The Hill Country - Sri Lanka - page 392

Dambatenne Tea Factory TEA FACTORY
(admission Rs 250; 7.30am-6pm)
A few tea factories in this area are happy to have visitors. The most popular, Dambatenne,
was built in 1890 by Sir Thomas Lipton, one of the most famous figures in tea history. The
tour through the works is an education on the processes involved in the fermentation,
rolling, drying, cutting, sieving and grading of tea. The tea-factory tour here is probably
the most comprehensive around, and afterwards you can sip on a cuppa.
On Sundays no processing takes place so there's little to see.
Although it's 11km from Haputale, the factory is easily accessible. Get a bus from the
bus station to Bandarawela and get off at the tea factory (buses both ways are every 30
minutes, Rs 23). A three-wheeler there and back costs between Rs 500 and Rs 600.
Adisham Monastery MONASTERY
( GOOGLE MAP ;adult/child Rs 100/50; 9am-12.30pm & 1.30-4.30pm Sat & Sun, poya days &
school holidays)
This beautiful Benedictine monastery once belonged to tea planter Sir Thomas Lester Vil-
liers. To recreate his English lifestyle he developed some English country-cottage gardens
which are still enchanting visitors today. Inside, visitors are allowed to see the living room
and library, which is filled from floor to ceiling with dusty tomes - the Love Affairs of
Mary Queen of Scots was the raciest book we could find. If that makes you blush try the
History of the Tory Party 1640-1714 .
Today, Adisham is one of only 18 monasteries in the world belonging to the Sylvestrine
Congregation, a suborder of the Benedictine fraternity founded in the 13th century.
There's a small shop selling produce from the monastery's lovely gardens and orchards.
Buy some real strawberry jam or wild guava jelly to enliven your next guesthouse break-
fast.
The monastery is about 3km west of Haputale. Follow Temple Rd along the ridge until
you reach the sign at the Adisham turn-off. A taxi should cost Rs 500 return, including
waiting time. Before you reach Adisham the road passes through Tangamalai , a bird sanc-
tuary and nature reserve, but there are no facilities.
Hiking