Gilboa Ridge, the mountain range with the Mount Gilboa is in the southwest of the Bet She'an Valley in Lower Galilee, behind it runs the border of the West bank.
background
In the biblical book of Samuel (1 Samuel 28,4 ) reports how the Israeli king Saul went into battle against the Philistines on the mountains of Gilboa. The report comes to a bad end: Saul, seriously wounded, threw himself on his sword after his three sons had also died the same day.
The crescent-shaped mountain range lies southwest of the valley of Bet She'an resp. southeast of Afula and the Jezreel plain; the terrain rises from the Jordan Valley to a height of 400 to a maximum of almost 500 m above sea level. steep.
In the southwest runs the Green Line, the 1949 Armistice Line, which demarcated Israeli territory from the West Bank area.
history
In addition to the biblical mention of the campaign of the Israeli army under King Saul against the Philistines, the exact time and place of which could not be determined, a battle of the army of Sultan Saladin against a crusader army took place at the foot of the Gilboa Mountains in 1183. A little later, in 1260, Sultan Bai was victorious in the battle of Ain Jalut (Harod Spring) against the Mongols invading from the east and was able to consolidate his power.
landscape
The range of hills of the "Gilboa Ridge" rises in a crescent-shaped arc running from northwest to southeast in the southwest of the Bet She'an Valley resp. south of the Jezreel plain and reaches a height of over 500 m above sea level. To the east it drops relatively steeply, from the top there is a great view Bet She'an and on into Jordan Valley.
The hill country of Samaria extends to the west; in the West bank However, there are no direct road connections from the Israeli heartland, even if the Arab villages with their minarets are in sight and, thanks to the muezzin's call to prayer, some of them are within earshot.
The range of hills and in the northern area also the slopes are wooded. The Harod Stream which is the largest source 1 A harod (here is the Ma'ayan Harod National Park), drains past quite a few Gan Hashlosha and Bet She'an into the Jordan Valley. To the north of the Gilboa range of hills lies the watershed, and the Kishin River drains to the northwest and flows into it Haifa into the Mediterranean.
Flora and fauna
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One reason for visiting Mount Gilboa is the bloom of the Gilboa Iriswhich blooms in March on the mountain ranges; in addition, cyclamen, white asphodil and red crowned anemones bloom in spring.
climate
The rainfall in the north of Israel is higher than in the rest of the country; the clouds often empty on the hills of the mountains of Samaria and its northwestern branch, the Gilboa Ridge. For this reason, the vegetation here is greener and trees (pines) thrive, in contrast to the Jordan Valley, which is largely in the rain shadow.
getting there
The street 667 leads - partly as a "Scenic Route" - near the summit along the entire range of hills of the Gilboa Mountains. From the north (1 Yizrael Junction) you can reach them across the street 60 and a section of the 675 as a feeder.
The road begins from the south 667 at the 2 Meirav Junctionwhere they are at right angles from the Jordan Valley Road 90 and initially leads flat through fields. The road climbs relatively steeply in bends from both sides.
The street rises in the middle 6666 from that of Bet She'an to Gan Hashlosha leading street 669 steeply and flows a little south of the Gilboa Reserve in the 667.
Fees / permits
None, it is not allowed to stay overnight in the park area.
mobility
The easiest way to get around is by private car, the road is easily manageable by bike, but the ascent in the summer heat is strenuous.
In addition to a number of hiking trails, various cycle routes are marked.
Tourist Attractions
- 1 Lookout: From the vantage point on the street (gravel parking lot, with shady roofs) there is a beautiful view of Bet She'an until Jordan Valley; just west of the street is the 2 Shamir lookout.
- 3 Gilboa Nature Reserve: from the parking of the Gilboa Nature Reserve is a circular route, on a gently sloping terrain you can see the flowering around March Gilboa Iris (Iris haynei), cyclamen, red crown anemones and white asphodil also bloom.
- Further occurrences of the 4 Gilboa Iris5 -6 - are found around Mount Yizpor and Mount Akhinoam.
- From the Gilboa Iris Reserve the green and white marked path leads up to 7 Mount Barqan , on this highest point you can climb a watch / lookout tower and have an even better panoramic view (from the north the path on a small road from a nearby parking lot is even shorter).
- in the 8 Northwest and around the 9 Mount Lappidim there are occurrences of wild tulips, which also bloom around March.
- 10 Mount Saul: The access to the viewing and picnic area on Mount Saul (har Shaul) is possible by car, beautiful view over the Harod Valley.
activities
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- hike on the various routes of Gilboa Ridge.
- bike tours: at the intersection between 675 and 677 (near Yizrael) is the starting point for two bike routes through the mountains of Gilboa. There are two routes of the 1 Gilboa single track , a long and a short route.
- start from Gilboa Ridge Paragliding and Hang glider pilots.
- 2 Ski Gilboa: on a watered synthetic surface you can slide down the hill, a somewhat idiosyncratic interpretation of skiing ...
shop
- next shopping opportunities are in Bet She'an
kitchen
accommodation
Hotels and hostels
camping
- 1 Harod Spring Campground, near Gid'ona. Tel.: 972(0)4 619 1418, Fax: 972(0)4 653 1136, Email: [email protected]. Campground, overnight stay in your own tent or mobile home, only accessible to families / individual tourists in the summer months and only on weekends; Barbecue areas, sanitary facilities with hot showers.Open: open to families on weekends, for groups by appointment only during the week.Price: 63/53 NIS.
security
trips
- 2 Bet Alfa Synagogue
- 3 Gan hashloscha, Nature park with bathing ponds fed by warm springs
- 4 Bet She'an with the archaeological park, the excavations of the city from Roman times
