Mitzpeh Ofer to Meir Shefiyah
with Al–Hashvil, guided by Elyashiv Weiss
Photo album: Israel Trail Hike 2024-03-28
Much like previous Israel Trail hikes on the Mount Carmel range, our latest hike delivered a rich medley of terrain and vistas. The hike itself was not difficult. But the day brought the first heat wave of 2024. Many of us were not quite prepared — mentally or physically — for the high temperatures that day.
The highlight of the hike was the abundant arrays of wildflowers. Our guide Elyashiv excelled at identifying and sharing information about the flowers. Some of my hiking partners are also adept at putting names to flowers. I stick to capturing their beauty in photos, and turn to Wikipedia while writing my blog.
Natural bouquets of wildflowers along the trail.
Wildflowers blanketing the slopes of the Carmel.
Vista point with a memorial honoring helicopter pilot Captain Moti Sharon and his son Itai Sharon.
Clusters of lupines formed the perfect backdrop for a photo op.
We did some uphill bouldering…
… and a bit of downhill on a narrow track.
We passed a grove of majestic olive trees.
We took a look inside a bell cave. The coolness inside was a welcome relief from the heat outside.
Wildflowers kept us company us all day long.
The hollyhocks are a sign that the end of spring is near.
Purple thistles are another sign that summer will soon be upon us.
The complete set of photos in a Flickr album: Israel Trail Hike 2024-03-28
Memories
14 years ago I hiked this segment with a group of friends in the opposite direction. Back then it was already late May and very hot, so we skipped the last few kilometers climb up to Mitzpeh Ofer. It’s interesting to see how the trails and landscape have changed over time.
My blog from 2010: Kerem Maharal to Meir Sh’feya.
