Shevil Israel, Day 1

A new adventure then, this time a long distance walk in the holy land.  Well, I was feeling in need of exercise after Christmas, and getting away from freezing London sounded good too.  The plan then is to hit the Israel National Trail, or Shevil Israel, a six hundred mile long distance path inspired by the Appalachian Trail.  I'll be doing a 150 mile section between Haifa and Jerusalem over the course of a week.

Hotel Marom.

So, a four and a half hour flight from Luton, and I'm facing Israeli border control.  I'd read stories of single male travellers, particularly those with passport stamps from arab countries, being detained for hours... I worry a bit about my stamp from Morocco, but in the event it is like any European airport.  Next, a train to Haifa, where I head to a mall to buy gas for cooking.  After getting through the mall security, I struggle a bit finding the store, it is only signed in Hebrew, but succeed in the end.  Now I just need to get to my hotel...

Of course this is not simple.  It is around four miles away up Mount Carmel, and I am at sea level.... still, it is only a thousand feet or so, can't be too bad even at night.  And indeed the first mile is fine, turns out to be a gently sloping dirt bike track, well lit by the full moon.  But then I go the wrong way, and soon am fighting through thorny thickets on a steep hillside... doh.  I manage to backtrack, and after ten minutes or so of steep ascent I reach a road.  There is even time for a beer or two before heading to the hotel, how civilised. Although it has been a while since I had my bag searched before getting into a pub... mind you I probably do look a bit rough after scrambling up here.

View across Haifa from the hotel.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.