A trip to the Upper Sorek Trail/photo: Fazit Shavid, Halat
Observations, blossoms and romance: the Upper Sorek Trail in the Sorek Creek Reserve has it all.
Fazit Shebid-Sheit, director of partnerships for the Judea and Jerusalem region at the Nature Conservation Society, recommends an accessible and convenient hiking route for adult families, for romantic couples who also want to enjoy the sunset in a quiet and spectacular landscape, and basically, for everyone.
On the route you will enjoy extraordinary views towards the city of Jerusalem, the Jerusalem mountains, the lowlands and on days of good visibility, you can even see the horizon line of the sea.
The Nahal Sorak palm trees in this section are a unique phenomenon, and all the greenery we are surrounded by on all sides of a dense natural forest, are a reminder of what was true before human settlement.
Today, it is part of the largest nature reserve in the Judean Mountains, so it is important to observe appropriate walking rules and avoid bringing pets.
It's orchid time.
Dinsmore beekeeper for Sorek/The Society for the Protection of Nature, Fazit Shebid
The orange wing of the tsetse that was recorded in the route/the Society for the Protection of Nature, Fazit Shevid
What to do?
In this season of the year, along the Upper Whistling Path, you will see special flowers such as mountain tulips, different types of orchids such as the Galilee orchid and Anatolian orchid and several types of bumblebees.
Katalev trees are impressive with beautiful blooms and Kida and Lotem Bershit bushes in bloom, and of course cyclamen, anemones, bulbs, the source of Hasida and more.
For skiers, sometimes you can enjoy a blanket of clouds on the bottom of the stream, which only increases the romanticism of the route.
Those with sharp eyes will be able to see the railroad of the first train to Jerusalem, which was established at the end of the 19th century, and also the flow of purified water from Jerusalem's sewage water that flows in the stream all year round, and is used for irrigation down the stream that empties into the sea after dozens of kilometers, near Kibbutz Palmahim.
Shil Sorek/The Society for the Protection of Nature, Fazit Shabid
The ruin of Tora sprouts from the route/society for the protection of nature, Fazit Shebid
How to get there?
Register in WAZE "Bar Bahar" and start from the visitor center, where you can see a huge map and get more information.
From the place there are several marked hiking routes and the route we chose is the route marked in black, which goes out on a wide dirt road that is sometimes used by cyclists and doing various exercises.
In this season there can be a few puddles, all of which can be bypassed.
After a short descent, the route mostly follows a height line from which you can view the expanses of the mountains to the lowlands and Jerusalem.
Along the way there are several branches marked with trail markings, for more challenging and longer routes while walking and a number of kilometers, in the direction of Dar al-Sheikh, Nahal Katlab, Horvat Tora and more. On the black route you can walk to Mount Yala - about 3.5 km, There you can leave a car or turn around at any stage you want and return to the vehicle.
The route is lovely and pleasant and green all year round, this season is special in light of the blossoms.
Everything is blooming at the moment in the Upper Sorek route/The Society for the Protection of Nature, Fazit Shabid
Anatolian orchid for Shirk/The Society for the Protection of Nature, Fazit Shebid
Important highlights
It is recommended to walk with closed shoes, although originally this car road is with stones and occasionally with some natural rock.
The entire route is in a nature reserve and you must behave accordingly and of course do not leave trash.
More on the same topic:
Tracks
SHOREK River