clean needs to be amended to read as he should take back his trash with him. I am sure they would oblige, being nature lovers.
The management needs to put back the forest to its natural condition by removing the trash now strewn within the forest in a proper and acceptable manner.
Back in the trip ………….the weather cleared and we decide to trek upstream to a waterfall. The journey was tricky and slippery; one needed to cling on to the vegetation on the banks. The travel was difficult but was rewarded with ample bird-life and the mountain flora. The breath-taking waterfall was a consolation.
Back for lunch after dip in the river; we are home in five hours, having had a memorable weekend spent in a remotest location in Sri Lanka with a group of like minded young go-getters.
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Back for lunch after dip in the river; we are home in five hours, having had a memorable weekend spent in a remotest location in Sri Lanka with a group of like minded young go-getters.
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| Mountain ground flora |
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| A waterfall to console |
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| Creativity of young architects |
