Though rock climbing has not yet developed into a popular activity, neither of native citizens nor of foreign travellers, Sri Lanka is a country of escarpments. They are suprisingly numerous on the lush green tropical island. The iconic lion rock of Sigiriya with vertical cliffs on either side is the best-known example. Also the scarps nicknamed Big World's End and Little World's End at the edge of Horton Plains are popular tourist destinations. The two examples, though the most eyecatching ones, are typical of their respective regions.
The north-central inlands and also the plains to the east and west of the highlands are crowded with isolated table and pinnacle mountains of moderate sizes just as in the case of Sigiriya, though usually not vertical on all sides like Sigiriya. Outside the central highlands, further examples of hills with escarpments, which are illustrated on this website, are Dolukanda in the Northwest Province, which is a hiking destination, and Kathupotha Kanda near Mihintale in the North-Central Province. Madagama near Trincomalee and Henannegala and Danigala in the Maduru Oya region have escarpments on many sides, more similar to Sigiriya. But the sites mentioned here are just a selected few. Traveling through Sri Lanka's cultural triangle, you will see groups of small rocks as well as higher hills with cliffs in surprisingly large numbers along almost each and every route.
Not surprisingly, the highest escarpments of Sri Lanka are found in the central highlands. Usually, the vertical cliffs are only found on one side of the mountain, so that the edges on the top can be easily be reached from the other side. The summits are excellent viewpoints, and inpired by the nicknames of the Horton Plains escarpments, such vantage points have also got a similar brand name: They are called "Mini World's End". Such Mini World's Ends are Deanston near Hunnasgiriya village in the east of Knuckles Range, Hatale at the Huluganga Valley to the west of Knuckles Range, Karaganathenna and Pitawala Patana in the north of Knuckles Range, Hulangala to the northwest of Matale, Hanthana near Kandy, Madulsima in the southeast of the highlands. But there are many more such viewpoint scarps which are not named World's End. Lakegala and Yahangala in the east of Knuckles Range and Batalegala, better known as Bible Rock, which can be seen in a distance when driving up the mountain pass of Kadugannawa to Kandy, are examples of mountains with vertical cliffs on each side. Katusukonda in the Hanthana Range of Kandy is almost a knife edge, vertical to the east and 100% inclination to the west.
The north-central inlands and also the plains to the east and west of the highlands are crowded with isolated table and pinnacle mountains of moderate sizes just as in the case of Sigiriya, though usually not vertical on all sides like Sigiriya. Outside the central highlands, further examples of hills with escarpments, which are illustrated on this website, are Dolukanda in the Northwest Province, which is a hiking destination, and Kathupotha Kanda near Mihintale in the North-Central Province. Madagama near Trincomalee and Henannegala and Danigala in the Maduru Oya region have escarpments on many sides, more similar to Sigiriya. But the sites mentioned here are just a selected few. Traveling through Sri Lanka's cultural triangle, you will see groups of small rocks as well as higher hills with cliffs in surprisingly large numbers along almost each and every route.
Not surprisingly, the highest escarpments of Sri Lanka are found in the central highlands. Usually, the vertical cliffs are only found on one side of the mountain, so that the edges on the top can be easily be reached from the other side. The summits are excellent viewpoints, and inpired by the nicknames of the Horton Plains escarpments, such vantage points have also got a similar brand name: They are called "Mini World's End". Such Mini World's Ends are Deanston near Hunnasgiriya village in the east of Knuckles Range, Hatale at the Huluganga Valley to the west of Knuckles Range, Karaganathenna and Pitawala Patana in the north of Knuckles Range, Hulangala to the northwest of Matale, Hanthana near Kandy, Madulsima in the southeast of the highlands. But there are many more such viewpoint scarps which are not named World's End. Lakegala and Yahangala in the east of Knuckles Range and Batalegala, better known as Bible Rock, which can be seen in a distance when driving up the mountain pass of Kadugannawa to Kandy, are examples of mountains with vertical cliffs on each side. Katusukonda in the Hanthana Range of Kandy is almost a knife edge, vertical to the east and 100% inclination to the west.
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