The Pekoe Trail - Stage 14 - St. Catherine (Lipton Seat) To Makulella - Official Profile

IMPORTANT NOTE: The stage is walkable but not yet fully signposted. Trail users are advised to consider all the information available and to heed local advice when available. The services of a professional mountain guide are recommended. Trail users are responsible for all decisions as to the trail routes, trail conditions, weather, and safety. In addition to the hazards posed by steep terrain and mountain weather, hikers should be prepared for difficult route-finding and challenging trail conditions, dogs, leaches, heavy rain, intermittent thunderstorms, and plenty of sun. It is recommended to drink at least 1/2 litre of water per hour when hiking. Access to emergency medical care and rescue is not always immediately available.

Please download the latest version of the map before navigating the stage to avoid missing out on any re-routing.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE STAGE

Today’s stage starts at St. Catherine, situated in the upper division of Nayabedda Tea Estate at an altitude of 1875 meters, the second-highest starting point of all The Pekoe Trail stages. Although the total length of the stage is only just over 9.5 km, this stage is packed with all the magic of the trail; villages, places of worship, tea plantations, farms, historic bungalows, forested areas, and endless, never-ending breathtaking views of the mountains and valleys below as we descend towards Liyangahawela and then onto Makulella. The stage ends at an altitude of 1262 meters, so if you are considering doing it in reverse it’s a climb, albeit a very special day. This is partly the reason the stage works very well as a 9.5 km stage but either way, you do it, this one is truly spectacular.

The weather on the upper divisions of the Nayabedda Estate is unstable so make sure you are well equipped. Temperatures can drop suddenly and considerably when the clouds set in. When the sun is shining, it’s a strong tropical sun, so be sure to wear a hat and apply sun cream. Carry a well-charged phone and follow your GPRS to the meter, especially as you begin the descent towards Balagala, as there is a deep escarpment on the right-hand side.

St. Catherine is a tea plantation workers' village sitting high up on a plateau well known because of Lipton Seat, the place from where Sir Thomas Lipton liked to survey his tea empire.

The first 500 meters cross the plantation village of St. Catherine and the village homes that surround the town. Every square inch of the land around every village home is used for cultivation, be it vegetables like carrots or beans, leaks, or cabbage. Much of the produce is then sold by the local villagers at the markets of Haputale and Bandarawela. At the 500-meter mark, we enter a short patch of Eucalyptus forest and then begin a gradual zig-zag descent towards the edge of the plateau, passing by more village homes, cultivations, and tea.

At the 1.5 km point, we leave the last little hamlet behind on our right-hand side. Soon after a short patch of forest, the trails give way to one of the most spectacular locations on the entire Pekoe Trail. Presiding over this incredible place is an old and hollow pine tree the local villagers come to honor and respect.

“As you sit on the hillside, or lie prone under this great tree, the great door, that does not look like a door, opens” – Stephen Graham, The Gentle Art of Tramping, 1926

The highest mountain you see in front of you is called Namunukula, which in Sinhala means "Nine Peaks". Its main peak is 2,036 meters high. According to Wikipedia during the Ming treasure voyages of the 15th century, the Chinese fleet led by Admiral Zheng made use of this geographical feature in their navigation to Sri Lanka, as the mountain is the first visible landmark of Sri Lanka after departing from Sumatra.

Descend carefully, as the first few hundred meters of the trail are currently overgrown. You are walking on an old British-planter engineered estate road built for the transportation of tea leaves to the factory below. The gradient is gentle. One loses count of how many times the trail bends as you zig-zag down. It certainly gives the 18-bends road a run for its money!

At the 3.6 km mark, there is a small cabin – a respite from the sun, the wind, or the rain – if you need it. At the 4.6 km point there is a wooden shelter beside the entrance to a Pear Farm and then half a kilometer down the road we circumvent the old Balagala Tea Planters Bungalow.

The village you’ll be crossing in a few minutes is called Balagala, not to be confused with Liyangahawela, the village immediately below. Balagala has a very impressive and enormous Hindu Kovil you will see looking up on your left-hand side as you cross the village.

Soon we’re back on tea trails heading north. At the 6.9 km point, the trail dog-legs right and soon crosses the main road. Look carefully at the GPRS here as you reverse direction for 25 meters and you’ll find The Pekoe Trail on your left, which is a tea country trail, not the main road.

At the 7.8 km point, the trail peels off to the right and heads into a lovely forested area for just over one kilometer before you arrive at Makulella. The Buddhist Temple by the name of Allimale Bodhiya marks the end of the stage.

--PLEASE TAKE ALL YOUR RUBBISH WITH YOU AND IF YOU SEE ANY RUBBISH OTHERS LEFT BEHIND TRY TO TAKE IT - EVEN IF JUST A BOTTLE OR A PLASTIC BAG, EVERY BIT COUNTS - THANK YOU.

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The Pekoe Trail is designed to support development and livelihoods in rural areas of Sri Lanka. Buying goods and services from local businesses helps communities along the trail to thrive. The Pekoe Trail is made possible thanks to generous funding from the European Union with additional support from the US Agency for International Development