A Two-Day Visit with the Watson Family to Castlereigh Reservoir 13th to 15th November 2008
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| We spent a couple of nights at Castlereagh Reservoir, a person-made lake 4000' up in the hill country. The water level is controlled as electricity is generated at the nearby dam. | The reservoir is situated in the Bogawantalawa valley, known as The Golden Valley of Tea, where, it is claimed, the best Ceylon tea is grown and processed. The area is certainly beautifully kept. |
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| We drove up the valley and came across an old (1938) micro-hydroelecricity scheme. We walked alongside the pipe that carried the water from a pool and channel at the top of this waterfall. A notice at the little generator station stated a head of 81' and power generation of 400KVA. | We enjoyed the company of the Watson family once again. Here Rosemary crosses a bridge with Ina. |
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| Christ Church, Warleigh is a small Anglican Church amidst tea fields overlooking the reservoir. It was build by the British tea plantation owners, known as Planters, in 1878. Only white people were encouraged to attend and only white people were buried in the graveyard until relatively recently. Twice a month services are still conducted in English. For the estate staff and workers another church, less well appointed and not so beautiful, was built in the nearby town of Dickoya. We went to Dickoya for Ordinations on 8th December 2008. See web page called Services, |
Another view of Christ Church, Warleigh. |
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The Watson family amid the tea bushes. |
James, Rosemary, Paul and Ina. |
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| A village or two were sacrificed when the reservoir was created in 1950s. This small Hindu Kovil is not visible when the water is high. |
Wednesday November 12th had been a Poya Day (full moon day) and we were able to appreciate the moon on the next two evenings too. We all enjoyed swimming in the reservoir in truly lovely surroundings, the most beautiful we have discovered in the hill country. |
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