Pitawala Pathana is mountain grassland spread across the Knuckles range and a pygmy forest. It’s literally a grassy plateau region, as the name indicates. It is a simple walk from the primary entrance and it takes about 30 minutes to an hour to cover the 250-hectare region along a 750-meter path.
There’s plenty of land to cover in the Knuckles range, but if you can afford only one or two days, you can still get the most of its scenic sights. The tour of Pitawala Pathana is a day journey from Illukkumbura before going to Riverstone. It requires about an hour by vehicle from Matale City to climb the hill on tight highways. On the way, pine forests, tea farms, paddy fields a breathtaking view of the range of mountains that surround the road. The cool breeze that wafts down from the mountains around gives a chilly but soothing effect.
Pitawala Pathana’s grassland vegetation ecology and dynamics are worth examining. Compared to any Sri Lankan habitat, the open meadows hold the deepest secrets. You can find its biota with an ecology specialist including amphibians, tiny mammals, lizards, fresh tree frog species and some endemic plants. Only tiny crops survive the rocky flat ground due to severe winds.
The open stretch of landscape falls off at the perspective of the mini World’s End where pair of sheer cliff edges offers you breathtaking and spine-chilling views of the surroundings. The region is susceptible to powerful winds, so think twice about prior to trying anything adventurous. It’s best to obtain the advice of villagers in the area, who are the best guides to these beautiful landscapes, as these areas have been home to them for decades.
When you travel make sure you take with you warm clothing, such as jerseys and overcoats, that will help you get over the cold. At most times visitors do not take such clothing as most of them are from hot and humid areas of Sri Lanka and would want to witness the cold and chilly atmosphere.