Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate. Archives

Loving life on the balcony

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Birds, Birdwatching, Holiday, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

Loving my life on the balcony

Little did I know how much I would love my life on the balcony.

Life on the balcony only play part of my day….but I love this time.

Sitting on the balcony, listening to the sounds of the birds gossiping in the background, seeing the light provide light and shade on the trees creating an kaleidoscope of greens is where I need to be now.

There is an amazing Sri Lankan Fig Tree next to the balcony. When it fruits it is full of life and sometimes I am joined by birds, monkeys and other animals that forage from the tree.

Spending time with the dogs

We have several rescue dogs at GlenMyu Estate. I am often joined by one of two of the dogs who survey the land below for any form of predators.

Clove sits with her chin on the lower railing as she scours the landscape.

It’s a chill out time for me and the dogs.

Little or no stess

There is little or no stress.
Nature soothes the soul and I have realised how good it is for me.

A good time

I love this time on the balcony.

I am dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.
Little did I know how comfortable it would be spending most of my day out of my two piece suit and shoes.

I think back to February in London. Often there would be snow on the ground to navigate on my commute to the city.
The chill, enhanced by the wind was not pleasant.

Sad to miss the seasons?

Don’t you miss the seasons.
Not at all.
We do have seasons, guided by the two monsoons. but they don’t attack the senses as acutely as that experience in the UK.

February

It’s a February morning, our guests are up early and enjoying the last roam around the garden and dip in the pool before heading towards Negombo.
They fly back to the UK tomorrow to thier lives in London.

I think back to my time in London, which seems to be a lifetime ago.
I do not miss it.

My annual trip does nothing to reinvigorate the fondest I had for that wonderful capital.
I’m often asked what I miss.
It’s eight years since I left the UK and my answer is easy.
Friends and family.

What do you miss?

Don’t you miss the food, the theatre, live music and the energy.
I did love all those things, and many more during my thirty years there.
However, with age and experience, Sri Lanka is the right place at this time of my life.

Simple food is good food

We eat what is local and seasonal in Sri Lanka. This was how people used to eat before we added air miles to the food we eat by bringing it halfway around the world so we can eat out of season.

What I have found is that the way we eat is healthier and the food just takes better. It helps that Ru and the team are fantastic cooks.

A healthier life

My time on the balcony provides me with some me time. I don’t feel guilty as I think it is a god use of my time.

You health is your wealth is what the wealthier clients at my bank used to say. Spending time on my own wellness and wellbeing is a good use of my time.

Work on you on holiday in the Sri Lankan Hills

GlenMyu Estate is a perfect place to work on you.

The space, landscape and being surrounded by nature helps you to switch off.

It’s easier to detach yourself from your phone when you are in an inspiring environment.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate to explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

See sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more.

Loving life on the balcony Read More »

Street dogs in Sri Lanka

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Charity work in Sri Lanka, Holiday, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Our dogs, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

Street Dogs in Sri Lanka

When you visit Sri Lanka you will come across lots of Street dogs as you travel around the country.

Street dogs were highlighted in Dr Scotts Animals of Asia for ITV’s This Morning programme.

There are around 3 million street dogs in Sri Lanka.

They don’t want a home however, they need feeding, medical and support.

Spaying and neutering dogs in Sri Lanka will help keep the over population of street dogs in Sri Lanka under control.

Ben Fogle was also in Sri Lanka

Ben Fogle has visited Janey on two occasions which highlighted the issues with street dogs in Sri Lanka.

Find out more about We Care Worldwide

Dr Janey and her team at We Care Worldwide do a fabulous job and are deserving of support.

Find out more about We Care Worldwide by visiting their website.

Other great work supporting Street Dogs in Sri Lanka

There are many other organisations doing great work supporting, feeding, caring and arranging adoptions for the street dogs in Sri Lanka.

Here are a few links to others in Sri Lanka that are worthy of your support.

We do our bit for street dogs at GlenMyu Estate

At GlenMyu Estate, we have collected several dogs since we moved to the area in 2018.

We did peak at around 35 when our first dog, Clove, managed to have 7 puppies with her first litter! Yes, we were in trouble.

However, as Clove has a wonderful personality, all of her puppies were in great demand. Is she had 20 puppies, we could have found homes for them all.

We kept one, her grumpy son Roti.

At this date (November 2024), we have 9 rescue dogs that live on the 5 acre estate.

They are all vaccinated, friendly, and love meeting guests.

Some of our guests come and stay at GlenMyu Estate to meet the dogs and explore the many wonderful places to visit within a drive from the estate.

Support our work by staying at GlenMyu Estate

If you read our reviews, you will see that our guests really love their experience at GlenMyu Estate whilst they are on holiday in Sri Lanka.

By staying with us, you support employment for local people and also help to feed and care for our 9 dogs, ducks, chickens, cow and bull!

Stay at GlenMyu Estate to explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

See sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

Street dogs in Sri Lanka Read More »

Animals in Asia

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Holiday, Horton Plains National Park, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka, Travel / By Mikeez

Animals in Asia

In November 2024, The UK’s This Morning programme started a series on the Animals of Asia.

In the first feature, Dr Scott looks for Elephants in Sri Lanka.

Watch the clip from This Morning to see his amazing experience of his search for animals in Asia.

Supporting Biodiversity at GlenMyu Estate, Sri Lanka

Since we moved to Sri Lanka some eight years ago one of our aims was to encourage wildlife to visit GlenMyu Estate.

We are continuing our work creating a habit and food forest to bring a wider biodiversity to the 5 acres of land.

By staying at GlenMyu Estate on part of your holiday, you will be helping to support our work.

Where can I see Elephants in Sri Lanka?

It’s possible to see elephants as you drive around the country.

Some of the roads on the island have been built close to elephant corridors. You will see warning signs on roads to drive carefully as you may come across elephants on or beside the road!

Animals in Asia - Safari Parks

There are lots of safari parks located around the island.

Here are a few picks from a much longer list of parks you can visit on your holiday in Sri Lanka.

Great for elephants:

Udawalawe National Park

Minneriya National Park

Kaudulla National Park

A wider variety of wildlife

Yala National Park

Wilpattu National Park

Wasgamuwa National Park

Bundala National Park

Flood Plains National Park

Maduru Oya Park Sri Lanka

Great for birds and birdwatchers

Thangamale Bird Sanctuary

Kumana National Park

Gal Oya National Park

Horton Plains National Park

Elephant Orphanages and Sanctuaries

There are lots of elephant orphanages located in Sri Lanka.

In this article by ‘Elephant Sanctuary Sri Lanka’ they cover the following orphanages and sanctuaries:

Udawalawa Elephants Transit Home

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Millennium Elephant Foundation (Private Project)

Elephant Freedom Project (Private Project)

Some of our guests at GlenMyu Estate have volunteered at Elephant Orphanages prior to staying with us in the Sri Lankan Hill country.

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage

The most well known elephant orphanage is Pinnawela which is located 10 km north-west of Kegalle town and very close to Rambukkana town

Elephant Orphanages - the good and the bad

There are mixed reviews and feelings about visiting and supporting elephant orphanages.

Some people love the experience and think that the orphanages are a good idea. Others believe that the way the animals are treated and the conditions are far from good.

Here are video from ‘Poohs World’ and Trisha & Nikhil showing their experiences at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage .

This Blog Post from Hand Luggage Only highlights the negative side of orphanages.

Animals in Asia - Not just Elephants!

Although seeing elephants in Sri Lanka is a great experience, there is lots of other wildlife to see throughout the island.

In most parts of the island there are National Parks and Safari Parks that all offer different experiences.

As you travel around the island you will see a wide variety of colourful birdlife.

Taking an organised tour or safari in one of the well know parks will ensure that you see more wildlife than you would on your own.

Lots of the safari guides are amazing a spotting animals in the jungle that I would missed.

Encouraging wildlife at GlenMyu Estate

GlenMyu Estate is a luxury bed and breakfast located in 5 acres of the beautiful Sri Lankan Hill country.

The once abandoned estate has and continues to be restored into a haven for wildlife. We have consciously planted species at the estate that will attract, feed and provide a home to a variety of wildlife.

Our ultimate aim is to create a food forest that will provide a food source for us, our guests and the wildlife that visit and live at the estate.

It is early days creating this haven and by spending part of your holiday at GlenMyu Estate, you help to support our ultimate goal.

Some animals and birds seen at GlenMyu Estate

I clearly need to replace my camera to get some beer photos!

However, these photos will provide you with an idea of what you mights see if you stay at GlenMyu Estate.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate, enjoy nature and explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

Stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see animals in this part of Asia.

See sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

Animals in Asia Read More »

ITV’s This Mornings’ Dr Scott explores the animals of Asia

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Birds, Birdwatching, Holiday, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

ITV This Mornings' Dr Scotts 'Animals of Asia'

In a brand new series on ITV’s This Morning programme Dr Scott Millar explores the ‘Animals of Asia’.

Dr Scott is embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime trip around the tropical island of Sri Lanka.

On the 5th of November 2024 Dr Scott was out on safari in Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka searching for the Asian elephant.

This Morning - a daytime magazine TV programme

ITV’s This Morning is a British daytime magazine programme that is broadcast on ITV live every weekday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The programme covers a whole range of topics including news, celeb guests, expert advice, real-life stories and competitions, plus a mix of cookery, health and more.

Dr Scott visits Udawalawe National Park to see the Elephants there.

We can see the reservoir at Udawalawe which provides water for the animals in the park in the distance from our lounge at GlenMyu Estate.

He watches a Crested Hawk Eagle having a bath in the water close to his safari vehicle.

Dr Scott comments that he is in Sri Lanka as it has the highest density of elephants anywhere in the region.

Dr Scott describes himself as a “Broadcaster Author Welfare and Wildlife Warrior” on his Instagram profile.

He also has a Tok Tok channel called Rescue Vet which mainly show his work with animals in the UK.

Rescue Vet

The vet has his own YouTube Channel called Rescue Vet.

This channel shows fresh and new Dr Scott content. It takes a sneak peek inside a Veterinary practice in London.

Sri Lanka - the best place to see animals in their natural environment

According to Dr Scott, Sri Lanka is the nest place to see animals in their natural environment.

On ITV’s This Morning Programme he focussed on the Elephants

There however, is a human elephant conflict in Sri Lanka where the elephants habitat is reducing as more development is taking place.

Sri Lankan Elephants

According to the World Wildlife Fund ‘The Sri Lankan subspecies is the largest and also the darkest of the Asian elephants”

The herd size in Sri Lanka ranges from 12-20 individuals or more. It is led by the oldest female, or matriarch.

The Sri Lankan elephant population has fallen almost 65% since the turn of the 19th century.

Safari Parks in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has many safari parks around the island, all of which provide different experiences to see the animals in their environment.

The most well known is Yala National Park which is on the Southern Coast. Lots of our guests at GlenMyu Estate visit Yala prior or after their stay in the Central Hills of the country. Yala has a wide range of animals that you may see on your safari.

We can see Udawalawe Reservoir from the main lounge at GlenMyu Estate. This National Park is great if you want to see mainly Elephants.

There are many other National Parks around the country where our guests have provided positive feedback on their visits.

We have been to Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks which were particularly good for seeing elephants and birds.

There are many other safari parks around the country which provides a variety of experiences and animals and birds to see.

If you are interested in birdwatching then there are some parks that are particularly good. Sinharaja, Kumana, Bundala, and Gal Oya are just a few of many options.

Building a habitat to encourage animals to thrive at GlenMyu Estate

From the outset building GlenMyu Estate, we were focused on bringing biodiversity back to the once dilapidated five acres of land.

The land was once part of a larger tea estate and then a sugar cane plantation. When the production of sugar cane became uneconomic, the land was abandoned.

When Ru bought the land, it was overgrown with mainly Guinea Grass, which was brought in to Sri Lanka as quick growing cattle fodder. It took over the land and did not allow any of the endemic species to thrive.

We have taken some years to take out much of this unwanted grass and aimed to create a food forest. The produce would be a source of food for ourselves, our guests and the animals that visit the estate.

The forest is still in its infancy, however, Ru loves to give our guests a garden tour to show what we are growing on the estate.

Leaving space for the flora and fauna

We also wanted to make sure that we did not overdevelop the land so that we could provide space for flora and fauna.

Commercially, it would have made sense for us to build lots of other guest accommodation around the estate. However, this would not leave sufficient space to create the habitat for the animals that visit or have their home on the estate.

What animal life will you see at GlenMyu Estate?

Nature does not guarantee anything however we regularly get one of two types of monkey visiting the estate.

Occasionally you may see a Barking Deer in the distance.

However, we can almost guarantee that you will see a variety of birdlife foraging at the estate every day.

Support our work by staying at GlenMyu Estate

By choosing GlenMyu Estate as part of your holiday in Sri Lanka you will be supporting the work that we are doing on the land to encourage wildlife to thrive here.

You will also have an amazing experience, as supported by the guest reviews that we have on various platforms.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate to explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

See sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

ITV’s This Mornings’ Dr Scott explores the animals of Asia Read More »

Developing an interest in Birdwatching

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Birds, Ella, Hiking in Sri Lanka, Holiday, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

Developing an interest in birdwatching in Sri Lanka.

It’s easy to develop an interest in bird watching in Sri Lanka. The birds appear to be more interesting on this paradise island.

Whether it is the colours of their feathers or just the light that they fly in, it has heightened my interest.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

It’s easy to develop an interest in birdwatching in Sri Lanka.

There are many endemic species, residents and migrants to spark your curiosity.

According to Nature Odyssey, currently there are 33 identified species of endemic birds in Sri Lanka, out of which most are found in the wet zone

A colourful world

I didn’t really have much of an interest in birdwatching when I lived the UK.

Since living in Sri Lanka my curiosity about all forms of nature has increased. Perhaps it’s just living in a place that is surrounded by nature.

Maybe it’s because the birds appears to have so much more colour than those in the UK.

A little help from our neighbours to bring about an interest in birdwatching

At GlenMyu Estate we are really fortunate that some of our neighbours have a lifetime interest in birdwatching.

They have helped develop our interest in birding and we have often had informal early birdwatching session with our neighbours on the estate.

Some of our guests have got up early and joined our neighbours at their estate for a bird watching session.

Informal birdwatching opportunities

Sri Lanka really is a paradise island and there are lots of opportunities for spotting birds.

You don’t just have to visit a reserve or sanctuary. As you travel around the country you will see birdlife wherever you go.

Sri Lankan bird sanctuaries

There are a large number of wildlife sanctuaries in Sri Lanka and there are many that have a great variety of birds which will interest birdwatchers.

Sri Lanka Birdwatching Tours has a long list of great places that you should visit in Sri Lanka if you have a particular interest in birding.

It's not all about Elephants and Leopards on Safari!

There are lots of safari parks around the island that offer different experiences.

One thing that you will always find it an array of birdlife.

Lots of our guests come to GlenMyu Estate and are disappointed that they didn’t get to see that elusive Leopard. I’ve never seen a Leopard in Sri Lanka and therefore I’m not too surprised (however I am disappointed for them).

Birds are always present in the National Parks and , if you look close enough, you will get your wildlife fill from what you see.

Bring your binoculars

Nowadays, no-one leaves home without their mobile phone. Sure, you can snap away when you spot any wildlife.

However, carrying your binoculars with you means that you are more likely to get a good view of the birds you will see Ella round the island.

Birdwatching opportunities near to GlenMyu Estate, Haputale.

If you are interested in birdwatching spending time at GlenMyu Estate will provide you with lots of opportunities to see a variety fo birdlife.

You can see some of the birds that I have managed to capture with my camera by pressing on the following link.

Thangamale and the Pekoe Trail Stage 12

This sanctuary is located within reach of GlenMyu Estate, just outside of Haputale.

Some of the sanctuary falls within Stage 12 of the new Pekoe Trail and therefore you can get some exercise, see some fabulous views and practice your hobby all on the same day.

Birdwatching at GlenMyu Estate

Throughout the year we have regular flying visitors at GlenMyu Estate.

We have developed the land to encourage wildlife to visit and forage from our five acres in the Sri Lankan Hill country.

I do not profess to be the best wildlife photographer, so my photos are not great.

Perhaps you can do better and share them with me so that I can add them to my bird photo gallery on our website?

Stay at GlenMyu Estate and enjoy the nature of the Sri Lankan Hill Country

Stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

See sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

Developing an interest in Birdwatching Read More »

New puppies at GlenMYu Estate. Dogs in Sri Lanka

The Stress and Heartbreak of searching for a missing dog

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Holiday, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Our dogs / By Mikeez

The stress and heartbreak of searching for a missing dog.

Never having given up finding him, a Tik Tok video gave us a bit of hope!

A missing pet - it's hard to explain the feeling

It’s hard to explain to someone that doesn’t have a pet that they adore with undying love.

Before we moved to Sri Lanka, my wife and I didn’t have pets of our own.
I remember my boss at the bank losing his dog to a hot and run by a car. My thoughts were, it’s only a dog and I’m sure you will get over it. I managed to deal with the loss of elder family members, so a dog should be no problem.

How wrong and naive I was!

If you have a pet and it lives to a ripe old age, although it is heartbreaking when they pass.

Eventually you can accept that they are fine because they had a good, loving and fulfilled life.

They were treated like a member of the family and were the recipients of unequivocal love. It was their time to go and they had a good life.

You have to live life to really understand how it can affect you.

Being responsible for a dog is a special experience that is hard to communicate to someone that has not had a relationship with a dog.

From afar, it would be understandable for someone to have the view that you have so many dogs, if you lose one, then it’s not really a problem.

All I can say is that you didn’t meet Fleur.

The male dog with a female name. That is another story for another time.
We were blessed to have two dogs who were the stars of GlenMyu Estate.

We got lucky with our first

Clove was our first dog. We got so lucky! Clove and her sister were delivered to us by our staff who had seen that they had been dumped at the entrance to GlenMyu Estate. She had been abandoned along with her brother an sister and were all were the sim of my palm.
The brother had perished by the time that our staff had alerted us to these unwanted pups.
Reluctantly we took in the two waifs and named them Clove and Cinnamon due to they dark coats and relaationship with the spices of Sri Lanka

A Sri Lankan Tragedy

Cinnamon didn’t make it. That is another story. We failed Cinnamon and it meant that Clove was precious to us.

Perhaps she was a spoilt child. The guilt led us to be overprotective to this petite soul that we felt that we had a obligation to protect. Clove was over from outside to inside. She was allowed to sit and snuggle in between us on our expensive London department store settee.
We fell in love with this adorable, fun bundle of joy that was full of love that we envied. She broke into our hearts and would never leave us.

Fleur was a different case altogether.

The sickest of dogs that was not meant to live. A desperate plea by a neighbour to try to save this dying dogs. We picked that half alive bundle and took him to the nearest vet. A saline drip and several injections limped life into this lost soul.

We were travelling from the Sri Lankan Hill Country to the countries Capital of Colombo and he would hopefully recuperate with my in-laws.
Fortunately for this waif, my other in law had several dogs through her hands over the year. A dose of worm liquid delivered the main problems then next morning. A mess in the garden but issues expelled giving a hope for the future.

Getting better in Colombo

Convelescene in Colombo was the doctors orders and over time Fleur was managed back to “reasonable health”. A bad start in life led to ongoing medical problems. Multiple visits to various vets gave hope for an average life.
Loved (and named) by our nieces and spoilt by may mother in law Fleur was weaned back to reasonable health.
However, he was a dog that was always going to need regular care and vet visits. He has touched our hearts and we were committed to doing as much as we could.

Living in Colombo, Fleur, being a really furry creature, was happiest under the air conditioning unit. We concluded that dogs with fur should not be living in 36 degrees celcius.

With the air and graces of a Colombo City dog, Fleaur was eventually despatched back to the area where he was born in th Sri Lankan Hills.

It was a challenge meeting and assimilating with his new brothers and sisters at Glenmyu Estate. A loner dog that was used to being King of the Hill had to adapt. Fights, working out places in the hierarchy, and domain were eventually agreed and harmony mainly existed. There is always the occasional toff between brothers and sisters!

Our two stars

Clove believes that all our guests visit to meet and spoil her. She is a special soul that can reach into you heart within seconds of meeting. Clove has an energy of love that makes is hard for you not to reciprocate.

Fleur was our other star at GlenMyu Estate. This furry ball was hard not to fall in love with. We were embarrassed often about his antics with our guest, but all were taken in the spirit that they were given.

Photobomber

A photo bomb at a wedding photo shoot at the estate. The star of many a photo with our guests. Turning the fear of dogs for small children into love. We has so many guests asking to take Fleur home with them.

For me, I will always appreciate the time he spent with me as I was working in the garden at the estate. Fleur would spend hours with me as I worked in the garden, He would demand some attention occasionally, but appreared to just like being near me as I worked. Perhaps he was my casual security guard, just making sure I was safe from snakes or other dangers I might face as I went about my work.

I just really appreciated his company, An occasional rub of his head was all he required to be content.

An unwanted birthday gift

My birthday in February 2022 was a great event. Neighbours and guests at GlenMyu Estate had a great evening. Poor quality wine and fabulous food was sampled. Conversations and debates were had over the course of the evening and a good time was had by all.

The next day the question was asked ‘Where is Fleur?”.

He had not returned to my mother in law, who now lived at GlenMyu Estate the previous evening. It was not unusual for him, and the other dogs, to want to sleep outside in the warm February nights.

A no show for breakfast meant that we stated to worry.

The search for the missing dog starts

Search and rescue teams were sent out and returned with disappointing results.
I drove for miles in search of our absent dog. I feared that he had met with an accident on the road.

We were bereft as we were unsuccessful in our search.
Posters were printed and displayed. Many red herrings were followed up in our quest to be reunited with Fleur.

Trips to and back from Colombo and Banderawella were treacherous as I couldn’t concentrate on the road as I searched for dogs on the side of the road.

Searching for the missing dog goes on

Two years on I still look for Fleur.

My thoughts are “Why did you pick my birthday to disappear?”. Is that the depressing memory you want me to have on my special day. It’s not that I want to feel better in my misery. But could you not have chosen another day. My hope would be that my birthday would be a happy occasion every year.

I had given up hope and hoped he has passed. We were always concerned that if someone had taken our lovely character that he would be abandoned when the stealers worked out how many time he would need to be seen by the vet.

A glimmer of hope

A chance video on Tik Tok in July 2024 gave us hope. Hopefully what we saw was not a Doppleganger and our hopes are going too be dashed. Confidence is low, but what can we do but investigate with the hope that we will be reunited.

My confidence is at an all time low but we have to go.

I wonder whether I will get any sleep tonight on the anticipation that I will be reunited by and old loving friend. Tonight I will hope and pray that we will have happy ending.
If we do find Fleur we will hold him so close he will never leave us again.

The morning arrives

Both my wife and I were anxious and full of hope that we might find our missing dog.

Bomburu Ella Waterfall

We had not visited Bomburu Ella Waterfall before. In order to maintain a positive outlook, if we didn’t manage to find Fleur, then at least we would see something new.

The waterfall is located near to Nuwara Eliya and was around a one hour forty minute (51 kilometre) drive away.

We set off early on a Monday after a long weekend. If we had gone on the weekend, then the waterfall would have been very busy with local tourists.

It was an enjoyable drive to the waterfall and we parked close to the walkway up to the falls.

There were a few other Sri Lankan tourists who had extended their weekend to enjoy Bomburu Ella.

We asked the person taking the money for parking about the dog and showed him the video.

He recognised the dog and this gave us the encouragement to start the walk.

Commencing our journey to find our lost dog.

The pathway was a little hard to navigate, but with advice from some locals we were on our way.

Climbing up a concrete pathway we were amazed by the view of the agricultural landscape below.

We were pleased to see the recycling bins and the notice boards asking people to dispose of rubbish properly.

Ticket costs for Bomburu Ella Waterfall

Entry fees to Bomburua Ella Waterfall are quite reasonable.

LKR 700 is around US$2.50

(August 2024)

Entry Fees (Sri Lankan Rupees)

Local Adult 100
Local Child 30

Foreign Adult 700
Foreign Child 300

Disappointed, we carried on

After the heartbreak of the disappointment, we thought that we would make the best of the day and carry on to the waterfall.

After the disappointment - something to make us smile

We certainly needed something to cheer us up and put a smile back on our faces.

Bomburu Ella Falls were the right tonic for us.

What an amazing sight. The falls are spectacular, albeit we did not visit in the best weather. The local Sri Lankans that were enjoying an extended their long weekend added to the atmosphere. It’s great being surrounded by people that are having fun.

Our mistake was not to have brought our swimming costumes with us. We had focused on finding our lost dog, and therefore we couldn’t enjoy the full experience of Bomburu Ella.

However, the amount of rubbish dumped in the pools and the streams made it less attractive an option. We will certainly visit Bomburu Ella Falls again, but we will steer well clear of a busy long holiday weekend.

After chatting to the ticket attendant on the way out, he assured us that a team would be picking up the litter later on during the week.

Sri Lanka is full of many sights of outstanding beauty. It’s unfortunate that education pressing local people to look after their natural environment and not use it as a garbage dump had not been effective. We hope that in future years the people will respect this amazing environment and take their litter with them.

A rollercoaster of emotions

As we made our way back to GlenMyu Estate, we talked about our day. We were happy that we pursued this little chance of finding Fleur.

He is worth the time and effort.

We will continue searching for our lost dog and hope to be reunited with him some day.

Support our work caring for rescue animals.

By staying at GlenMyu Estate, you do not use support giving employment to local people and restoring the five acre estate. You also support our efforts caring for the street dogs that now have a home on the estate. We also have a rescue cow and bull, chickens and ducks which all have been provided with a loving, caring home.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate to explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

Stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

See sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

The Stress and Heartbreak of searching for a missing dog Read More »

A New Year's resolution - to swim every day.

How to relax

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Ayurvedic medicine and plants, Hiking in Sri Lanka, Holiday, Music, Natural Swimming Pool, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Sri Lanka, The Organic Garden at GlenMyu, Travel / By Mikeez

How to relax.

How to relax.

Reading relaxation tips recommended by Mind Organisation.

I was not surprised to see many tips that relate to GlenMyu Estate.

We find that our guests really need some downtime on their holiday. It can be quite tiring rushing around the country visiting the tourist spots in the heat.

As they leave ready for their next adventure, we can see that they are relaxed and energised for the next part of their trip around this paradise island.

What were the tips on how to relax in Mind Organistaions' article?

The tips were as follows:

Take a break
Try active relaxation
Focus on your breathing
Get creative
Spend time in nature
Picture yourself somewhere serene
Listen to music
Do a tech check

What is Mind Organisation?

Mind Organisation say that “We’re Mind. We’re here to fight for mental health. For support, for respect, for you”.

They are an organisation that aims to get support and respect for people experiencing a mental health problem.

What tips on how to relax relate to GlenMyu Estate?

As GlenMyu Estate has evolved over the last two years since opening, we have found that our guests naturally do several of the items on the list whilst they are on holiday here.

Taking a Break

Clearly being on holiday, guests are taking a break from their normal everyday lives.

However, we also find that many of our guests take a break from their travel and exploration of the island when they are here.

Often, they decide to chill out at the five acre estate rather than packing too much in on their holiday.

As the Sri Lankan hill country has a temperature more akin to a UK summer, some find it a relief to get away from stifling heat.

Many of our guests say that that they get their best nights sleep at GlenMyu Estate on their holiday. We do not use air-conditioning at the property as it is not required as it does not get too hot.

Active relaxation - what's that?

Active relaxation is gentle exercise such as walling (at your own pace), classes such as Yoga, Pilates or gentle stretching.

At GlenMyu Estate for guest enjoy walking around the garden.

The property is on a slope and therefore you automatically do some gentle exercise by climbing up the pathways and stairs. I often find myself creating a little heavier due to the slope.

Getting creative

GlenMyu Estate is an environment which inspires creativity. We have had several guests bring their sketchbooks or paints with them to spend time on their art.

Picking up the camera to take some photos and videos.

Some authors have stayed at the estate and worked on their books without the detraction of home.

It delights us that we have created an environment that guests can relax and get creative.

Spending time in nature

At GlenMyu Estate we have tried to work with nature and plant species that enhance and repair the biodiversity that was wiped from the land.

Historically the estate was part of a larger tea plantation and subsequently used to grow sugar cane. After being abandoned for many year it was full of Guinea Grass, fast growing cattle fodder. This took all the light and nutrients in the soil from other plants.

After years of replacing the Guinea Grass with endemic species and planting to develop a food forest for animals and humans GlenMyu Estate was open to guests.

Our guest love the garden tour and seeing what we fruits, vegetables,and spices are grown.

For some, it is a revelation on where their food comes from and the work entailed to get to onto their plate.

There is also plenty of wildlife to see, whether it is the animals and birds that are regular visitors or the residents on the land.

Picture yourself somewhere serene

There is no need to picture yourself, because you are there in the moment.

GlenMyu Estate is a beautiful environment reflecting the nature that surrounds us.

Listen to music

We find natures music to be the soundtrack that we listen to at GlenMyu Estate.

Whether it its the streams full of water blocking out unwanted noises.

Or the birds that let you know that it’s time to get up in the morning or that they are off to bed.

Natuure’s soundtrack helps you to relax.

Do a tech check

Although we do have free Wifi at GlenMyu Estate, we are always delighted on how little our guests spend on their devices.

We also do not have televisions at the estate. Who needs to watch poor quality programming anyway. Netflix will be waiting for you when you get home!

This allows you to live in the moment, reduce stress and really enjoy your holiday.

Relax on Holiday at GlenMyu Estate

We love it when our guests are truly relaxed after their stay at GlenMyu Estate.

It is really important for you to make sure you allocate some downtime during your vacation. Hopefully you will visit GlenMyu Estate and switch off in this environment delivered by nature.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate and immerse yourself in the Sri Lankan Hill Country

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

How to relax Read More »

No televisions, no problem

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Birds, Birdwatching, Hiking in Sri Lanka, Holiday, Life in Sri Lanka, Natural Swimming Pool, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Our dogs, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

No Televisions, No Problem!

No Televisions, No Problem

I don’t know about you, but I really didn’t enjoy watching television when I was away on holiday.

Whenever we would get to our hotel room my wife and I would flick through the channels to find something that we would like.

There is something about watching television when you are in your own country.

You know what you like, you know when the program is on and you know where to find your favourite programme.

I can't find it, there are too many advertisement breaks.

We tended to watch a lot fo BBC programmes in the UK and therefore didn’t to have to deal with advertisement breaks.

There is something about the rhythm of the programme, even when you watch commercial tv, that is quite comforting. You are used to the timing and the length of the advert break. Years of programming our brains makes it alright.

Television abroad - no thanks

However, I used to get frustrated watching television on holiday as the rhythm wasn’t comfortable for me.

It was a real turnoff.

So, I didn’t watch any television programmes when I went on holiday.

The world has changed

Since moving to Sri Lanka in 2016 the world has been through some incredible changes.

Sitting down in front of the television to relax after a stressful day in the office is no longer the norm.

The global pandemic left lots of people stuck at home looking for entertainment to while away the hours.

Netflix and other streaming services became the go to place for entertainment. Binge watching box sets was what everyone was talking about.

When we were in the UK we only watched a few programmes when they were being broadcasted. Most if what we viewed was on catch up.

No televisions at GlenMyu Estate, no problem

Since living in Sri Lanka we have been weaned off television.

I could see from our first six months on the island that we really craved our favourite programmes that we enjoyed together.

However, as we couldn’t get our usual BBC programmes, we used to buy the occasional DVD and watch them together.

The environment in the Sri Lankan Hill Country has changed our requirements in life. It’s hard not to be affected by the surrounding nature. Whether it’s the noise from the birds, the ever changing view from the lounges or spending time on the five acre estate, sitting in front of a square box does not seem to be important now. If we don’t know who is in Masterchef, the Bake Off or Strictly, it really doesn’t matter.

Immersed in nature

Living in London for many years we were really out of touch with nature. So many people living in big cities must be in the same position.

I don’t know what happened to me.

In the UK I wasn’t interested in birds and trees. My inquisitiveness appears to have been injected into my veins since living here. Planting trees and watching them grow, getting up early to catch the birdsong or making sure I catch the sunset sky.

It’s hard to get the feeling over to you. You really need to come and experience this for yourself.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate to explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

No televisions, no problem Read More »

Our Cow and a dog. Wandering around GlenMyu Estate. Inspires my though for the day

Dogs in Sri Lanka

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Charity work in Sri Lanka, Holiday, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Our dogs / By Mikeez

Dogs in Sri Lanka

Dogs in Sri Lanka.

When you visit Sri Lanka on holiday you will see lots of dogs in a poor condition.

Learn how you can help and what we do.

New Lives in the Wild - Ben Fogle revisits the British Sri Lankan Vet

The plight of Sri Lankan dogs was highlighted again when Ben Fogle visited British Vet, Janey Lowes, who lives in Sri Lanka. (Channel 5, Series 18, Episode 11).

Bon Fogle originally met Janey Lowes in 2019 (Channel 5, Series 9, Episode 4).

The update highlights the uncontrollable issues that have added to the pressure on the work WeCare Worldwide does in Sri Lanka. With events such as the global pandemic, the economic crisis and the lack of medicines available during the period increased the challenge caring for the dogs.

Issues all around the island

We at GlenMyu Estate also were affected by the issues that were beyond our control.

Over the years since we moved to the Sri Lankan hill country we have cared for and re-homed many street dogs.

Historically, after giving the puppies that were dropped off at GlenMyu Estate, a good start in life, vaccinations, nutritious food and medical care, we were able to re-home many puppies.

We have also funded spaying and neutering dogs villagers close to the estate. Many of our neighbours do not have the means to pay for the surgery. The aim was to control the rise in dog population and ensure that the females did not have letters every seasons of their lives.

The effect of the 2022 financial crisis in Sri Lanka on re-homing dogs

The effects of the financial crisis in Sri Lanka during 2022 and its recovery since led to us finding it more difficult in er-homing dogs.

People had to think carefully as to whether they could afford to care for a puppy when inflation was so high reaching 60% and incomes had not followed.

There was also a lack of medicines during this period coming into the country. This led to an additional concern as to whether vaccinations would be available to protect the dogs. A major concern was the shortage of rabies vaccines which would create a health risk of the owners and their families.

A lot of good work is going on

There are several organisations, in addition to WeCare Worldwide that care for street dogs in Sri Lanka.

Embark Passion

Embark has been transforming the lives of street dogs and the communities they live in since 2007.
They do great work for dogs in Sri Lanka by providing medication, spaying and neutering and finding new homes.

Dogs of Ella

Dogs Of Ella is where the stray dogs from the hills of Ella and neighboring towns come to claim their second chance at life.

They have more than 30 rescues currently residing in the Ella shelter

Individuals doing their own bit for dogs in Sri Lanka

Similar to us at GlenMyu Estate, there are lots of individual around the island that are all doing their bit to help the street dogs.

Many Sri Lankans feed the street dogs in their local area. We had personal experience of this when we lived in Colombo before moving to the Sri Lankan hill country.

A retired doctor drove around the neighbourhood in the mornings and evenings feeding the street dogs in the area.

Support the work we do with street dogs by staying at GlenMyu Estate on your holiday in Sri Lanka.

Feeding the dogs at GlenMyu Estate. Twice a day, 100 kg of rice a month makes several happy dogs.

Some of guests at GlenMyu Estate enjoy helping feed our dogs when they holiday in Sri Lanka.

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country helps to fund feeding our rescue animals and the work we do locally with street dogs.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

Dogs in Sri Lanka Read More »

Ben Fogle and the Sri Lankan Vet

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Charity work in Sri Lanka, Holiday, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Our dogs, Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

Ben Fogle and the Sri Lankan Vet

Ben Fogle and the Sri Lankan Vet.

Channel 5’s New Lives in the Wild revisited Janey, the British vet, who cares for dogs in Sri Lanka.

Ben Fogle’s original visit to see Janey Lowes work, was aired in 2019 on the Channel 5 series.

The latest program highlights how the charity WeCare Worldwide is struggling to cope with the growth since 2016. Capacity at it’s home in Talalla, funding and a shortage in medicines such as rabies shots are key issues.

You can read more in the following Daily Mirror Article.

Janey is confident in approaching street dogs in Sri Lanka. You can watch this clip on Facebook of Janey and Ben meeting a stray dog.
Janey diagnoses the issues that the dog has before starting some treatment.

Click on the following link to be redirected to Apple TV to find out how to watch the programme.

Ben Fogle has an Instagram page where you can read all about the people and places he meets and visits on New Lives in the Wild.

Janey, the British Vet doing amazing things in Sri Lanka

The British vet is located on the south coast of Sri Lanka. She has been doing amazing things for the animals that she treats since she moved to this paradise island.

WeCare Worldwide is a worthy charity which is in need of support.

Please visit their website to find out more information and see how you can provide help and support.

You can follow Janey on her Instagram account to see what she has been doing since the TV program.

Animal Charities is a website which has a blog on what animals charities you can help.

They have highlighted WeCare Worldwide on their most recent blog.

If you want to know more about Janey’s storey, you can read this article “Rugby WAG turned street vet reveals how a row with her ex at the airport changed her life forever” published in MailOnline in May 2021.

Other Dog Charities in Sri Lanka

Dr Janey does fantastic work. There are several other organisations that also support street dogs.

Local to GlenMyu Estate is Dogs’ of Ella.

Dogs of Ella

We, at GlenMyu Estate, are aware of the work that the Dogs of Ella charity does for two reasons.

Firstly, we met co-founder of the charity, Jessica Nehlich, when we were visiting the vet in Bandarawella with some of our dogs for treatment.

Jessica was there with three dogs being treated by Uva Pet Care Animal hospital.

We also knew about Dogs of Ella as we have had guests from Germany and the Netherlands who have visited the charity, volunteered and provided some financial support.

Embark Passion

Philanthropist, Otara Gunewardene, through the Otara Foundation, founded Embark which work to improve the welfare of street dogs in Sri Lanka.

Many dogs are provided with healthcare before being fostered or adopted.

Here are some videos that show the great work that the foundations supports.

Tails of Freedom - rescuing commercially bred dogs in Sri Lanka

Another excellent initiative is by Tails of Freedom which is a non profit organisation in Sri Lanka.

It is dedicated to the rescue of abused purebred companion animals.

We support rescue dogs at GlenMyu Estate

At GlenMyu Estate, we love our animals.
We have taken in and re-homed many puppies since we moved to the area in 2018.
Our rescue dogs are an important part of the estate and our guests really enjoy interacting with them.

They are used to regularly receiving and entertaining our guests.

You will also find rescue cows and chickens at the estate. We enjoy telling our gifts all about stories of how they arrived here.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate and meet our rescue dogs, cows and chickens.

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

Ben Fogle and the Sri Lankan Vet Read More »

My wife’s birthday present to herself.

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Holiday / By Mikeez

My wife's birthday present to herself

My wife’s birthday present to herself.

You may be surprised what the lady, who worked in the fashion industry before moving to Sri Lanka, bought for herself.

A dream made real.

I didn’t know when we met where we would end up.

It’s not something that you discuss on an initial date.

I don’t have the type of character that would naturally discuss dreams and aspirations.

We did discuss a future plan. I saw it as a change at the right time of my life. A chance to get some time back.

My wife is Sri Lankan and we met when she was working in the UK.

And how did you meet?

Lots of our guests at GlenMyu Estate ask how we met. Some are surprised that we met on the dance floor in International Student House, near Great Portland Street.
At the time she was in the country only occasionally and we always danced together when we met. It took her almost nine months to ask me out. Yes, she asked, I didn’t read the signs.

A relationship and a plan.

During our years in the UK my wife always said that her plan was to go back to Sri Lanka at one point.
Our relationship blossomed and I guess I was in on the plan.
Maybe I didn’t listen hard enough, but I understood that the reason she wanted to go home was to live with her parents.

What I didn’t hear (or listen to) was that she really wanted an organic farm and to look after animals.

Things evolved.

Plans change in life and our initial idea of living in Colombo and using a smaller version of the house at GlenMyu Estate as a holiday home changed.

I really couldn’t manage with the heat in Colombo (almost 10 degrees Celsius more than the hills). The feeling of being a prisoner in the morning and evening avoiding the mosquitos was also not pleasant. Although there are mosquitos in the hills, the temperature results in very few bothering me. I can sit out in the evenings in the cooling air and not be pestered.

Our plan changed and it fell in line with my wife’s dream of living in the mountains and creating an organic farm.

A lot of work, a bed and breakfast and lots of animals.

Roll on to the present time and after a lot of hard work and persistence we created GlenMyu Estate.

The estate is funded by having guests stay with us when they are on holiday in Sri Lanka. Being around an hour away from Ella, Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam’s Peak etc, we are a good alternative to the busy tourist town. We have great reviews from our guests and they rave about Ru’s food.
As we only have three bedrooms availability is getting scarce during the peak holiday periods.

We have gathered some animals which are an added interest to the guests that stay.

My wife's first birthday present to herself.

As you get older it’s hard to chose a birthday present for your partner.

In the UK it was a little easier as Ru was really interested in cooking. So, cook books were welcomed.

I managed to get several books signed by Rick Stein over the years through my brother who drove him around for a period and also standing in line at a book signing at Waterstones. There were books from other authors and Le Cordon Bleu as Ru carried out a short course there.
My mother lives in West Cork, Ireland and there are books from great producers such as Gubbeen and by her acquaintances including also Darina Allen from Ballymaloe.

In Sri Lanka, living away from Colombo, it is a little more difficult choosing a suitable present.

As we were driving from Haputale to Beragala, my wife decided that she wanted to buy four ducks for her birthday. I guess this is where buying her own birthday presents started.

The ducks were installed at GlenMyu Estate and have multiple over the years to around twenty. They add something special to the environment and I find watching them quite meditative.
Ru has a special relationship with our original mother duck who follows her around and is more like a pet.

Her latest birthday present to herself.

In December 2022 we took ownership of our rescue cow Maali.
She has also become a great addition to the estate and provides us with manure for our organic garden.

Unfortunately, being alone, behaviour problems started to arise and she would try to play and heat butt our dogs, ducks and chickens in the afternoon.

Having read more about the issue it was clear that cows, being a herd animal, need some company of their own kind.

An opportunity arose to chose a new birthday present.

One of our neighbours had a bull calf which was destined for the slaughterhouse.
Females are the important ones as they produce milk and generate an income for these smallholders.

Ru was given the opportunity to rescue the bull calf and, after a little discussion with me, she decided that this would be her birthday present to herself.

The birthday present would not just be purchasing the bull calf, but also building a new cowshed where he and Maali could stay. Maali’s accommodation was not big enough for two.

My wife's birthday present.

My wife used to work in the clothing and fashion industry. I think that if you asked us ten years ago what she would be getting for a birthday present, a bull calf would not have arisen as a choice!
Life has changed and perhaps there will be another life saved with her choice of birthday present next year.

Not just a bull calf for her birthday.

The day of my wife’s birthday included feeding stray dogs with the big batch of chicken and rice that had been made that morning.

Lots of poor creatures were fed on the way to the beauty salon where she spent a lot of the remainder of her birthday being pampered

Stay at GlenMyu Estate and meet our animals.

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours or so drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

My wife’s birthday present to herself. Read More »

Our cow got a friend.

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Holiday, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Our dogs, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

Our cow got a friend.

Our cow got a friend.

Maali is excited as she finally has a friend at GlenMyu Estate to accompany her as she grazes at the 5 acre estate.

Read on to find out how this came about.

If you want to read about how Maali arrived at GlenMyu Estate please read our articles “We got a Cow” and also “The Cow, a year on (almost)”.

Dogs and ducks as friends and playmates?

Maali was a little confused. She cleary was lonely and decided that her playmates were the dogs, ducks and chickens.

Maali would graze for the morning until mid afternoon and then we would let her free to room and forage.

So cute, but such bad behaviour.

Maali settled into GlenMyu Estate quite quickly. She was let free on the estate to forage and eat what she liked. Life is a learning curve and we realised that we would have to tie Maali to one spot for a few hours to concentrate on feeding in one area. She had a tendency to flit from one place to the other. Sometimes she would come bounding towards us when we were working on the land. It was funny, but sometimes scary and dangerous.

When we started to take her to forage in one part of the land she was quite stubborn and wouldn’t move. I used to play rugby in the front row so there was often a tug of war to get her to move to where we wanted her to go. Luckily I still have a bit ion technique and she hasn’t neaten me yet!

When Maali was released in the early afternoon she would run around like a crazy cow. The puppies would run after her and she would try to butt them with her small horns. This was the same for any ducks or chickens that she came across. We think that this was play rather than anger as she appeared to seek them out when she was loose.

She would bound around the land running more like a cheetah rather than a cow.

Although this did provide some entertainment, I was worried that she would create an accident either to her playmates or herself.

There needed to be a change at GlenMyu Estate.

A little bit of research - Our cow needed a friend.

We did a little bit of research and found that when cows are alone they sometimes develop bad behaviour. They are herd animals and really should be with other cows.

According to Farm House Guide “The truth is that cows are herd animals, and they need friends to help keep them happy and safe”.

We had known for some time that Maali really needed a friend.

So spoilt!

Doesn’t the first one always get spoilt? Maali was certainly spoilt and given a lot a leeway at GlenMyu Estate.

Here she is waiting near the outside kitchen for a snack.

An opportunity arises for our cow to get a friend.

One of our neighbours has cows which are used to supply milk. One of his cows had a bull calf. His mother had been sick when he was born an he was not fully weaned on his mothers milk. This left him with a pot belly which is normal in these circumstances.

Another neighbour had told us that the owner of the bull calf was looking to sell him.
We asked him to get in contact with us.

After a discussion with the owner and the vet, Ru asked the bull calf to be brought along to meet Maali and see whether they would get along with each other.

What was the alternative for the infant calf?

Unfortunately, if we did not buy the calf, he would have been sent to the butcher. This is the normal outcome for these animals in Sri Lanka.

Ru met the calf when he was brought to the land to see whether Maali would accept him.
Both Maali and Ru made a connection straight away and there was only one choice.
He was going to have a new home at GlenMyu Estate.

We try to do our bit.

Unfortunately, we cannot save all the animals we would like to from the fate that this calf would have met.
We have limited space at GlenMyu Estate to allocate to the animals and being on a hill limits our capacity.
However, at least this animal will have a good life ahead of him.

No room at the inn?

We did not plan to have a second cow.
In early 2023 we had constructed a new home for Maali where she was now settled. We had not planned for two animals and there was “no room at the inn’ so to speak.
Therefore, we had to identify a suitable site for a home for two.

A big move and a some investment.

The land at GlenMyu Estate is bisected by a stream that runs through the middle of the land.
The stream runs alongside the swimming pool and forms a natural barrier for each side.

Maaili did some major damage to our flowers and other plants that she found tasty. We used to have a beautiful array of flowers alongside the lawn in front of the house.
Maali used these flowers as a buffet when she wanted some variety from the grass she normally eats. This has left our flowerbeds devastated and not looking very attractive!

The site is identified.

We decided that we would site the two cows in a new spot across the river. A gate would be placed at one side of the stream to protect the plants we have nearer the house.
This would result in the cows being focussed on one side of the land where we would be happy for them to forage.

More work to make a new home for our cow and her new friend.

The arrival of the prodigal son.

Here are some videos we took of the big moment when Maali met her new friend.

Maali was not aware re at first but in the end she looks very happy.

Happy together -Our cow got a friend.

You can see from this photo that Maali is making her acquaintance with her new friends.

The start looks good, let’s se if it continues and they become good friends and companions.

Our hopes for the future for our cow and her new friend.

Our aim is to provide both Maali and her new friend a good, safe life at GlenMyu Estate.
In exchange we expect lots of manure to put on our organic garden.

How can you help?

Income we generate from guests staying at GlenMyu Estate when they are on holiday in Sri Lanka is the way we fund the costs to run the property.

By choosing GlenMyu Estate you will support what we do.

You will also have a great experience when you stay and explore the fantastic sights in the Sri Lankan Hill Country.

Your spend with us help fund the following:
Maali, our cow and her friend.
The cost of feeding and providing medication for our rescue dogs.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate, meet our animals and explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

Our cow got a friend. Read More »

10 animals to see on Holiday in Sri Lanka.

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Holiday / By Mikeez

10 Animals To See On Holiday In Sri Lanka at GlenMyu Estate.

10 Animals to see on holiday in Sri Lanka at GlenMyu Estate.

Not the usual elephants, leopards and crocodiles you see on safari. But they are a wonderful sight at Yala, Udawalawe, Minneriya, Wilpattu or one of the other parks. (I haven’t been lucky enough to see a leopard myself.
But the sun must have been shining on lots of our guests at GlenMyu Estate as they show me their great leopard photos!

Some you will definitely see, some you will maybe see and others you will be lucky to see!

Definitely.

Animals that you will definitely see at GlenMyu Estate.

1. Our rescue dogs.

We have several rescue dogs at GlenMyu Estate.

Although we did not plan to have dogs, we appear to have gathered a few. My wife and I blame our first dog, Clove, for our collection. If Clove had not been such a nice, loving character then we may have been more reluctant to take on more rescue dogs.

I have finally put my foot down and we are at our maximum number of pups at GlenMyu Estate.

2. Animals you will see on holiday in Sri Lanka - Our rescue chickens.

We have rescue dogs and now we have rescue chickens!

Again, we never planned to have chickens.

This situation changed when one of our acquaintances could not afford to feed his chickens when the financial crisis hot Sri Lanka. The cost of chicken layers feed was either not available or exorbitantly expensive.

We decided to take them on.

The chickens were being kept in a shed and did not have the freedom to roam and forage.
At GlenMyu Estate we have five acres of land.
We decided to buy the chickens and create a safe space for them to live. The plan was for the chickens to forage around the estate and we would not have the cost of feed. We were pleased that the chickens settled in well and although they had not been conditioned to forage, those instincts kicked in quite quickly.

You live and learn and after we lost a few chickens to Mongoose and Eagles, we increased their security. They now have a bespoke house in which to live. The coop is fenced off with chicken wire which helps fend off predators. We even have a fishing net above the coop to stop the eagles flying in.

One of our staff looks after the chickens when they are out of the coop foraging. It makes the eggs that we get very expensive, but they are delicious. Despite losing a few chickens the numbers have increased as we get new chicks every so often.

Despite the cost we are happy that we have provided these rescue chickens with a good place for them to live.

3. Ducks foraging around the five acre estate.

The ducks have been at GlenMyu Estate for a longer period than the chickens. Ru wanted to get some ducks as her birthday present, so off we went.

The initial four ducks have multiplied up to around twenty. I was getting worried that they would keep on multiplying and we would have created a problem.

The duckling production has slowed so we appear to have a manageable number at this time.

I really enjoy watching the ducks forage around the estate and swim in the various ponds and streams around the estate.

4. Maali, our rescue cow.

We have a rescue cow called Maali. She arrived at GlenMyu Estate in December 2022. She is an important part of life at GlenMyu Estate and has settled in well. Maali grazes in the land and provide good nutrition for our garden. She adds to the landscape and her character has developed since she has been at the estate and she provides us with lots of laughs and entertainment.

You can read more about Maali in our articles “We got a cow” and “The cow – a year on”.

Maybe/probably

Animals that you will probably see at GlenMyu Estate.

5. Monkeys - Toque Macaues or Tufted Grey Langurs.

Toque macaques are found only in Sri Lanka

They are regular visitors to the trees at GlenMyu Estate and forage on leaves and any fruits that they can get without being disturbed by our dogs.

You can read more about Toque macaques at NePrimate Conservacy.

Tufted Grey Langurs also visit the trees at the estate quite often, but less than the Macaques.
They mainly eat the leaves on the trees and sometimes are seen bounding over the floor playing or getting to a new safe spot. Read more about Tufted Grey Langurs here.

6. Flameback Woodpeckers.

The Red-backed flameback, Lesser Sri Lanka flameback, Sri Lanka red-backed woodpecker or Ceylon red-backed woodpecker are endemic to Sri Lanka.

They live to eat the ripe Jackfruit from our trees.

7. Black Eagles.

We regularly hear the screech of the Black eagle as it circles around the hills near GlenMyu Estate.

Sometimes there are two or three in the air circling, searching for food.

When we hear the screeches we run to protect our ducks and chickens.

Only if you are lucky!

Animals that you will might see, if you are lucky, at GlenMyu Estate.

8. Animals you may see on holiday in Sri Lanka - Porcupines.

We do have porcupines that come to the land and dig up some of our young coconut trees and other roots. You can read more about porcupines in the following Daily News article “Pangolins and Porcupines”.

We have seen they in our vegetable garden occasionally but they scatter away too fast t get a photo.

9. A Giant squirrel.

A don’t have a good photo of a giant squirrel just yet, however you can see what they look like in the following link to Animal Bio.

They normally like to spend their time in more wooded areas and we do not have sufficient tree cover at the moment. Our neighbours have created a forest and they have plenty of visits from Giant Squirrels.

Our neighbours have difficulty in getting a harvest from the crops that they plant because of the Giant Squirrels, so we are happy that it is only an occasional visitor.

10. Barking Deer.

You will be lucky to spot a Barking Deer or Mouse Deer at GlenMyu Estate.

This picture was taken on a long lens as it was eating grass at the far end of the estate. As soon as the dogs are aware that the deer is on the land, they bark, and the deer runs off to safety.

And too many more to mention!

Of course, there are may more animals to see on holiday in Sri Lanka.

I could have mentioned the snakes. Occasionally we see a Cobra when it come out to bathe in the sun or forage for food.
However we regularly see the rat snake. (don’t worry, it’s not venomous).

Hopefully we don’t see the Mongoose. They have been successful in having some of our ducks for lunch!

There is a vast array of birds that visit the estate and too many for a list of ten. We regularly have birdwatching sessions with our neighbours and are ticking off the birds that we spot.

Bats fly around the estate when the sun goes down.

We have lots of insects coming to the estate. The Christmas Fly is a pain when it comes but the frogs, geckos and birds have a feast.

10 Animals to see on holiday in Sri Lanka at GlenMyu Estate -Summary

Our rescue dogs.
Our rescue chickens.
Ducks foraging around the five acre estate.
Maali, our rescue cow.
Monkeys – Toque Macaues or Tufted Grey Langurs.
Flameback Woodpeckers.
Black Eagles.
Porcupines.
A giant squirrel.
Barking Deer.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate and see the animals that visit the land.

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

10 animals to see on Holiday in Sri Lanka. Read More »

We have some exciting news.

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Holiday, Life in Sri Lanka, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Sri Lanka, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

We have some exciting news at GlenMyu Estate.

We have some exciting news at GlenMyu Estate that we will be sharing soon.

Hopefully you will be as excited as we are when we reveal it.

We have been waiting for a while for the right opportunity.

Ru and I have been talking about this for some time.

It is something that we really feel that is needed as an addition to GlenMyu Estate.

Our exciting news - Not quite ready to be revealed.

We still have a few things to do before we can reveal our news.

The main thing is that we have to build something for what we are going to get.

As it is now mid-December, we hope that the builders are available to construct what we need.

You may be surprised. We hope you are.

The new addition to the estate has already been given a glimpse of what is here.

Keep an eye on our website and social media channels for our exciting news.

We will let you know our news as soon as we can.

The exciting new arrival will be released on our social media channels as soon as we have everything in place.

We are really very excited!

Hopefully, you will be as pleased as we are when you see what we are going to add to the estate.

We know that at least one of the family at GlenMyu Estate is going to be so pleased and happy.

The news will be announced as soon as we are in a position to do so.

In the meantime we will leave it to your imagination.

Perhaps you can guess what is coming to GlenMyu Estate before we reveal it?

Stay at GlenMyu Estate to explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

We have some exciting news. Read More »

What do monkeys like to do?

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Holiday, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Sri Lanka, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

What do monkeys like to do?

What do monkeys like to do? At GlenMyu Estate we have two species of monkeys that regularly visit us. Toque macaques are endemic to the island and can often be seen in our trees eating leaves and fruits when available. Tufted grey langurs also can be seen in the trees and sometimes on the ground when the youngsters play and the adult try to steal our crops.

My morning at GlenMyu Estate is quite varied during the year and a little different compared to London when I was on that hamster wheel. Life has certainly changed moving from a city with a population of ten million plus to a five acre estate with a population of eight people.

My morning view has changed as well. In our London flat we would look over the railway track hosting the Bakerloo line and London Overground. Now we look over the rolling hills that lead towards the South coast of Sri Lanka. The sound of the stream that runs along the boundary of the estate and the morning birdsong is my background music. It’s such a contrast to the city.

What do monkeys like to do when they are at GlenMyu Estate?

Quite often there are some monkeys that like to sit on the elderly Lunumidella Tree that is in front of the house. I regularly take photos and videos of these animals enjoying their time on this precipice. They eat the leaves leaving the tree branches somewhat bare. Picking fleas from their fur is a regular pastime. Shaking the tree branch is also a regular event and I still don’t know the reason for this. When there is a family temporarily inhabiting the tree the kids can race around and make it a place of play. I like it when the monkeys just sit, chill and enjoy the view. This is a reflection of what I believe that this paradise island should be all about.

Sit, relax and enjoy the view. Get closer to nature. Take a deep breath off the fresh air. Forget about all the stresses, troubles and strife and enjoy the world.

What the monkeys did this morning.

This morning I watched a pair of monkeys on tree. The sun was out and they were grooming themselves before they started their day. The younger of the two did shake the tree for a while which brought a smile to my face. They weren’t there for long but the relaxed feeling that they emitted had already been transferred to me.

Not only monkeys.

As I write, the monkeys have left the tree and they have been replaced by a pair of Bulbuls with their Mohican haircuts. They are not the most attractive birds given their aggressive hairstyle. The background has changed as the mist has come in and the sun is hiding behind the clouds.

The change from light to dark should depress my mood however I have the photos and videos of the monkeys in the sun to lift my spirits and keep a smile on my face.

Enjoy the wildlife and get closer to nature.

Get closer to nature by spending some time on holiday ay GlenMyu Estate. You can find out more details are our website on the following link.

What do monkeys like to do? Read More »

The cow – a year on (almost)

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate / By Mikeez

The Cow - a year on (well almost!)

The cow – a year on – well almost! Here is an update on our cow Maali who has lived at GlenMyu Estate since December 2022. .

If you have read our previous article “We got a cow!”, then perhaps you will be interested in an update on how we have got on so far.

Maali is now part of the family

After my initial hesitation and worry about having a cow on the estate, Maali is now ensconced into our family at GlenMyu Estate. Maali is very comfortable living on the estate and her character has really developed since December 2022.

All the other animals are used to Maali going about her business although the dogs still make a fuss when she comes back from her day grazing.

Some of the issue with the dogs have been brought about by Maali herself. We think that, as she is a herd animal, she really needs some company of her own.

I need a friend!

Her substitute for a friend appears to be chasing the dogs, chickens and ducks when she is let loose. Of course, this winds up the dogs who are happy to play. I must admit that I do laugh when some of our more recent puppies grab hold of her rope and pull it as Maali walks back towards her enclosure to see if any food has been left for her by the chickens.

Character building

She is a real character and quite determined in what she wants to do.

Sometimes it takes a bit of encouragement to get her to do what you want. It’s as if she is a petulant child!

In the morning, Maali sometimes decides that she wants to be taken to a different part of the estate to graze. She stops dead and refuses to move!

It takes some effort to get her on her way again. Fortunately years playing rugby in the front row means that I have technique that can even move a bast of this tonnage. A tug of war ensues and after a while Maali realises that she is on the move.
I am trying to lose a bit of weight and perhaps in the future Maali will win this battle. But for now it’s an unexpected addition to my strength exercises when she decides to be stubborn!

The reaction from our guests.

Maali features in our Instagram, YouTube and Facebook photos and videos every so often. Many of our guests know about Maali before they come and are keen to meet her. We had two Indian Lawyers stay with us and as soon as they got out of the car they were looking for Maali. Several of our guests grew up in the country or on a family farm and like that there is cow on the estate. I guess that it brings back memories and is a comforting feeling.

We nearly lost her - twice!

Over the past ten months we have learned that we can’t allow Maali to roam free. Evidence of this is that we used to have a nice border of flowers and plants on the border of the lawn. Maali decided that this was a delicious buffet and therefore we no longer have beautiful flowers at the edge of the lawn!

We now tend to tie her in one area in the mornings so she can work on one particular area of grass and plants. Later on, once she is quite full, we release her to roam around the land (watching that she doesn’t eat any more flowers!).

One day my wife an I were in Colombo picking up some supplies for GlenMyu Estate and we received a phone call from a neighbour asking whether our cow was at the estate. We were confident that she was but decided to check with one of the staff.

He was confident as well …..until he had a look at the area he thought she was. Of course, she wasn’t there and had escaped.

Fortunately she was returned to us by our neighbour.

How did she escape my Dear Watson?

We have fencing around GlenMyu Estate so we were perplexed on how Maali had escaped. It turned out that the gate that the staff use was left open and Maali found her escape!

Now the staff ensure that the gate is closed!

The second time was more scary

Maali started developing lumps on her skin and started losing weight. A home visit by the vet diagnosed the problem as “Lump Skin Disease”. The vet gave her an injection and told us that there was not medicine in Sri Lanka to treat the problem. However there was hope that may get through this and survive, but no guarantee.

We were extremely worried. A search on the internet didn’t help (which can often happen).

Fortunately we have some good friends that suggested that we try to treat Maali with a herbal remedy and they gave us the recipe to the potion.

Maali didn’t look great for several days and her appetite was low. Her favourite foods of Jackfruit and Bananas were of little or no interest. She was mainly kept indoors during this period as it was a colder and wetter part of the year and we needed to keep her warm. We continued with the medication over a few weeks and we were delighted to see that Maali started to want to eat again.

My wife and I had an important trip back to the UK when Maali was recovering and we were still unsure that she would make it. Daily updates were provided by Ruwanthi’s mother or the staff. She was continuing to make progress with the medication and the food that we brought in for her.

Whilst we were away she had been showing that she wanted to go outside and start grazing again.

We returned to Sri Lanka in the later part of October and we were really pleased to see that Maali had put on a fair bit of weight. She had some open wounds, as a result of the disease which were continuously being treated

Relief

A few days after we returned Maali was let out to graze for part of the day. She has put on weight and really looks so good compared to when we left for the UK.

Her character is coming back and she is now harassing the dogs again. Maali has not fully recovered however we have confidence that she will be back to her old self soon

Ready to meet guests again.

Maali is now accepting guests. Our most recent visitors have two delightful daughters who helped Ruwanthi feed Maali some bananas as soon as they got out of the car.

Being the petulant child, she of course didn’t eat them and I have no doubt that they will be saved for later for an evening snack without onlookers!

Visit GlenMyu Estate and meet Maali and her friends.

GlenMyu Estate is a boutique hotel located in five acres of the Sri Lankan countryside. We only have three bedrooms for guests and we are within an hours drive of many superb tourist sites. The tallest and second tallest Waterfalls in Sri Lanka are less than an hour away. Ella, the busy tourist town, is just over an hours drive and great for a day trip to see Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Rock, Ravana Falls and more. Our guests love to visit Horton Plains National Park and see the Tea gardens from Lipton’s Seat.

Where does the money go!

Your stay helps us pay for the maintenance of the estate, care for the animals and provide much needed employment for local people.

We are listed on booking.com and Airbnb where you can see our reviews and what our guests think of GlenMyu Estate.

For direct booking rates please contact us directly by pressing the WhatsApp button on our website.

The cow – a year on (almost) Read More »

One of the rescue dogs at GlenMyu Estate and Hotel, Haputale, Sri Lanka.

How did seven become ten?

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate / By Mikeez

How did seven become ten?

I often wonder how did seven become ten?

My maximum was seven, and even that was too much.

With only two pairs of hands, I couldn’t even close with the attention that the seven required and demanded.

I was almost in tears when I realised that the additional three were not moving on and they were here to stay.

So, how did we get to ten?

My anguish was as a result of the increase in the number of rescue dogs from seven up to ten.

Numbers up, down and then up

We really didn’t plan to have any dogs.

When we started the construction at GlenMyu Estate we stayed with a neighbours bed and breakfast around a kilometre from the land.

During that time we got our contractor to build a one bedroom unit at the entrance to the land. This property was going to turn into staff or drivers accommodation.

Our neighbour had several dogs and we got to know them as we stayed there several times. They were friendly and happy to see us.

Here’s your dog!

The neighbour decided that we needed a dog for our property (no consultation needed in Sri Lanka of course). All of a sudden Sudhu was a resident at our neighbours. Sudhu was a white coloured puppy and was lots of fun. Lots of dogs in Sri Lanka are called Sudhu, which means white. Basic, but it does the job!

The construction of our one bed unit took longer than we planned and Sudhu had made her home at our neighbours. It would have been cruel to have taken her away from her home so she stayed. We visited every so often and she made a big fuss of us each time we saw her.

You can read our article about our initial experience with our dogs “Our Rescue Dogs – making GlenMyu Estate a special place”.

The story of the seven

We had got to a number of seven dogs and at that time I said we could not have any more at GlenMyu Estate. The estate is five acres in size and could accommodate more dogs, but I felt I could not commit the time and love to any more. When you only have two hands and you have three, four, five, six or seven dogs looking for attention, the equation doesn’t work.

Our dogs at that time were:

Clove – our first dog

Roti – Clove’s son

Kahlu and Donie

Patch and Biscuit – Kahlu and Donies’ off-spring.

Fleur – the fluffy one.

Clove – our first dog.

Roti – Clove’s son

Kahlu – Superdaddy

Donie The supermum

Patch – a chip of the block.

Biscuit – Patch’s crazy sister

Fleur – the fluffy one.

They didn’t quite live in harmony, like many families, and squabbled from time to time. However, they were mainly harmonious and got used to meeting guests. Fleur was particularly affectionate and was able to win our guests hearts very quickly.

I managed to share my time with them throughout the day. In the morning I would be bombarded by four or five of them who were excited to see me. Kahlu wanted to be brushed and petted all day and would have insisted if I had the time. Biscuit was the one that waited to find me on my own later in the day so she could have me all to herself.

Fleurs’ birthday gift to me.

Unfortunately, Fleur went missing on my birthday the year before last. We were heartbroken and sent out search parties for him. I drove for miles looking for him just in case he got lost. We printed leaflets and posted them where we could. Social media posts were created and we searched the internet for him. We had several false alarms and drove to places where he was sighted. It turns out that. Although we thought the Fleur was unique, there are lots of doubles of him.

We don’t know whether he met with an accident or was picked up by someone. He may have gotten lost and not found his way back home. We prayed that he was alive and being taken care of by someone who would love him as much as we do.

When we drive anywhere we are still looking for Fleur and hope that we can find him.

At the end of the day, we had to face the fact, we now had six dogs.

Here comes Mo Mo.

A smelly, dirty, starving dog with no hair attempted several time to come into the property. The dog was chased away again and again by the resident pack. We were made aware of the dog by our staff and some food was placed outside the gate for it to eat.

It was raining and this poor creature tried again to enter the property for some shelter and was chased by our dogs. Ru decided to take the poor thing into our old cow barn and give it some shelter and some food. It was bathed and you could see she was in so much pain as she had severe mange which left her with very little hair. She was installed into a box with a blanket and slept for days occasionally coming out for one sustenance. A mange cream was bought and applied and we tried to make her more comfortable.

An antibacterial solution was also applied which painted the skin and remaining hair a mauve colour. One of our guests, who helped treating her, suggested that we call her Mauve. Unfortunately Mauve sounds too much like Clove which was too confusing. So the name was changed to Mo Mo.

No medicine available

Unfortunately, at that time, Sri Lanka was suffering from an economic crisis and we could not find any more mange cream to continue to treat the dog. We reached out to vets and animal shelters however they were all in the same predicament.

Ru searched online and made up a herbal medication from what we could find that was growing on the estate. Unsure whether this would be effective we were concerned that Mo Mo would make it.

The herbal remedy worked for a while and Mo Mo deteriorated again. We were able to take her to the vet for examination as we finally had enough fuel for the car. Injections were given and various other treatments.

We were delighted that the treatment made the difference and the pain subsided and Mo Mo’s hair started to grow back again.

Mo Mo was here to stay - so we were seven again.

Clearly, it was unlikely that someone would take on a sick dog that needed treatment so we accepted that Mo Mo was here to stay.

Ah, poor Kahlu

Our hearts were broken again when Kahlu went missing.

When we first got to know Kahlu he was quite aggressive and clearly the dominant male in the pack. He was a fighter (particularly when female dogs were in heat) and would come back to the estate with all kinds of wounds which Ru treated.

After getting permission from his original owner, we arranged to get Kahlu neutered.

The affect of this was amazing. Kahlu changed from a scary dominant male into a pussy cat. He was so cuddly and just wanted petting all the time. There were no more fights and he really became a home dog just making a daily trip to visit his previous owner.

Kahlu still had an appetite and always was around for his breakfast or dinner.

One day he didn’t turn up.

We waited and then looked for him. I drove around to see whether he had met with an accident. We asked our neighbours whether they has caught sight of him. Several days passed and we still had hope that Kahlu would return. I missed him a lot.

His fate finally revealed.

A few weeks later we were in a bank in Haputale and one of our neighbours told us that Kahlu had died. He had eaten some poison left at a trap and succumbed. He had found him and another dog who had met the same fate some days after they had died and he buried them both.

I was quite upset for several days but, unlike Fleurs’s fate, we knew how Kahlu had died. At least there was some finality.

Now we were back down to six

How on earth did you manage to get up to ten?

In the middle of the night we had a break in. Not a burglar, but a little black stray dog. It managed to enter our dog house (which is abandoned by our dogs in the warmer weather).

In the morning there was a big fuss around the dog house with this little puppy barking at the older dogs that had now seen the intruder. She held her ground and wouldn’t let any of the other dogs in!

Like all the other strays, we fed, cleaned and gave the puppy medicine to make her stronger before she could be re-homed. A visit to the vet revealed that she was anaemic and needed treatment. Injections and medicine was given and we knew that this would be a long road.

And now for the name!

At the time we had a French Moroccan guest staying called Lamaiaa. She spent a little time with this puppy and requested that she be named after her. As her name didn’t sound phonetically like the other dogs the name was given.

The requirement for ongoing treatment to get Lamaiaa healthy meant that this was another dog that could not be re-homed. So, we were up to seven dogs again.

And that was going to be the last

We had some guests stay with us a GlenMyu Estate who came across three abandoned puppies on their travels. After some messages going back and forth to ensure that they were abandoned we agreed for them to bring them to us. Later that day there was quite a downpour and they were stuck in a drain. Perhaps if we hadn’t said we would take them in they would not have survived.

At this stage we were happy to take in a few puppies because we had always been successful in finding them new homes.

The puppies were cute, needing worming and a good bath. They had a little skin infection and a few days later we took them to the vet for treatment.

They were attractive enough that we thought that when they were strong enough and had their vaccinations that there would be a queue of people wanting them.

The landscape had changed.

Unfortunately we were wrong in our assumption.

It turned our that the financial crisis meant that there were a glut of puppies that were in need of new homes. We advertised on social media however, unfortunately, there were no genuine takers.

One neighbour did take one of the puppies, but it found its’ way back to the estate later that day. We had no chance of re-homing these puppies unless they were relocated far from GlenMyu Estate.

I could have cried!

Ten dogs! Really!

How would we manage? Where would they stay? Would they integrate with the existing pack?

It took may several days to come to accept that we now had seven dogs. I’m still not happy with the situation but there was no point dwelling on the matter.

The final ten.

So, this is how seven became ten!

I am adamant that we will now not be taking in any more puppies under any circumstances. More puppies are for Ruwanthi’s next project which will be an animal sanctuary. At the moment it is just a dream for her. However, GlenMyu Estate was also a dream and she successfully achieved her goal.

The puppies are now around eight months old, have been spayed (no more puppies!) and have made GlenMyu Estate their home.

They are puppies, so they are naughty, have eaten too many shoes and annoy the other dogs from time to time. It will take some more months before they are fully part of the team.

Of course, they are cute. They are also characters and have provided me with some content for my YouTube dog channel. The guests love them, but who doesn’t love a cute puppy.

Lipton

Sunny

Bobbi

The final line up!

Our contingent now comprises of the following:

Clove – our first dog

Roti – Clove’s son

Donie

Patch and Biscuit – Donies’ off-spring.

Mo Mo (formally mauve in colour)

Lamaiaa – still a little bit crazy

Lipton, Sunny and Bobbi – the three sisters from Lipton’s Seat

If I say the names fast, it doesn’t sound too bad.

Support our work with rescue dogs by staying at GlenMyu Estate.

The money you pay for a fabulous stay at GlenMyu Estate helps support the work we do with rescue dogs. Food, shelter, medicine, annual vaccinations and sundries are partly covered by staying at the hotel. Your money also supports several local workers, local suppliers, the maintenance and development of the estate and our other animals. Did I mention we have around twenty ducks, twenty chickens and a rescue cow called Maali!

Find out more about a stay at GlenMyu Estate by visiting our website.

You will also find us on Booking,com and Airbnb

Read our reviews to find out about the guest experience at GlenMyu Estate on Booking,com, Airbnb, Google and Tripadvisor.

We look forward to meeting you and introducing you to all the dogs.

There will be a test on whether you can remember all the names!

How did seven become ten? Read More »

Monkeys at GlenMyu Estate, Sri Lanka

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Holiday / By Mikeez

Monkeys at GlenMyu Estate, Sri Lanka

Watching the monkeys hang out and play in the trees in front of GlenMyu Estate is an enjoyable experience. The monkeys are not there every morning and sometimes they are hidden in the foliage. I thought I would share some of the videos and photos I have taken.

If you stay on holiday at GlenMyu Estate, you may well see some monkeys and take some photos of these intriguing creatures yourself.

For more details about GlenMyu Estate please visit our website and contact us via the WhatsApp button to inquire about direct booking rates.

What types of Monkeys visit the trees at GlenMyu Estate?

There are two types of monkeys which we regularly see in the trees around the 5 acres at GlenMyu Estate.

Toque Macaques

The Toque Macaque (Macaca sinica) is a reddish-brown-coloured Old World monkey.

Toque macaques are native and endemic exclusively to Sri Lanka.

They generally occupy three types of habitat, hence can be divided into three subspecies.

Common toque macaque – living in dry habitat

The Pale-fronted toque macaque – inhabiting wet areas

Hill-zone toque macaque -found at high elevations.

You can read more about Toque Macaques at the the following links:

Dilmah Conservation

New England Primate Conservacy

Animalia bio

Tufted Gray Langurs (Semnopithecus priam thersites in Sri Lanka).

The tufted gray langur (Semnopithecus priam), also known as Madras gray langur, and Coromandel sacred langur, is an Old World monkey, one of the species of langurs.

They are mainly leaf eaters and you can see them eating the leaves of many of the trees around GlenMyu Estate.

You can read more about Tufted Gray Langurs in the following links:

New England Primate Conservancy

iNaturalist

Animalia Bio

Bioexplorer

Monkey Kingdom and Monkey Camp

Many people may have seen the film “Monkey Kingdom” produced by Disney Nature.

Studies at Monkey Camp (formerly the Smithsonian Primate Research Station) Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka were highlighted in this film and many other documentaries.
You can visit and stay at the Primate Center Eco Lodge, Sri Lanka (Monkey Camp) to get a better understanding, appreciation of primate societies.

Other monkeys, other places!

As GlenMyu Estate is within one hour fifteen minutes from Horton Plains we visit there on a regular basis. We love it there. Our guests also love Horton Plains and we ask them to share some photos with us that we can share with you.

The Purple Faced Langur is a monkey that is only found in specific habitats in Sri Lanka.

You can read more about the Purple Faced Langur at New England Primate Conservancy.

Some photos have been provided by our guests in the gallery below.

We also love Upper Diyaluma Waterfall and we have added a few for good measure.

Subscribe and we will post more!

We regularly post videos of the moneys and other animals that we see at GlenMyu Estate.

Please subscribe to our social media channels to encourage us to keep posting new videos.

Not just Monkeys - many more things to see at GlenMyu Estate

At GlenMyu Estate we also have several rescue dogs. They are all vaccinated and used to meeting guests. You can see videos and YouTube shorts at our Youtube channel specifically for our dogs at D’Dogz – Adventures of the Magnificent Seven Dogs.

A Macaque on the tree at the Balcony — A toque macaque in a tree at GlenMyu Estate

A toque macaque at Upper Diyaluma Waterfall

Monkeys - Animals in Asia — Playing in the tree at GlenMyu

Hiking at Horton Plains National Park — A purple leaf monkey at Horton Plains

Monkeys at GlenMyu Estate, Sri Lanka Read More »

Birds at GlenMyu Estate, Sri Lanka

Birds, Birdwatching, Holiday, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka, Travel / By Mikeez

Birds we have seen at GlenMyu Estate

At GlenMyu Estate we have seen lots of different types of birds since we have been living on this beautiful 5 acres in the Sri Lanka Hill Country.

My photographs are not that great and my SLR was inoperable some years ago so I have taken these pictures with my mobile phone or pocket Nikon camera.

I’m sure that you could do so much better than I have.

When I was younger I wasn’t as interested in birds however I was living in London and there was little to see.

Since moving to this beautiful Paradise Island my interest has changed so much. It’s hard not to admire these beautiful creatures when they are singing early in the morning and swooping their way across the landscape.

Here are some of the birds that I have managed to capture, mainly from my pocket Nikon Camera.

Some of the birds have spectacular colours which are impossible to miss when enjoying the day at GlenMyu Estate.

Many of the bird are just too fast for me to catch or see. I have bought a set of binoculars so that I get to see some more of the species that visit the estate. I would recommend that you bring some binoculars with you when you stay at GlenMyu Estate Hotel so you don’t miss out.

There are lots of endemic birds that visit GlenMyu Estate. Once of our neighbours has seen almost half of the endemic species in Sri Lanka in the area. She has been birdwatching since she was a little girl and is full of knowledge and can even identify some from their birdsong.

Our own birds at GlenMyu Estate

We also have ducks and chickens at GlenMyu Estate.

They roam around the land and forage and are a delight to watch. I consider them my kind of meditation as I watch them wander and get on with their daily business.

Ever so often we have new life at GlenMyu Estate as the ducks and the chickens get broody from time to time and sit on their eggs. If you are lucky enough to be staying at GlenMyu Estate when they hatch you will be amazed on how quickly they adapt to life. We have seen duckings eating insects as soon as the hatch from the egg and also have seen some swimming on day one!

Nature is amazing and it is a great privilege living with nature.

Birds at GlenMyu Estate, Sri Lanka Read More »

We got a cow!

Animals that live at our visit GlenMyu Estate., Organic, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, The Organic Garden at GlenMyu / By Mikeez

We got a cow!

In December 2022 we got a cow.

I didn’t want a cow however, my wife was determined to get a cow, so we have a cow!
If you know my wife, she normally gets her way.

We had several discussions over the last few years about a cow and I was adamant that we would not have a cow at GlenMyu Estate.
I had several concerns about taking on this responsibility. One of the main ones was the terrain which is quite steep in places. I was worried about a cow having a fall and breaking a leg. Also, I was concerned that we would start racking up vet bills if the cow fell ill. Many of our neighbours that have cows (mainly for milking) appear to have the government vet visiting them often.
The other main concern was that it was another level of responsibility that we would be committed to.

Organic Farming and Cows

Cow manure is an important part of organic farming. It has high levels of minerals and nutrients which are one of the best natural fertilisers used in organic gardens. Using cow dung to nourish the soil eliminates the requirement for chemicals and pesticides.
By having a cow at Glenmyu Estate we also do not have to use fossil fuels to transport manures and compost to the property reducing our carbon footprint.

There are many articles providing information on the benefits of uing cow dung/manure in an organic garden or farming. Home Biogas outlines these benefits.

Science Direct provides a good history and data about cow manure.

This cow is not for milking

At GlenMyu Estate we are happy for Malli just to provide us with manure. We just want her to lead a good, stress free and comfortable life. There is no need for Malli to go down the route to provide us with milk. We have plenty of neighbours that have cows where we can buy milk when we want to make ice cream or cheese. As Malli was premature she may not be able to produce milk successfully and we do not want to put her through that stress.

Eating our flowers

Initially we were really pleased with what Malli was grazing on. Having been confined to a small shed before arriving at GlenMyu Estate’s 5 acres, she was fed grains as there was no where to forage. It was like having a smorgasbord with the offerings at the land. She went from place to place sampling new tastes and didn’t stay in one place for too long.

I was pleased as she was eating some grass where I would normally have to strim with my brush-cutter to keep the growth at bay.

She also provided the manure that we were after for our organic garden so all was good.

Well, it was, until she decided that flowers were tasty. She managed to destroy quite a lot of the planting alongside the main lawn at the estate which had been painstakingly maintained by Ru and the gardeners.

Shouts of “Malli No!”became a new sound often heard in the garden.

Imprisoned - for part of the day.

In order to get Malli to concentrate on what we would like her to graze on (and protect our flowers) she is now tied in an area for a few hours a day. She does a good job there and is later released from her bondage to roan freely. There are still cries of “Malli No!”, however, they are getting less frequent.

We have come to the conclusion that losing some flowers is a compromise that is worth making.

Funny Cow anecdotes are starting to pop up

Malli has only been with us a short time but already there are some events that are making us laugh.

Papaya - No it’s for the chickens!

We normally give the leftover or spoilt papaya to our chickens. Malli loves Papaya.
Our Walli Amma was taking some Papaya peelings to the chicken shed but met Malli on the way. It is quite a narrow pathway and therefore is single file only.
Malli wouldn’t let her pass until she had given her some of the Papaya peelings! After a while Walli Amma realised that the chickens would be without their snack if Malli had her way. She dropped some Papaya on the floor and managed to slide past Malli and make her way to deliver the remnants of the fruit to the chickens!

A taste for Jackfruit

Ru was trying to take Malli around the pathway in below the house to graze on some of the foliage there.
As soon as she let go of her rope Malli went tearing off completing the circuit to where one of our staff was taking a Jackfruit off the tree.
Malli loves Jackfruit!
When Ru found her she was just standing by the Jackfruit Tree looking upwards. She wouldn’t move until she was given a chunk of the fruit!

Customer feedback about the cow!

The reaction from our guests so far has been great. They love the story and that she has been rescued from a dangerous situation.
Malli looks great in the environment and adds some additional life and colour to the Estate.

When guests have found out we have a cow they have immediately asked to see her and be “introduced”.

One of our guests had to say a last goodbye when they were leaving.

We have a great picture of one of our guests feeding Malli some Papaya. It was a special experience for both parties!
She is becoming quite a character
Malli has quickly become one of the family here at GlenMyu Estate.

A turnaround

I must admit that I have changed.

Malli is a real asset for the Estate and has become part of the experience for guests at the estate. My fears of Malli destroying large parts of our work and making lots of unwanted noise has not come to fruition. The main issues are whether we can keep “some” of our flowers and whether we can dodge the cowpats before they are picked up and added to the compost.
Unfortunately, during my brush-cutting, I have not seen one of Malli’s fresh offerings and been “splattered” which is not a pretty sight!

My concerns have been lifted

The main reasons why I didn’t want a cow have mainly disappeared.
Malli bounds around the property without fear or concern. I have been really surprised on how she manages to get up to steeper parts of the land when she forages.
She appears to have settled into the climate and environment quite quickly and despite being premature she shows no sign of needing a vet.
It also turns out that one of our staff has experience in looking after cows and he has taken on the main part of this responsibility that I was concerned about.

Early days - don't speak too soon!

We are still in the early days of Malli being at GlenMyu Estate but most of my concerns have been lifted.

Meet Malli, our chickens and our ducks

If you want a holiday with a difference in Sri Lanka, then maybe GlenMyu Estate is the experience for you. To find out more please visit our website or contact Ru on WhatsApp for direct booking rates.

We got a cow! Read More »

Joined by one of the dogs on the balcony

How did I get here?

Birds, Holiday, Our dogs, Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

I sit on the balcony and just wonder “how did I end up here?”

It is a December morning with Christmas fast approaching.

About an hour ago I was woken up by the early morning light that washes over hills below our bedroom window which has a view towards the Southern coast of this Paradise Island.

My balcony sits below a glorious Sri Lankan Fig Tree which is bathed in a kaleidoscope of light.

Music is provided freely by the winged visitors that whistle, tweet and call to each other appearing to be saying “Good morning World!”.

My peaceful start is disturbed by three of my four legged friends that want to join the party.

Mans, and my best friends, are acknowledged by a gentle pat on their heads and then they settle at the balcony end to also enjoy the view.

I look at my temperature gauge and smile as I see the digits twenty three point nine degrees celsius.

Not many years ago I would be fighting my way through the throng of London’s Underground network targeting arriving in the office on time.

I would be wrapped up tightly to ward off the icy blasts of that the European Winter would throw at me.

Approaching the box that would be my coffin for the coming eight or so, hours I automatically pick up a generic coffee which is encased in a ,less than environmentally friendly, disposable cup and my blood pressure would eventually settle after being tormented on the start to a traumatic day.

My coffee today has been picked from the Estate, processed and roasted on a skillet over an open fire. Bean to cup has travelled about two hundred metres.

However I got here, I am just thankful.

To experience a relaxing morning listening to birdsong and being surrounded by a blanket of green come to the beautiful Sri Lankan Hill Country and spend some deserved vacation at GlenMyu Estate, Hotel and Bed & Breakfast, Haputale, Sri Lanka.

Please click on the following link to find out more details.

How did I get here? Read More »

Birds of Sri Lanka – what you might see at GlenMyu Estate, Haputale, Sri Lanka.

Birds, Birdwatching, Holiday / By Mikeez

What kind of birds live in Sri Lanka?

What birds will I see when I stay at GlenMyu Estate, Haputale, Sri Lanka?

We are lucky at GlenMyu Estate to have an environment that is attractive to birds and we have a variety that we regularly see here foraging, nesting and swooping around the land.

Here are some pictures and videos of birds that I have seen visiting the Estate.

Unfortunately my camera and video are great for capturing the birds and if you visit the estate with better equipment you will no doubt get much better pictures than I have!

A Black Throated Kingfisher — A White-Throated Kingfisher

A White-Browed Fantail and Chicks — A White-Browed Fantail and two chicks

A pair of Ceylon Hill Mynas — A pair of Lesser Hill Mynas.

A Hill Swallow on a nest — A Hill Swallow nesting.

A Hill Swallow with some twigs — A Hill Swallow gathering twigs.

Black eagle — A Black Eagle passing over GlenMyu Estate

A Purple Rumped Sunbird — Purple Rumped Sunbird

Here are some videos that I have taken of some birds that visited the estate.

We are also very lucky to have a neighbour who has a lifelong interest in birds and bird watches daily. She has identified a large number of the 34 endemic species of birds that visit this part of Sri Lanka.

How do I find out more about Birds of Sri Lanka?

If you want to know more about the endemic birds of Sri Lanka, the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka has a complete list pf birds and additional interesting information in the following link https://fogsl.cmb.ac.lk/list-of-birds-of-sri-lanka/

Another website where a community identifies birds is https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-sri-lanka

Avibase – The World Bird Database gives details of the birds and also some examples of bird song https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/avibase.jsp?lang=EN

The Ceylon Bird Club is another good resource http://www.ceylonbirdclub.org/endemic_birds.php

Books?

I use “A Photographic Guide to theBirds of Sri Lanka” by Gehan De Silva Wijeyaratne which I find has some good pictures to help identify the birds.

Find out more about GlenMyu Estate, Hotel and B & B, Haputale, Sri Lanka.

There are three king size on suite bedrooms for guests which all have superb views of the hills below.

A natural spring fed swimming pool is available for the use for guests and is a great place to have a refreshing swim or just hang out listening to the nature that passes by.

Where is GlenMyu Estate?

You can find out where we are on the map below.

Birds of Sri Lanka – what you might see at GlenMyu Estate, Haputale, Sri Lanka. Read More »

Ducks, ducks and more ducks and a birthday.

Birds, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate / By Mikeez

Ducks, ducks and more ducks and a birthday.

We didn’t plan to have ducks.

I thought that having chickens ay GlenMyu would be good to provide us with organic eggs. They would also provide a good home and life for the birds we were to rear.

We have friends back in the UK that have a henhouse in their smallholding. They get a steady stream of eggs throughout the year. My only objection was that I found the cockerel to be quite aggressive and scary. I wasn’t looking forward to dealing with this challenge on a daily basis whilst collecting the eggs.

Our friends also have turkeys from time to time. Then the scare factor doubles for me!

Some research - but not enough.

Ruwanthi did a bit of research as we were also trying to grow organic rice at the estate. She came across some articles about Japanese farmers using ducks to keep their paddy fields weed free. The ducks also provided good natural fertiliser for the rice while they were going about their work.

Another birthday!

As one gets older birthdays are more of a challenge when it comes down to marking another year around the sun. The conundrum is exacerbated when you live remotely. This results in limited purchasing opportunities. And being tied to the property whilst the development of the building and land is in progress doesn’t help.

This years birthday present - so easy?

I was delighted in 2019 whilst driving down the hill from Haputale to Beragala that my pondering over a suitable present this year. It was solved when Ruwanthi asked my to stop the car.

After about 20 minutes Ruwanthi returned looking for my wallet to complete the purchase of four duckling. And a packet of duck feed to keep them going.

I was a little bemused as it was another commitment we were taking on without much planning.

A mixed welcome from the dogs.

We arrived back at GlenMyu and the dogs were ejected from their cage. This would become a residence for the ducks until we arranged a more suitable home for them. I really don’t know what the dogs thought of the situation!

The ducks lineage is just like the dogs on the estate being a bit of this and a bit of that. However, we did work out that we had a Muscovy due to her markings.

A name for the duck.

The Muscovy duck is now called Mama Kahlu as she has been prolific providing a stream of new ducklings. Once she decided to sit on her eggs there was no moving her. Our duck numbers grew and grew so quickly that I was concerned that we would be overrun by them at the property!

Still learning - at our age!

We have have learnt a lot over the eighteen months or so that we have had the ducks. We have lost a few; one flew away, two were meals for the mongoose. One duckling went missing mysteriously in the middle of the night. Two ducklings have drowned? ( I didn’t think that this was possible).

A farm animal or a pet?

Ruwanthi has a great relationship with Mama duck. She follows Ru when clearing demanding the worms that are dug up. Muscovys are renowned for being quite friendly and acting like a pet.

At this current time (July 2021) we have Mama Duck and one of her offspring sitting on eggs. You can see from the videos below that Mama is quite comfortable in her endeavour being an old timer now. The younger duck is very protective and hisses as me as I get near.

Maybe my reservation about chickens and turkeys being scary will also be the case with some of the ducks we raise!

Come and experience the ducks for your self at GlenMyu Estate.

Ducks, ducks and more ducks and a birthday. Read More »