Coffee was the main crop in Sri Lanka until it was destroyed by blight. James Taylor planted the first tea bushes and in 1867 Ceylon tea was first produced. All tea comes from the same plant (Camellia Sinensis), with the different types created through picking and manufacturing techniques. Each tea bush is harvested approximately every 10 days.
Our hotel on the Norwood estate was a six bedroom bungalow, originally built in 1890 for the estate manager, at an altitude of 1,300m. Many of the estates have names connected to their British origins – we drove through both Edinburgh and Somerset.
During our stay we visited a working tea factory on the Dunkeld estate owned by Dilmah. The machinery and techniques have hardly changed in the last 150 years. However, the industry is under pressure as younger generations are no longer willing to work in the plantations hand picking. This may lead to mechanisation which results in a lower quality product.
Shilli-Fully Travels 