Great Britain’s Colonial Stamp on Sri Lanka

Despite the vastly different climate, acres of wilderness, thick jungles and tropical wildlife, Britain’s legacy in Sri Lanka is clear from the outset and beyond. Noticeably Colombo, Galle and Kandy pay tribute to a clear past of European occupation – Galle Fort the standout with a deep history of Portuguese, Dutch and British influence.

However, when considering the British rule as a standalone to its European counterparts, it is remote town of Nuwara Eliya that still showcases the British hallmark more than most.

An abundance of tea leaves, Nuwara Eliya

Little England

Known for its rolling hillside tea plantations, luscious green valleys and breathtaking waterfalls, Nuwara Eliya is one of the most beautiful places we have visited yet. Because of its higher altitude and location in the central highlands, which causes moisture-laden winds to rise and cool, the temperature is cooler and rain is more common than elsewhere in the country. It is not a surprise then to understand that Nuwara Eliya is widely known as ‘Little England’.

Nuwara Eliya's mountainous views

Luckily, we visited and toured on a day of glorious sunshine and pleasantly warm temperatures compared to the 30+ degrees Celsius that we had grown accustomed to.

Immediately, we observed that the infrastructure throughout the town was different to other parts of Sri Lanka, including other areas with a colonial past. The roads were similar to those in England, the cobbled-stone paths were just like those found in small country villages and the red-brick houses, road signs and streetlamps that lined the residential areas were noticeably British. There was even an extremely well-kept garden called Victoria Park and a still functioning, albeit maybe for not much longer, Racecourse.

Entry to Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya

Several bakeries populated the town centre, a golf course was nestled within the hillside town and the local people all had umbrellas to hand to protect themselves from the sun – similar to the old pictures you’d see of British people in the summertime many moons ago.

Shielded from the Sri Lankan sun, Bluefield Tea Plantation, Nuwara Eliya

Put the kettle on, love

Of course, the building of tea plantations was the focus of British occupation in Nuwara Eliya and, therefore, the subsequent growing and cultivating of tea leaves. More specifically, black tea.

Drying tea leaves, Bluefield Tea Plantation, Nuwara Eliya

The tea fields were beautiful, the tour was insightful and the tea was splendid. Sitting in the café post tour with two shades of black tea and one green tea to try, surrounded by old-school British tables, chairs and umbrellas, took me back to National Trust walks we’d do as a family during summertime. Enclosed by the finest nature Britain has to offer, which is remarkably underrated, and doing what us Brits do best, sipping on tea, are fond memories that flooded back when Kea and I did just that nearly four-thousand five-hundred miles away from home.

Tea processing equipment dating back to the mid-1800s, Nuwara Eliya 

The standout attraction, however, and something that our British ancestors had no influence over was the Ramboda Falls. A few hundred steps up a rather ad-hoc pathway led us to the opening of one of nature's finest and stunningly powerful phenomena and Sri Lanka’s eleventh tallest waterfall. A slightly daring walk over the wet rocks led us to the natural pool that had collected over the thousands of years and had become popular with travellers seeking a dip. We joined them.

Kea admiring the view, Ramboda Falls, Nuwara Eliya

Unlike the bath-like seas we’d have the pleasure of swimming in later on in our trip, the pool felt like a natural ice bath. Shoulders under, a few shivers, plenty of shrieks and certainly some funny looks later, we were in. As we slowly paddled closer to the increasingly imposing waterfall, we could begin to feel the sheer power of it.

One of nature's finest sights, Nuwara Eliya

The volume and velocity of the water dropping overhead, the noise it made and the ferocity of it smashing against the rocks below was incomprehensible. I wondered about the scale of energy this magnificent beast was creating second by second and marvelled at the fact that for thousands of years, humans have tried and still do try to create or enhance the use of energy to this magnitude, yet nothing comes close to the power and influence of Mother Nature. We were soon to feel what Mother Nature was really capable of, but that's for another time.

Sri Lanka or West Sussex?

After a day of learning, exploring and wondering, we slept very well. The next day we continued to the second part, and widely accepted as the most beautiful part, of the famous Kandy to Ella train ride. The British built the train line in the early 1800s to facilitate the transportation of tea leaves and other crops from the highlands to the coast. Now, it is used as a passenger ferry and a tourist attraction.

A wet train ride provided unique photo opportunities

Manoeuvring its way through the mountainous terrain and undulating landscape, the train often passes other waterfalls, more tea plantations and many small local villages.

Now, if you’ve ever been on the train journey from Brighton to London with me, you’d know my favourite spot (sorry, Kea, I know you’ve had to live through this hundreds of times). It is, of course, when you reach the Balcombe Viaduct. Especially when travelling from the concrete jungle of London, this part of the journey signifies the transition from city to countryside in the finest of forms.

Particularly on a nice day or during sunset, when the striking valley appears before with the quintessential English cottages, the classic country road and the farmers’ fields lying below, I feel very appreciative to live in such a pretty area. It is no surprise that this area is known as the High Weald, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I told you the British countryside is underrated!

No doors allowed for a better view of the countryside

I will not say if our train journey in Sri Lanka surpassed the Sussex view but what I will say is that it was equally as spectacular. Ok, maybe it was slightly more beautiful.

Unfortunately, however, we did encounter some rain and misty views at some stages (although, seeing the deflated faces of the holidaymakers realising that they were unable to get their pictures for social media did sadistically make me giggle slightly). I know you’re thinking… ‘erm, you’re a tourist too.’ And yes, of course I am, by definition, and that’s why I can see the funny side of things.

A cloudy yet still beautiful train journey

Kea, my Dad and I had a discussion when we met in Bangkok a few weeks later of what we believe defines a holidaymaker, a tourist, a traveller, a settler and so on and how they might be different. That’s for another time but something I urge you to think about if you’re keeping up with my blogs.

We soon arrived in Ella, in tropical fashion – in the rain – and found our accommodation quickly. Another small hillside town, we were taken aback by how touristy and developed it was. We’d heard great things from fellow backpackers before we arrived about how cool, relaxed and fun the place was. Perhaps the rain didn’t help but we felt as if the vibe did not live up to these expectations, sadly.

Fresh Coconuts at Little Adam's Peak, Ella

A traditional Ayurvedic massage, a wonderfully insightful cooking class with the kindest teacher and, when the rain stoped falling, a hike up Little Adam’s Peak and to the Nine Arches Bridge (Ella’s Balcombe Viaduct) helped us pass the time before we headed further south to do what we do best, beaches.

Nine Arches Bridge, Ella