Visit to Muwanthenna /මුවන්තැන්න (=800m)

Year and Month	2021 February 26th
Number of Days	One
Crew	06- Anupama, Nuwan, Wikum, Keshan, Shashi and Myself
Accommodation	N/A
Transport	By car and hiking
Activities	Hiking and Photography
Weather	Excellent
Route	Colombo->Melsiripura->Millaniya estate road->Ambokka->Muwanthenna
Tips, Notes and Special remark	Leech protection methods to be followed. There is a clear foot path to the plain. But there are more than one foot path and you would mislead the way. Better have a known person to show the path. It is about 1-1.5 hour hike from Ambokka village. There was a water stream crossing the plain. We filled our bottles from that stream to drink. Be aware of cattles roaming in the stream. You can get on to Kondagala from Muwanthenna. We have noted a team hike to Kondagala from Muwanthenna. Don’t know the details. Don’t know the risk of trap guns. Please bring back all whatever you carried. This place is still clean. Ambokka Sri Paththini Dewalaya is opened on Wednesday and Saturdays
Author	Niroshan
Comments	Discuss this trip report, provide feedback or make suggestions at Lakdasun Forum on the thread Visit to Muwanthenna /මුවන්තැන්න (=800m)

I heard about this plain called Muwanthenna when I visited the true peak of Ambokka two weeks ago.
According to villagers it is a beautiful small plain spread over the slope of Ambokka Mountain. This description tempted me to visit there. Ambokka Mountain has two peaks: Popularly visiting Kondagala and highest point.
It was the Poya day of February month we have decided to visit Muwanthenna. Early morning we have reached Ambokka village and met a relation of Anupama. He suggested us to have a guide as it would be difficult us to find this plain alone.
There was a foot path behind his house to the area called “Jala Tankiya” (ජල ටැoකිය) and we have followed it. It goes through Ambokka estate and later it entered to a Mana patch. Later when I reviewed the map I have noted this foot path lies along the border of North western and Central provinces. Our guide was keen in showing a view point where rest of Kurunegala district can be seen. But it was not a good time as haziness was there.

Journey begins from Ambokka village. This is the place where we parked vehicles

කුරුටු පුවක් පුවක්

Guides place

Ascend along estate road

Entering to Ambokka estate

Clear foot path

Jala Tankiya Road

It is a beautiful morning

Passing Ambokka estate

Follow a short cut

Foot path crosses the Mana patch

The view from the view point. Nothing we could see due to haziness

This is called Meepitiya Kanda situated just in front of Ambokka.

We were back to the foot path along the Mana stretch and came to a forest patch. Now it seems we are following a ridge of a mountain. There was a fairly clear foot path through the forest patch as well. After about 30 minutes walk we came out of forest patch to enter hidden Muwanthenna plain.

Jujubes at break

Entering to Muwanthenna

Muwanthenna (7.614849, 80.567227) is a small plain spread over the slope of Ambokka Mountain (Between 800-900m). There is an acute drop at Meepitiya side of Muwanthenna. A water stream starting from Ambokka flows through this plain. Having a water stream and grass are plus points for cattles. We have noted a folk of cattles feeding on grass but they were anxious by seeing us. Seems you can reach Kondagala of Ambokka from Muwanthenna side. (We have noted a group was approaching Kondagala from this side). We took about 1-1.5 hours to reach Muwanthenna from Ambokka village

Muwanthenna and Kondagala

Muwanthenna

View from Muwanthenna

Towards Ambokka

The team at Muwanthenna

Cattles were feeding around the stream

.	The place is like a view point of Muwanthenna

.	Meepitiya Kanda

View of Kondagala from Muwanthenna

We have noted a set of villagers came on here to approach Kondagala

Clear view of Kondagala

Ambokka village and paddy fields. The tar road we followed to come to the village. Ambokka Ambalama is also seen.

Manikdena (left) and Arangala (right)

The stream crossing the grassy plain.

.	The plain ends here

.	Exploring more….

A jump at Muwanthenna

This circle shows the place of Muwanthenna at Google map. Click image to enlarge.

We have walked till edges of the plain to explore any significant. The upper part of the stream was clean and drinkable.

Let me show some drone captures of Muwanthenna

Right top of Muwanthenna

The slope of Muwanthenna

Muwanthenna and water stream

The slope of the plain

Posing

Quite distance view of Muwanthenna. Meepitiya Kanda is at back ground.

Here you can see some other grassy plain at slope of the mountain. But those are smaller than Muwanthenna.

We were accompanied to show two caves converted to houses situated at Ambokka estate by our guide on our way down.

A cave converted into a modern house.

It was around 12 noon when we reached the starting point. We had a bath from a stream and visited Ambokka Paththini Dewalaya as next activity of the day. Though it was a Saturday they have closed the Dewalaya when we went there.

Ambokka Sri Paththini Dewalaya /අම්බොක්ක ශ්‍රී පත්තිනි දේවාලය (7.629759, 80.569701)

This Dewalaya is dedicated to Paththini Dewiyo (පත්තිනි දෙවියෝ) who is a female god particularly for women and children. Ambokka Paththini Dewalaya is especially dedicated for subfertile women. The annual festival and procession of Dewalaya occurred during the month of August. There are statues of Paththini Dewiyo and Palanga Gurunnanse (පාළග ගුරුන්නාන්සේ) carved in sandal wood at Ambokka Dewalaya.