Ups and Downs on the Israel Trail

Ups and Downs on the Israel Trail

23 November 2010
Segments 23 - Shoevah to Even Sapir *   Although November is almost over, Israel has not yet received any significant rainfall this autumn. Our weather concern for this hiking day was not if it would be cold and wet, but rather how hot it might be. Faced with such conditions, I decided the best segment for today's hike on the Israel National Trail would be the ascent to Jerusalem. I hoped to enjoy the greenery and shade of the forests, and to find water in the spring-fed pools marked on the map. Since this segment is the closest the Israel Trail gets to Jerusalem, it was a natural decision to hike the trail in an "ascent to Jerusalem". But we had plenty of descents as well. We began our hike in Shoevah, the same place we began a hike…
A Stroll in the Park on the Israel Trail

A Stroll in the Park on the Israel Trail

7 February 2010
Segment 19: Ganei Yehoshua (Park Hayarkon), from West End to East End * It had rained heavily throughout Israel in the preceeding week. Trails everywhere in Israel were too muddy to hike. Starting at the Tel Aviv Port, we would end our hike at the eastern end of Park Yehoshua, in the Ramat Hahayal high-tech business park. Our Israel Trail hike thus became a stroll in the park, on a cool but sunny winter day. For the most part we walked on asphalt and packed-dirt paths.
Beaches, Beaches and More Beaches on the Israel Trail

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.
Slumdog Adventure on the Israel Trail

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…