Post by L Roebuck on Aug 13, 2006 10:10:40 GMT -5
A nighttime cave walk
Choose one of the three natural balconies and get yourself ready for a prolonged stay across from the southernmost cliff and the modest gorge
Ynet
The beginning of the trail in Nahal Halilim gives you no indication of what the rest of the trail is like. You start with about a half hour of easy walking in the well-known scenery of the Jerusalem hills between the chalk rocks of the dry wadi, which brings you to the natural maze of the best cave in the area.
After parking your car, walk to the grove on your right and keep going eastward. The basketball court with the “Payis Sport” sign indicates that you are going in the right direction. Once you pass it, look for the green trail marking and continue eastward along the river bed.
If you’ve got keen eyesight (or a decent flashlight), you’ll see the left side of an empty burial cave from the Second Temple period, which, like many other such caves, has been broken into and plundered. Later on you’ll see hewn stone surfaces that were used for pressing grapes.
After another few minutes of walking the lights of Jerusalem’s suburbs will appear to the east. The cliffs have been getting higher and higher as time goes by. About a half hour or less after the start of the walk, look to the right of the wadi for a path that ascends in the direction of Halilim cave. If you see a huge crack in the cliff on the left, look for the cave on the opposite side.
Geography
But before romance, a bit of geography: this is a cave created by rainwater that penetrated into the depths of the chalk stone for years. This process created a variety of cavities, including tunnels, stone pillars, arches, and low chambers. In order to investigate the cave and its endless cavities, you’ll need a flashlight, the ability to bend over, and quite a bit of courage.
After your geological research, choose one of the three natural balconies and get yourself ready for a prolonged stay across from the southernmost cliff and the modest gorge. To the east you will see the lights of road #1, which shows you that you’re still surrounded by civilization. This is the time to pull out your candles and give yourself over to the night.
Length of route: About a mile in each direction
Type of route: Straight
Level of difficulty: Easy
Full moon: Recommended
How to get there:
Go to the northern part of Mevasseret Zion, pass the Harel Mall, keep going until the first traffic circle, and park right after the traffic circle.
Article
Choose one of the three natural balconies and get yourself ready for a prolonged stay across from the southernmost cliff and the modest gorge
Ynet
The beginning of the trail in Nahal Halilim gives you no indication of what the rest of the trail is like. You start with about a half hour of easy walking in the well-known scenery of the Jerusalem hills between the chalk rocks of the dry wadi, which brings you to the natural maze of the best cave in the area.
After parking your car, walk to the grove on your right and keep going eastward. The basketball court with the “Payis Sport” sign indicates that you are going in the right direction. Once you pass it, look for the green trail marking and continue eastward along the river bed.
If you’ve got keen eyesight (or a decent flashlight), you’ll see the left side of an empty burial cave from the Second Temple period, which, like many other such caves, has been broken into and plundered. Later on you’ll see hewn stone surfaces that were used for pressing grapes.
After another few minutes of walking the lights of Jerusalem’s suburbs will appear to the east. The cliffs have been getting higher and higher as time goes by. About a half hour or less after the start of the walk, look to the right of the wadi for a path that ascends in the direction of Halilim cave. If you see a huge crack in the cliff on the left, look for the cave on the opposite side.
Geography
But before romance, a bit of geography: this is a cave created by rainwater that penetrated into the depths of the chalk stone for years. This process created a variety of cavities, including tunnels, stone pillars, arches, and low chambers. In order to investigate the cave and its endless cavities, you’ll need a flashlight, the ability to bend over, and quite a bit of courage.
After your geological research, choose one of the three natural balconies and get yourself ready for a prolonged stay across from the southernmost cliff and the modest gorge. To the east you will see the lights of road #1, which shows you that you’re still surrounded by civilization. This is the time to pull out your candles and give yourself over to the night.
Length of route: About a mile in each direction
Type of route: Straight
Level of difficulty: Easy
Full moon: Recommended
How to get there:
Go to the northern part of Mevasseret Zion, pass the Harel Mall, keep going until the first traffic circle, and park right after the traffic circle.
Article