nature Archives - GlenMyu Estate Luxury Bed and Breakfast

Stunning pool at the top of Upper Diyaluma

Our 3 Favourite Places in Sri Lanka

Hiking in Sri Lanka, Holiday, Horton Plains National Park, Lipton's Seat, Haputale, Sri Lanka, The Pekoe Trail, Travel, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Koslanda / By Mikeez

Our 3 Favourite Places in Sri Lanka

Our 3 favourite places in Sri Lanka

Having lived in the Sri Lankan Hill country for the past six years, it’s an easy choice to pick our favourite 3 places.

Of course GlenMyu Estate would automatically be number one, however here are our favourite places to visit in the Sri Lankan hills.

You may be surprised that Ella, Nine Arch Bridge and Little Adam’s Peak don’t make our list.

They are a little too touristy for us!

Our guests tend to agree

When guests ask for recommendations on what to do and see when they stay at GlenMyu Estate, we are always happy to help.

It’s amazing how many things that you can do when staying in the Sri Lankan Hill Country.

The opening of the Pekoe Trail in 2023 added a new dimension to what we typically would recommend.

There are several sections of the trail within reach of GlenMyu Estate and we have already had several guests complete stages 12 and 13 of the Pekoe Trail.

Our 3 favourite places to visit in Sri Lanka.

Here are our three favourite places to visit in Sri Lanka when staying at GlenMyu Estate.

1. Diyaluma Waterfall and Upper Diyaluma Waterfall.

Diyaluma Waterfall is the second tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka. Bambarakanda Waterfall is the highest and is also within reach of GlenMyu Estate.

It’s number one on our list for many reasons. Embarrassingly, we were a little late finding out about this amazing place. It was only when some German guests invited us to accompany them that we discovered this gem.

What and where?

The second tallest waterfall in Sri Lanka is a spectacular sight, especially when there is good water flow.

Here is a video of Diyaluma Waterfall from the roadside that was taken in January 2024.

Diyaluma Waterfall and Upper Diyaluma Pools are around 45 minutes drive from GlenMyu Estate.

The main waterfall is located on the A4 road between Koslanda and Wellawaya.

Diyaluma Waterfall can be viewed from the main A4 road between Beragala and Wellawaya.

There is a small road that takes you to the start of the twenty minute hike to visit Upper Diyaluma Waterfall and pools.

The advantage of staying at GlenMyu Estate

There is a good reason to stay at GlenMyu Estate if you want to visit Upper Diyaluma Waterfall.

We are only a 45 minute drive from the waterfall.

If you don’t like crowds and are willing to get up early, then you are more likely to have a unique experience.

The crowds from Ella and Haputale are further from the falls and therefore if you get there early you may have this amazing environment all to yourself.

In January 2024, my best friend and my godson went early to Upper Diyaluma Waterfall and we were the only people there.

We saw our first tourist arrive as we finished our hike and dip in the pools.

2. Horton Plains National Park

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is our second favourite place to visit in Sri Lanka.

This National Park is located in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. It was designated as a National Park in 1988.

The park is at an elevation of 2,100–2,300 m (6,900–7,500 ft). It covers an area of 31.6 km² (3,169 hectares).

It’s unique landscape on the island consists of ecosystems such as Montane evergreen forests, grasslands, marshy lands and aquatic ecosystem.

3 places to stop and catch you breath (and take those Instagram pics!)

Horton Plains National Park has three main stopping points on the 111 kilometre circular hike.

The first is Lesser World;s End which has a cliff with a 270 metre drop,

Secondly is Greater World’s End which has an impressive 870 metre precipice.

The third spot to rest is in front of the beautiful Baker’s Falls waterfall. This waterfall is named after the founder of Nuwara Eliya.

Flora and Fauna

Another highlight of Horton Plains is the flora and fauna you will see there.

Horton Plains’ vegetation is grasslands interspersed with montane forest. It includes many endemic woody plants.

And there are lots of different fauna to see (if you are lucky!).

Sambar Deer is the most commonly seen faunal species in the park. You can normally see them on the plains as you enter the park. There may even be a large male who hangs around by the car park.

Other fauna include the Montane Toque Macaque, the Slender Loris, the Long Clawed Shrew. The park is also home to twelve species of endemic birds.

And even some Leopards!

It is unusual to spot a leopard in Horton Plains National Park.

However, we did have guests from Austria that saw one as they left the park in March 2024.

Ghost of the Clouded Plains is a book which was published in 2023 documenting the leopards there.

It is Photographer/Naturalist Sankha Wanniatchi’s first book venture and captures over 8 years of intense study on the Leopard of Horton Plains.

You can see more details of the book at the following link to Barefoot Ceylon.

3. Lipton's Seat, Haputale

We first visited Lipton’s Seat many years ago before we were living in the country.

Unfortunately, we didn’t really appreciate the beauty of the viewing place of Sir Edward Lipton at the time.

We made the mistake of getting to the top of Lipton’s Seat too late on in the day and we didn’t get a good view of the landscape.

Our Australian guests set us right

In November 2023 our Australian guests, Matt and Millie left GlenMyu Estate early in the morning to catch the sunrise at Lipton’s Seat,

November is not the best month to sight see in the Hill country as there is a bit of rain before the drier peak seasons of Late December to April,

How wrong we were!

Matt and Millie really set us right about Lipton’s Seat.

Look at the amazing experience they had watching the sunrise. We were bowled over.

Walking through the tea plantation

One of the joys about visiting Lipton’s Seat is walking down through the manicured lines of tea bushes.

You may even get an opportunity to capture one of the tea pluckers in action.

And a tea factory tour

Matt and Millie finished of the experience by doing a Tea Factory tour at Dambetenne Tea Factory.

The tea factory offers regulars tours which will provide you with the knowledge of where you tea comes from and how it is processed.

Our top 3 favourite places in Sri Lanka - Summary

Diyaluma and Upper Diyaluma
Horton Plains National Park.
Lipton’s Seat

Stay at GlenMyu Estate to visit the Sri Lankan Hill Country.

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Diyaluma Waterfall, Horton Plains and Litpon’s Seat.

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, 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 3 Favourite Places in Sri Lanka Read More »

The Pekoe Trail

Accommodation, Hiking in Sri Lanka, The Pekoe Trail / By Mikeez

The Pekoe Trail

The Pekoe Trail is a newly developed 300 kilometre hike in the Sri Lankan Hill Country.

It is designed as a 22–day walk from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya via Ella, Haputale, and Horton Plains

You can find out more at the Pekoe Trail Website.

GlenMyu Estate is a perfect place to stay if you are tackling Stage 12 or Stage 13 of the Pekoe Trail.

The Pekoe Trail is part of the European Union’s 5.7 million Euro (LKR 2.2 billion) support for Sri Lanka’s national tourism strategy. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also provided approximately $787,000 (approximately LKR 283 million) to support the trail.

Reasons to Hike the Pekoe Trail

Be one of the first!

In January 2023 Ultra Marathon Runner Hyun Chang Chung ran the 300 kilometre Pekoe Trail in 59 hours. What an achievement!

You can read more at the FT Article and watch the video which will give you a flavour of what you will experience.

By tackling the trail and recording it on on of the hiking Apps then you will help promote the hike to other walkers by sharing your experience.

Here is a video taken by Marc Ramsey in February/March 2023 which gives a beautiful insight into the Pekoe Trail.

The Pekoe Trail is an example of sustainable tourism that uplifts local communities.

It also raises awareness about the importance of protecting the pristine, natural environment.

An Ultra Marathon on the Pekoe Trail

Ultramarathon trail runner Hyun Chang Chung completed his 300 km run along the Pekoe Trail, non-stop in 59 hours.

Hyun is quoted “The diversity in elevation, terrain, and environment as it winds around tea estates, nature reserves, and local communities puts The Pekoe Trail on par with some of the best trails in the world. This is my fourth visit to Sri Lanka, and I’ve found one more thing to love about it.”

Where should I stay in between stages?

As the Pekoe Trail is a newly created hike and recently they have published a list of recommended properties to stay on the trek.

GlenMyu Estate is located near t stages 12 & 13 of the Pekoe Trail and is a comfortable place to relax after an arduous hike.

The Natural Spring Fed Infinity Swimming Pool is a wonderful place to ease those muscles.

We can also arrange for a masseuse to come to the estate and massage your legs so you are in better condition to attempt the next stage of the trail.

Find out more about a stay in the Sri Lankan Hill Country

We are listed in Airbnb and Booking.com

Horton Plains National Park

You may also be interested in a hike around the UNESCO heritage site Horton Plains National Park.

The Hike is around 1 hour 15 minutes/30 minutes drive from GlenMyu Estate.

If you want to read our Blog Post about Horton Plains National Park, Lesser World’s End, Greater World’s End and Bakers fall click HERE.

The Pekoe Trail 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 »

All I want for Christmas is……..a comfortable chair!

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

All I want for Christmas is...... a comfortable chair!

What is it about a comfortable chair?

If a chair is comfortable enough its a great place to:

read the newspaper and pick up on yesterdays goings on and all the gossip

get stuck into a book and never lift your head

take in the view and just feel that you are so lucky

think without any distractions

have a conversation with a friend or loved one

have a delicious cup of tea or coffee, whichever is your poison

have a glass or two of something a little stronger

or perhaps to have a much deserved forty winks!

I really like the idea of having a chair that’s so comfortable you can just nod off.

Surely, that’s just bliss!

I have been to many hotels over the years where there isn’t a comfortable chair in the room.

Mostly there is only one chair so, being a Gentleman, my wife tends to be the recipient of the desirable object.

I have a theory that, if there are comfortable chairs in the bedroom, guests are unlikely to leave the room, and therefore provide the hotel with an opportunity to make sales.

This really makes sense but it’s just not what we are about in the Hill Country.

No compromises at GlenMyu Estate, Haputale, Sri Lanka.

An important requirement for me when furnishing the house at GlenMyu Estate was to have comfortable chairs in all the bedrooms and in the lounges.

If I wasn’t comfortable sitting in the chair, I didn’t want to offer it for a guest to sit on!

I just think that this is fair to the customer.

Sometimes we have given up a bit of style for comfort, however, I really believe that it’s a compromise worth making.

A little bit of research which opened up various rabbit holes!

As I was thinking about a comfortable chair I decided to do a few searches on the internet and see what I could find.

Well, it led me to some crazy but interesting places!

The Chesterfield

One of the most desirable sofas is the famous Chesterfield.

I found a “History of the Chesterfield Sofa” on timelesschesterfields.com

It talks about that they are one of the most world renowned sofa designs. They are defined by their large, rolled arms that are the same height as the back.

The Chesterfield design allowed gentlemen to sit comfortably without creasing their suits.

Chesterfields date back to the mid-1700’s when Lord Philip Stanhope commissioned a piece of furniture that evolved into todays Chesterfield sofa.

Lord Philip Stanhope was the fourth Earl of Chesterfield and this is where the name comes from.

For more information on the history please visit

There are several factors which makes a chair comfortable and they are outlined in the following blog.

https://www.residencestyle.com/the-types-of-chairs-what-makes-a-chair-comfortable/

Music and comfortable chairs???

The Comfortable Chair album by The Comfortable Chair

I was surprised to find that there was a California based pop psychedelic sextet called “The Comfortable Chair” which was formed in 1968 and only released one self titled album that year.

The name of the band refers to sitting in a comfortable chair while meditating.

They feature in a Bob Hope and Jackie Gleason comedy movie called “How to Commit Marriage” and played a rock group associated with the young people in the plot. They performed a protest song called “A Child’s Garden”.

Their songs can be found on YouTube.

The Kooks - The Sofa Song

Ed Sheeran - Sofa Lyrics

“The 7 Best Songs about Furniture EVER”

Now this is getting a bit silly!

Here is the link if you are interested in finding out more!

https://www.piecebypieceinteriors.com/blogs/the-7-best-songs-about-furniture-ever/the-7-best-songs-about-furniture-ever

Comfortable Chairs and Sofas at GlenMyu Estate, Haputale, Sri Lanka.

We have leather sofas, comfortable armchairs, wooden chairs with rounded backs, metal chairs

Even the metal and wooden chairs we have are comfortable.

A little bit more about GlenMuu Estate.

We would be delighted if you would spend some time at GlenMyu Estate to enjoy this unique experience with us.

For more information, rates and availability please visit our website and contact us either by telephone, whatsapp or by email.

All I want for Christmas is……..a comfortable chair! Read More »

New Life Arrives

Holiday, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate / By Mikeez

New Life Arrives

We get very excited when new life arrives at GlenMyu Estate.

Today (5th March 2022) our wonderful Mama Duck has done it again!

We have some new life arrivals at the Estate in the form of the cutest ducklings.

Our Mama Duck does it again.

Our Black Muscovy Mama Duck is a proud mother looking after her new offspring.

Feeling uplifted after a bad week - thankfully new life arrives

Unfortunately one of our dogs went missing on the 21st February and we have been in mourning since. We have searched the Estate and further, driven for many kilometres and spread the word over the internet and by printing lost dog posters to try to find him.

We have not given up hope and have come to the conclusion that someone really wanted our beautiful dog and he is in a new caring home. Other outcomes we can’t bear thinking about.

The new life arriving today at the Estate has given us a bit of a lift.

Mama Duck was not very successful with her last batch as only one egg hatched.

We were really concerned that this solitary duck would be lonely not having siblings.

However, Mama duck looked after her until she was old enough to join the rest of the mature ducks and she has just fitted in very well and is part of the family.

Here is a picture of the new ducklings that hatched this morning.

As you can see there are more eggs to hatch. We will have to wait and see whether all ten eggs are successful.

We just love watching our ducks wander about the estate

One of the joys of being at GlenMyu Estate is to be closer to nature, switch off and enjoy the little things in life.

We really get a lot of satisfaction out of spending half an hour or so just watching our ducks go about their business.

They waddle from their duck house down to the stream for bathing and then forage around the grounds looking for something to eat. Even watching them have a snooze perched on one leg is just very soothing.

The new life that arrived today will give us more interesting things to watch and pass the time.

I often say that watching the ducks is a kind of therapy.

If you want to spend your holiday in Sri Lanka closer to nature GlenMyu Estate is great choice.

Please click on the following link for more information.

We had three sets of guests here today to witness the new life arrive at the Estate. Maybe you will also be able to experience this if Mama Duck times it with your visit.

New Life Arrives Read More »

Our Hike to BD Naketiya School, Koslanda

Charity work in Sri Lanka, Hiking in Sri Lanka, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

Our Hike to BD Naketiya School, Koslanda

Why go?

Ruwanthi is a local representative for the Wildlife Nature and Protection Society locally in Badulla district. https://www.wnpssl.org

It’s something that she has recently gotten involved in and is keen to do what she can to support this worthy institution.

An initiative was put forward recently for each area to submit a project to restore and protect endemic species in Sri Lanka with the generous sponsorship of Hemas Group.

We met a principal of a remote school in Koslanda and, after a long discussion about two potential projects, we decided we had better visit the preferred site to see if it was worthy of submitting a proposal.

The school historically served a Tea Estate which has now closed.

There was a landslide in 1996 and most of the villagers were relocated expect the ones who were determined to remain.

The children of the remaining villagers attend the school up until Grade 4 where they move to a new school.

The total number of pupils …..18!

The school is set within three acres of grassland and is abutted by a small stream and therefore, with careful planting, there appeared to be an opportunity to replant a small area with a variety of plants which would grow into a small patch of forest which would draw wildlife to the area.

The principal of the school, Anbu, warned us that there was a four and half kilometre hike to the school which he does every day.

Where is it?

BD Naketiya is located around four and a half kilometre hike from the main Koslanda Road and can be found on the map below.

Fit enough?

Anbu’s word of warning were there for a good reason. He looked at us, and me in particular, and was a little concerned that the hike would be too much.

A 7 a.m start

Anbu came to GlenMyu in the early morning and we followed his motorbike in our car to the start of the hike.

There is a road that can get to the school, however, Anbu has gone by motorbike and felt a little bit sick at the end of the journey due to the rough road.

It may be attempted by a good four wheel drive vehicle but when there is rains it would be quite treacherous even for the most experience 4 x 4 driver.

The start of the Hike

We had a beautiful sunny morning commencing the hike and we thought we were lucky because we were sure that it was going to rain on the day.

Well, I got a quick wake up call to my fitness level as the first part of the hike led us up quite a vertical rough stone walkway.

Here is how I sound as I attempt to keep up with the others on the hike.

As we walked we had some fantastic views of the landscape of the Hill Country.

Anbu loves nature and wildlife which is evident even after a short conversation with him.

Outside his school work he spends time as a guide on walks in the area and certainly has a really good knowledge of all the well known and lesser known places to visit .

Here is Anbu talking about a potential hike (24 km – way to much for me at this stage).

The first part of the hike is completed - phew!

You can see the beautiful scenery in the video below (sorry about the heavy breathing!)

Catching my breath and enjoying the view

An outline of the project

Here is Ruwanthi talking about the project that she hopes to submit to the Wildlife Nature and Protection Society.

Beware of the Elephants!

Elephants regularly can be seen in the area and there is evidence of them on the roads and also from the damage that has been done to various buildings as highlighted by the local villagers.

They advised that one elderly lady had been killed by an elephant when she was startled to come across the animal one evening.

The Human – Elephant conflict is a serious challenge in Sri Lanka and the Wildlife Nature and Protection Society are a key stakeholder in trying to protect the elephants and the people.

Some of the people we met.

Evidence of Elephants.

Elephant damage to buildings.

Here is Anbu talking about the elephants that can be seen in the area.

Still on the Hike!

A few friends that we met on the way.

Here I stop and take a short video of the line houses where some of the children live and have a long hike to their school.

The last part of the Hike - almost there but still breathing heavily!

Boy, I was pleased to be getting close to the school. I definitely need to improve my fitness if I’m going to do more of these hikes!

The school is set in the most beautiful place and although it has been a tough climb for me it was certainly worth it.

Probably - the school with the most beautiful view in the World.

Here is the splendid view from the school.

I’m sure that you will agree – it is just wow.

Murals on the school walls.

Hanging around on a rock

Hiking in the Hill Country

If you are interested in hiking around the Haputale area including Lipton Seat, Horton Plains National Park, Bambarakanda Waterfall, Diyaluma Waterfall, Pilkington Point or other hikes we can connect you with Anbu..

Stay in the beautiful Hill Country

A stay at GlenMyu Estate in the Hill Country, near to Haputale is a new experience as we only opened in 2021.

We have three fabulous bedrooms which have spectacular views of the hills towards the Southern Coast.

A refreshing swim in our natural spring fed swimming pool is a great way to ease those tender muscles from a hike.

To find out more please visit our website or and see our customer reviews on google.

Our Hike to BD Naketiya School, Koslanda 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 »

Hotels in Haputale

Accommodation, Sri Lanka, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka, Travel / By Mikeez

Hotels in Haputale - A new place to stay in 2021 and 2022.

Opened in 2021, GlenMyu Resort and Hotel is a new luxurious venue enveloped in nature and set in five acres of land in the Sri Lankan Hill Country.

The newly built hotel has three luxurious bedrooms all of which have splendid views of the Southern Sri Lankan Hills where you can relax and be at one with nature..

You can see the views from the lounges on the middle and lower floors.

You can also wake up to the glorious vista in the morning from your bed!

Relax, refresh and renew in the Natural Spring Fed Swimming Pool set in a sea of green.

It is really a unique experience swimming in this refreshing water surrounded by the trees and listening to the bird calling each other.

Explore the Estate, watch the ducks, meet our dogs and be at one with nature.

There are plenty of places to explore on the Estate and we have put in seating areas around the land to allow you to sit be and be with nature.

We have around a dozen ducks at the Estate and they are a joy to just watch and see them go about their day.

Where is GlenMyu Estate located?

We are located around 10 km from Haputale Town and Railway station. It takes a total of around 20 minutes to drive down the hill from Haputale to Beragala and the 4 km from Beragala junction to the Estate.

Hotels in Haputale Read More »

Lipton Seat

Hiking in Sri Lanka, Holiday / By Mikeez

Lipton Seat, Sri Lanka

Stunning views from the viewpoint from where Scottish tea baron, Sir Thomas Lipton, used to survey his vast tea empire

Lipton Seat is a stones throw away from GlenMyu Estate, Haputale, Sri Lanka and is well worth a visit.

The top of Liptons Seat is 1970m above sea level and the elevation provides some stunning views of the country.

It has a panoramic view over the hills and you can see Udawalawe Tank (reservoir), Handapanagala Lake, the Wedihiti Kanda Mountains, Chandrika Lake and Hambanthota Port which is located on the southern coast.

You can see five provinces from the viewpoint including Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Eastern Provinces.

As your view includes the surrounding tea estates you are likely to see some tea pickers with their baskets on their back where they put the picked leaves.

What will I see on the way?

There are two ways to get to Liptons seat however we have only been there via Haputale and Dambetenne Tea Estate.

On the way from Dambetenne Tea Estate you can see Lemastota Waterfall.

You will be travelling through beautifully manicured tea plantations. The route is well marked and you will travel through some narrow roads (some in need of TLC) and you will come across stone roads built during the period where Britain colonised the Country when it was known by its former name Ceylon.

If however you are approaching from Bandarawella and Nayabedda Estate, the viewpoint at St Catherine’s Seat in the Nayabedda Estate provides a great view of Bandarawella , Diyitalawa and the Uva Valley.

No promise that you will get a clear view, however it is still worth the trip

As with lots of places in Sri Lanka there is no guarantee that once you arrive at the destination that you will get the view you were hoping to upload on your Instagram feed.

The weather in the Hill Country is changeable and on our visits to Lipton Seat we have experienced stunning views of the tea country and also the viewpoint covered in a thick mist giving no view at all.

Despite our disappointment it was still well worth the trip and we still managed to take some really memorable photos in the mist.

I’m sure that Sir Thomas didn’t get a clear view each and everytime he went to survey his empire!

Where is Lipton Seat Located?

Lipton Seat is a high viewpoint in the hills of Poonagala and is located at the top of the small town with the same name.

It is located around 15 kilometres from Haputale Town.

There are busses that go from Haputale to Dambetenne Tea Factory and you can either hike or get a tuk tuk to take you the on the remainder of the journey which is around 6-7 km.

What’s the best way to get to Lipton Seat?

Well, it depends on how fit you are and whether you are up for a hike.

The drive is a bit of a challenge to get to Lipton Seat and gets trickier as more tourists visit the site putting pressure on the small road. If you are not up for the hike we would recommend hiring a Tuk Tuk to get you there as they are able to cope with the road conditions and are small enough to pass other traffic on the narrow roads and lanes.

If you look at a few reviews of Lipton Seat you will read that most people recommend to walk there after experiencing the journey by vehicle!

Can I get a nice cup of Sri Lankan Tea when I am at Lipton Seat?

There has been a small shop built at Lipton Seat in more recent years and you can get a limited amount of refreshments and snacks including a cup of tea, some roti, dhal etc.

What’s the temperature like?

Due to the elevation and potential change in weather it can get a little chilly (for Sri Lanka) at times. I’ve seen on some reviews that early in the morning some people have experienced temperatures of 8 degrees Celsius, so I would recommend that you take something to wrap yourself up with just in case.

When is the best time to go to Lipton Seat?

Well, it depends on whether you want to get up early or not.

I have only been there during the day however most reviews that I have read recommend that it is worth getting there for sunrise for the spectacular views.

As a rule, in Sri Lanka, I would recommend to get to most of the tourist sites early as for lots of reasons.

You can avoid the crowd

The light is normally great for photographs early in the morning (and as the light goes down – according to most photographic manuals I have read).

You can avoid the really hot part of the day – and perhaps the pain of sunburn!

You have the rest of the day to relax and catch up on that sleep that you missed early in the morning.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate, Haputale, Sri Lanka and visit the local places of interest.

In addition to Lipton Seat and Dambetenna Tea Factory there are lots of places to visit within a stones throw from Glenmyu Estate such as Horton Plains National Parl, Addisham Bungalow, Bambarakanda Waterfall and Diyaliuma Waterfall.

GlenMyu Estate has three luxurious bedrooms with stunning views of the Southern Sri Lankan Hills for guests. It also has a natural spring fed waterfall and five acres of land to explore. To find out more about a stay in the Hill Country at GlenMyu Estate please visit our website using the button below.

Dambatenne Tea Factory

To find out more about Dambatenne Tea Factory please click on the flowing link https://www.historyofceylontea.com/tea-estates/estates-registry/dambatenne–4836.html

Udawalawe Tank (reservoir)

To find out more about Udawalawe Tank please click on the following link https://www.udawalawenationalpark.com

Handapanagala Lake

To find out more about Handapanagal Lake please click on the following link https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2021/07/04/feature/waters-handapanagala.

The Wedihitikanda Mountains

To find out more about the Wedihiti Kanda Mountains. please click on the following link https://infolanka.lk/en_US/wedihiti-kanda/.

Chandrika Lake

To find out more about Chandrika Lake please click on the following link https://www.lankapradeepa.com/2021/04/chandrika-wewa.html.

Lemastota Waterfall

To find out more about Lemastota Waterfall click here https://amazinglanka.com/wp/en/lemastota-oya-ella-falls/

St Catherine's Seat.

To find out more about St Catherine’s Seat please click here https://amazinglanka.com/wp/en/st-catherines-seat/

Lipton Seat 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 »

An Egg Hunt ….but it’s not Easter!!!

Accommodation, Holiday, Organic, Our Animals at GlenMyu Estate, Photography, Sri Lanka, The Organic Garden at GlenMyu, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka, Travel / By Mikeez

An Egg Hunt… but it’s not Easter

It’s been a really steep learning curve being new to raising ducks and only being 18 months in

It started with a ......

A spur of the moment birthday present for my wife in late 2019 brought four ducklings to GlenMyu Estate.

We didn’t know at the time that you cannot work out the sex of the duckling until it grows a bit and therefore we were unsure what mix of a batch we had picked from the retailer.

Waiting, waiting and......

We waited with anticipation and we thought that we were lucky as it turned out we had two males and two females. We thought we would have a stream of eggs coming from these pairs in the coming months.

Little did we realise that there is a rule of thumb ratio of one male to four or five female ducks however we were soon to find this out. From the markings we appeared to have two Muscovy Ducks and two ….well we don’t really know what they are!

The dominant Drake would bully the Muscovy Drake and it was pitiful to watch.

One day the Muscovy Drake decided enough was enough and flew away never to be seen again despite and extensive search by us and our team. We often think about what happened to him. Did he manage to survive or was he lunch for a mongoose or one of the other predators that may be hiding in the forests.

Anguish and agony!

The remaining Muscovy female was a little bit lost for a few days however settled into life with her duck house mates.

The Muscovy female decided one day that she was going to sit on her eggs and our egg production was reduced however, we were intrigued to see what would happen

Amazing Mother Nature.

We are amazed by mother nature and how animals, without any training or knowledge, instinctively mate, deliver and care for their offspring.

Been here....done it!

We had witnessed this with our first dog, Clove, who had been on heat whilst we were in Colombo and we missed the boat on getting her spayed to avoid adding to the already large number of dogs in the community.

Clove was so young but delivered, cleaned and fed her seven puppies to our astonishment and admiration. We were disappointed that she decided after three or four weeks feeding them was too much of a bother and handed the responsibility over to us!

Mama Duck.

Mama Duck, as she is now known, also instinctively did what was required to see seven eggs through to the emergence of seven beautiful, cute, and hungry ducklings.

Mama Duck has turned out to be quite prolific and has delivered several batches of new life since.

The Lonely Duckling.

We have one of her offspring who are now sitting on its own batch of eggs and we are awaiting to see if she are as successful as their mother is. Mama Duck is also sitting on eggs so we are expecting lots of new arrivals in late July or early August.

Both females are sitting on eggs in the security of the greenhouse and duck house. This is a first as Mama Duck usually sets up her next near our Temple Rock which is not secure from predators and we have had many nights of lost sleep concerned about her safety. We are sleeping better now knowing that they are better protected and can be locked in at night.

You have to laugh.

We joke that every morning we have to go on an egg hunt to find where the ducks have laid their eggs so we can collect them. They can lay their eggs in the most awkward of places and are really good at hiding them!

Hide and Seek!

One of the other females is now laying and hiding her eggs in anticipation of sitting on them delivering more life to GlenMyu. She has tried a few spots before settling on one place.

Around six thirty this morning I decided I would go open an egg hunt and watch where she went after her morning dip in the stream.

I kept my distance and had an idea of roughly where she was sitting.

At around midday I had a look at the spot and eventually uncovered five eggs well hidden by leaves, grass and other flora. I took a short video showing what I found.

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.

An Egg Hunt ….but it’s not Easter!!! Read More »

The House at GlenMyu Estate, Hotel and Bed & Breakfast, Haputale, Sri Lanka.

Ayurveda in the Sri Lankan Hills.

Ayurvedic medicine and plants, The Organic Garden at GlenMyu, Things to do on holiday in Sri Lanka / By Mikeez

Ayurveda in the Sri Lankan Hill Country - developing an Ayurvedic Garden.

When my wife purchased the 5 acres estate in Viharagalla, which she later named GlenMyu, it had been uncultivated for many years.

Historically it had been part of the larger Viharagalla tea estate and then used to grow sugar cane.

The land had become overrun by Guinea Grass which was brought in to the country as a fast growing foodstock for cattle. Unfortunately Guinea Grass is invasive and dominates local endemic species of plants and the land was in a poor state.

Lots and lots and lots of work.

There were however, several trees and shrubs that had managed to compete with the invasive grass and there were Jackfruit, Avocado, Coffee, Pepper and Cinnamon growing wild on the land.

Our priority was to build a property for ourselves so we could then develop the estate growing fruits and vegetables for our own consumption.

The Kitchen Garden

We did build a kitchen garden close to the original shack that was on the property and started growing some vegetables early on. Little did we realise that we would be fighting a battle with a host of creatures that wanted to eat our crops.

Monkeys, Wild Boar, Parrots, Bulbuls, Porcupine and an array of insects were challenges to our wish to eat wholesome locally grown organic food.

No drugs, no chemicals, just relying on Mother Nature (and a bit of hard work).

It took some time to protect the vegetable garden and work out what chemical free pest control would keep the insects away. Our steadily increasing collection of orphan dogs were an unexpected part of the solution guarding the land from would be diners.

The estate at GlenMyu is around 100 metres in elevation from top to bottom and the farming practices in the past had made the land vulnerable to erosion. It was essential that we secured the land so whatever we built did not end up at the bottom of the hill.

Neighbours who had restored and maintained their properties were really helpful in giving advice on how to manage and secure the land which we remain truly thankful.

We started planting a variety of trees around the land, ensuring that we had diversity and included a mixture if wood and fruit trees which would lead to a greater level of biodiversity and encourage wildlife to feed and live in security at the estate.

We also contacted to local agricultural department and sourced a variety of trees and plants through them including clove trees, cinnamon and ginger.

Fast Forward Three Years.

Fast forward almost three years since we started developing GlenMyu we visited the Ayurvedic Plant Nursery in Bathgoda which is located around six kilometres away.

We went to purchase a few plants to add some local diversity around the estate with a view to learning about this ancient art and eventually developing an Ayurvedic Garden which would be interesting for visitors to the estate.

We were still getting a bit of unseasonal rain in July which us normally the start of the dry season here in the hills and therefore we though we would make the best of the opportunity and establish some plants in some of the areas we had recently cleared of Guinea Grass.

A larger than expected purchase.

We ended up purchasing over 180 plants and therefore we were committed to the cause. Fortunately we had a night of rain and therefore we could start planting straight away.

My wife knew some of the plants we purchased and some would need research before being sunk into the ground. These plants will be planted around the land and add diversity to the plant stock we have and it will be interesting to see how they develop in their new environment.

The site for our Ayurvedic Garden for visitors is in the process of being cleared and made ready for planting and therefore is a project which will be developed later in 2021. We plan to have a variety of Ayurvedic plants that will be interesting but relevant to our guests and therefore we will be doing a lot of research and preparation during the latter half of the year to ensure we have another place of interest and place to relax with nature on the estate.

The 180 Ayurvedic plants that we purchased are already in the ground which will give visitors a wide variety of species to look at and also provide diversity around the Estate.

Oh No - we need more plants.

It looks like we will be visiting the Ayurvedic Nursery a little later this year again to plant in our Ayurvedic Garden – I wonder how many plants we will purchase on that trip and whether we will break 180 again!

Where is GlenMyu Estate, Hotel, B & B located?

Ayurveda in the Sri Lankan Hills. Read More »