Page 16 - Holyland Magazine - 2020 Edition

Hike the north on the

Israel National Trail

From the greenery of the north to the desert sands in the south, an unparalleled
landscape awaits you across Israel's National Trail

By Leoni Jesner
he Israel National Trail was founded To provide an illustration to Israel’s diminutive Henkin, a comprehensive guide, maps and
by journalist and avid hiker Avraham size, it’s very possible to walk the entirety useful descriptions are presented in an easy
Tamir, after his expedition across the of the country by foot. The official trail to read format. Split into digestible sections,
Appalachian Trail in 1980 - the world’s commences at Metulla at the Israel-Lebanon the guide arranges routes from north to south,
Tlongest hiking-only footpath running border and ends at the waters of the Red ranging from 14km up to 30km each.
from Maine to Georgia. Tamir’s experience Sea in Eilat. Although the distance from north
served as the catalyst to his vision of a to south Israel spans around 470km, the Read on to discover what awaits you on one
similar trail in Israel, one which would expose winding nature of the footpath increases the of Israel’s most northern routes.
hikers and travellers to the country's natural breadth of ground covered. Tel Hai to Yesha Fort
habitats and expansive terrains. He joined The 19km stretch captures sweeping views
forces with Ori Dvir, a founder of The Society It takes anything from a few weeks to of mountainous terrain, framed by Israel’s
for Protection of Nature in Israel, to begin approximately 60 days to complete the whole wilderness and natural landscape. This
development on the 1,000km trail. trail, depending on your walking speed and section of trail commences at the Roaring
rest times. As such, its design allows for hikers Lion monument at Kfar Giladi in Tel Hai, a
to discover sections of Israel at their leisure memorial site in the Upper Galilee erected in
Over a decade and a half was spent intricately through bitesize tracks indicated along the memory of eight guards who tragically lost
joining existing hiking routes before establishing route by three stripes of white (for the north), their lives during defence of the settlement.
the Israel Nation Trail in 1995. It has since been blue in the middle and orange (for the south).
named as one of the “World’s Best Hikes: Epic In this region is the Beit Hashomer Museum,
Trails” by National Geographic in its spread of In the book The Israel National Trail and the founded at Kibbutz Kfar Giladi in 1968 to depict
the world’s top 20 “holy grail of trails.” Jerusalem Trail, by Jacob Saar and Yagil the story of the Bar Giora – an underground

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