Adams Peak
Adams Peak is Sri Lanka’s holiest mountain and is claimed by most of the country’s religions as the site where Adam/Buddha/Shiva/St Thomas came to earth. Every good Buddhist is expected to make a pilgrimage to its peak at least once in their life. It is a stiff climb.
Although the central highlands of Sri Lanka rise to over 2500 metres, there are few distinct peaks. The one exception to this is Adams Peak, which rises like a mini-Matterhorn out of the surrounding tree-clad slopes. You can drive pretty close to the summit but it is still a steep climb to the top. The peak has been a site of pilgrimage for over a thousand years and there is now a well maintained set of over 4500 steps that take you to the top.
The climb is traditionally done in the dark to allow the pilgrim to witness the sunrise from the peak and to return again before the heat of the day. The path is well-lit by ugly strip lights which ascend in the darkness blending confusingly with the stars, so at times it looks like the path goes on for ever up into the heavens. In fact climbing in the dark is best as you can’t see how much further you have to go.
We set off at 2.30am at a brisk pace and were soon sweating and panting as the path climbed relentlessly upwards. We passed several hundred people on the way up in varying degrees of physical fitness. Some of the more frail looked like they had been climbing for days and it was moving to see hunched women in their 70’s in flip-flops being assisted by several generations of their family.
Feeling macho we went up at a brisk pace and were soon cursing the conservative estimates of our guide book, which suggested leaving four hours for the climb. Drawing near the top with an hour or so to spare it looked like we were in for a long cold wait. Fortunately, the stairs pass by assorted tea shops to refresh the weary and we stopped in for a break. The fodder on sale here is even more unhealthy than at your wayside Little Chef. The tea comes at sugar saturation point and large sugar crystals are on sale to fire up the hypoglycaemic.
We passed on the sugar lumps and spooned down the tea while staring down over the moonlit landscape – big reservoirs shimmered in the distance while the neighbouring hills stood out gaunt against the gradually lightning sky. As the sun began to make its appearance we climbed the last few steps and elbowed our way amongst the fervent crowd to get a view over the parapet. The sunrise was a bit of an anti-climax but the real highlight was to be seen on the other side of the hill where the peak casts a vivid triangular shadow onto the surrounding clouds.
The descent was much worse than the climb. The temperature rose quickly and our knees were soon groaning. We soon realised the least painful way down was to run and we bounded our way past groups of bamboozled Sri Lankans. As is their wont, several groups of boys soon joined us and by the time we drew near the bottom we had gathered quite an entourage. I fear several exhausted old ladies might have been bowled over by their enthusiasms. It took several days for our legs to recover but this pain was well earned and richly rewarded.
You should have taken the route through the wilderness on your descend. It’s easier considering there aren’t any steps…
There have been sightings of wild panthers and elephants on that route… although they are rare.
I didn’t see any, but the species of birds, the fauna and flora were incredible and the scenery was breathtaking!
My legs left like jelly for some days after the climb…
If there was a way making it up there without having to climb those steps I’d do it all over again, but I guess it just wouldn’t be the same!