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| Hiking with a baby and a bump |
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| Firan monastery |
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| Pass the baby |
I remember the joys of hiking from when we lived in Afghanistan. In lands best known for conflict and political struggle, the magic of walking in remote places is rekindled. Armed with the wonderful walking guide book by Stefan Szepesi: '25 Journeys into the West Bank', J and I and a lovely Dutch couple and their baby, not to mention the still eminently portable B.F.Ears, set out early in the morning to explore the higher section of Wadi Qelt, a valley which leads from Jerusalem to Jericho, the world's oldest city. St Grace looked after four children for us all day. No words can explain that feeling of freedom. And we trekked for 6 hours through some of the most beautiful and varied scenery in the country - from the steep rocky heights over looking caves, ruins and leading us past what could be the first desert monastery established in the Holy Land around 330AD; to a valley floor, shielded by limestone cliffs, full of pools with fish and frogs, the surface dappled with butterflies and dragonflies.
We'd had a stagnant week last week, but this outing has given us more energy and inspiration for living in this land, than ever.
As the author of the guidebook writes: 'Simply put, there is another Palestine from the one filling our television screens'. The only risk being that walking in these under-used hills and wadis, can turn you into rather a spoilt tourist. We spotted the grand total of 5 other humans, all day.
I'm now smitten with discovering this country on foot. We need to plan some more walks before the temperatures soar and before B.F.Ears' arrival.
Wadi Qelt is an ISRAELI nature reserve, developed and adminidtered by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, just so you'd know since you seem ignorant of that fact.
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