Israel National Trail Archives - Page 6 of 6

Beaches, Beaches and More Beaches on the Israel Trail

4 August 2009

Segment 18: Gaash to Tel Aviv * This hike is the second half of the route from Netanya to Tel Aviv. We started this hike in early morning sunlight at the point we finished our last hike in early evening darkness. This hike was a long, long walk on the beach, followed by a few final kilometers on city streets of Tel Aviv. We began on a nearly deserted stretch of shore; besides us there were just a few campers still asleep in their tents, and some fisherman tossing their lines out.

Hike 3 on the Israel Trail, Post-Mortem Redux

8 July 2009

Netanya to Gaash on the Israel Trail - July 3, 2009 * We are still in a learning mode. Many of our hiking group members are orienteers and skilled at making "route choices" while on an orienteering race course. But the Israel Trail is another challenge. The concept here requires knowing where to look for trail markers (even, and especially, on city streets), keeping them in sight, and following them! I'm sure our Trail skills will improve the more we hike. On our last hike we had two instances of deviating from the trail. The images below show where we actually hiked in those two spots, as compared to where we should have hiked according to the Israel Trail markers. In Netanya we were simply careless about following the markers. When we didn't see the markers, we assumed they'd been removed or obstructed…

Slumdog Adventure on the Israel Trail

5 July 2009

Segment 17-18: Netanya to Gaash * After two rather conventional Saturday morning hikes through the fields and forests of Israel, our third hike was a different sort of adventure. It was a Friday afternoon hike that took us first through the urban landscape of Netanya, and then along the seashore from Poleg to Gaash, and ended at the Hof Hasharon National Park with a night-time picnic lit by a nearly full moon and flashlights. Friday afternoon. 4 p.m. We leave a couple cars at the Gaash beach parking lot, and head for Netanya. I have not been in Netanya for some 20 years. Downtown does not seem any different than what I remember. 16:30: We are pleased to find the designated parking lot in Netanya is empty and free of charge! Weather is lovely. We are a group of…

The Mishli Hiking Group Takes to the Israel Trail Again

8 June 2009

Segment 22: Latrun to Shaar Hagai * For our second hike on the Israel Trail we were a group of 18. We were missing 7 from the first hike, several of whom were unfortunately suffering from back ailments. The 6 newcomers had expressed interest from the start, but for various reasons had not been on the first hike. (My apologies to the group: we forgot to take a group photo this time. We must remember to do on every hike.) 6:45: Meet-up at gas station near Messilat Zion, regrouping into 4 cars, and shuttle back to Latrun. 7:15: The GPS (”the Garmin”) starts recording. We leave the parking lot next to the restaurant and head north to reconnect with the trail where we left the trail last time. We walk around the east side of the Armored Corps Museum…

Israel Trail Guidebook Author Zevi Gilat

21 May 2009

Best Wishes from the Israel Trail Guidebook Author * Last week I attended an interesting lecture about the tombs of the righteous. The speaker, who has published a book on the subject, was none other than Zevi Gilat, author of the Israel Trail guidebook. After the lecture I approached Zevi, told him I had organized a group to hike the trail, pulled the guidebook out of my bag, and asked him to autograph it. He very kindly wrote an inscription, dedicated to me and my hiking friends. "To Lisa and to those walking the way, best wishes for a good journey, from Zevi Gilat" Summer Hiking Segments Save the dates. Friday, July 3 and Friday, July 31. We will hike along the sea shore in the late afternoon, followed by a kumsitz (campfire picnic) when the sun goes down. On July 3, moonrise…

Get Set for our Second Hike on the Israel National Trail

17 May 2009

In light of feedback and requests following our first hike, this is the plan for our second hike. (1) The date remains as originally planned: Shabbat, June 6. Sorry, cannot be changed! Please confirm your participation by May 30. (2) In addition to the 19 people who hiked the first segment, another 12 people are also on the list. If I do not receive 20 confirmations by May 30, I will let you know spaces are available for newcomers. (3) We will slow down the pace a bit to keep the group together. Specifically, we will stop more often -- as a group -- to snack, sing, chat, view the vistas, learn about the sites, and to simply enjoy moments of pleasure and comradarie on the Israel Trail. (4) Varda Ingels has volunteered to share her knowledge about this…

The Israel Trail Hiking Group Materializes

2 May 2009

Segment 21: Mitzpeh Modiin to Latrun * My emails, phone calls and conversations over the past few weeks produced a group of 17 people ready to roll on the Israel Trail this morning. Here, then, is my account of our first hike: 6:45: Quick introductions in the restaurant parking lot at Latrun, regrouping into 3 cars, and shuttle to Mizpeh Modiin in Ben Shemen Forest. 7:29: The GPS ("the Garmin") starts recording. 7:33: We misread a trailblaze and turn off the main road onto a footpath in the forest. It's not a serious mistake, and actually takes us on a more pleasant route through the woods for 5 minutes. 8:08 (2.4 km): After climbing and descending several hills, we emerge from the Ben Shemen Forest. We head through the olive groves. 8:15 (3 km): We are moving at a…

Preparing for Our First Hike

20 April 2009

I was delighted with the positive responses from friends who want to hike the Israel Trail with Yuval and me. A group has formed and we hope/expect to have 15-20 people hiking on each segment. Our first hike on the Israel National Trail: Shabbat, May 2, 2009 Meeting Point: We will all meet at the segment END POINT -- in the parking lot of Asa Restaurant at Latrun. Meeting Time: 6:45 a.m. We will leave most of our cars at Latrun, and take as few cars as needed to get us all to Mitzpeh Modiin, where we will begin our hike. Start Point: Mitzpeh Modiin (Ben Shemen Forest) Start Time: 7:30 (or sooner, if we organize quickly) End Point: Latrun (Asa restaurant / gas station) Route Length: 17 km Difficulty: medium Time: about 7 hours, including rest stops Route:…

First Responses to Israel Trail Hiking Plan

6 April 2009

I had a number of immediate positive responses to yesterday's announcement about hiking the Israel Trail. Unfortunately a few will not be able to participate in the first segment. I suspect it might take a few hikes before we get a full and committed group formulated. But I figure the early two segments can be easily completed afterwards by the late joiners.

Israel National Trail – The Challenge Begins!

5 April 2009

For several years I have contemplated and often talked about hiking the Israel National Trail. Now that we have sold our 4x4 pickup, the time is ripe to embark on this project. MAPA's Guide for Israel Trek by Zevi Gilat breaks down the 940 kilometer trail into 44 segments. My idea is to form a group that hikes a segment of the trail about once a month, and not in sequential order. The plan is to start with segments that are easier, to leave the more difficult segments for later, and to do segments best suited to the season. It will take several years to complete the entire trail. An orienteering friend, Shimon Shomrony, initiated such a plan four years ago. He has generously shared his group's itinerary and logistical plans with me and Yuval, and they will serve…