Kobi and Sigal Sachar's guesthouse in Kfar Yehezkel
צילום: יפה רזיאל
The enchanting Gilboa Mountains
The Mount Saul observation point makes everything else seem small and insignificant, and there is a reasonable chance you will encounter conies and hyenas
The Gilboa Mountains are the perfect destination for those travelers who wish to escape the daily grind and rediscover one of the most beautiful and pastoral regions in the country.
Landscape
The 18-kilometer (about 11 miles) long Gilboa mountain range, which is located 11 kilometers (about 7 miles) west of the Jordan River and separates the Harod Valley from the plain of Jezreel in northern Israel, is covered almost entirely by a grove of pine trees.
The area is filled with the famed Gilboa irises, but it is also rich in squill and autumn crocus plants. Flower buffs told us that the local cyclamen plants have adapted to the area in such a way that only in this part of the country the petals blossom before the leaves.
When you walk along the dozens of marked paths here (you can also travel through the area by car or bicycle), there is a reasonable chance you will encounter conies and hyenas, and if you look up toward the sky, chances are you'll see pelicans, storks, and cranes that have migrated to the area from Europe.
מבט על עמק חרוד (צילום: יפה רזיאל)
The observation point on Mount Saul makes everything else seem small and insignificant, and on a clear day you can see the Harod and Beit Shean Valleys and the city of Afula, as well as the Carmel and Galil mountain ranges.
Herb Farm Restaurant
Regardless of whether you have brought your own food on the trip, you should make it a point not to miss the Herb Farm Restaurant, located on the slope of Mount Gilboa. The Alpine wood structure provides a country ambiance, and the terrace offers a breathtaking view.
Owners Yossi and Pnina settled here some 20 years ago in search of peace and quiet, and have been attempting to live off the land ever since. Today, they maintain their own vineyards, which produce the house wine, and they also cultivate dozens of different types of herbs that add a special flavor to the dishes served in the restaurant.
Pnina, the chef, concocts delicacies you would not find in any cooking book, and her strive for originality dictates a menu that changes according to the seasons. One of the most popular dishes is the chicken liver with herbs wrapped in dough, and this is one of the only restaurants in the country that serves ostrich meat.
The dessert menu includes heavenly Tiramisu, cinnamon ice cream, and homemade chocolate bars.
*Directions: From the Yizreel Junction, take the Nof Gilboa road (route 667), turn right according to the road signs.
*Opening hours: Monday-Saturday: Noon-10:30 p.m. (reservations are necessary during the weekend). Non-Kosher.
*Telephone: 972-4-653-1093, or 972-50-536-4719.
On cows and other animals
The Gilboa area is full of places that are definitely worth visiting. Kfar Yehezkel, for example (follow the signs from the Navot Junction), offers an array of attractions for families and couples.
One of these attractions is the Parobot dairy farm, a unique and innovative robotic dairy farm that offers visitors a chance to see how cows are milked without human contact, as well as watch a movie that depicts the history of the milking process. The children will enjoy feeding the calves out of bottles, baking pita bread and making chocolate milk, while adults wait for them in the local coffee shop.
*Open Sunday-Friday (call in advance: 972-4-653-1651).
Saturdays and holidays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
*Price: NIS 22 (about $5) for children over three.
Cheese enthusiasts would be happy to know that the owners of the Barkanit dairy farm have recently opened a small restaurant in Kfar Yehezkel that serves their famous "Barkan" brand cheese, which until now could only be purchased in delicatessens.
*Opening hours: Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
*You may also call in advance. Telephone: 972-4-653-1431, or, 972-54-627-3090.
Accommodations
Kobi and Sigal Sachar's guesthouse in Kfar Yehezkel offers an indoor and heated pool, where the two treat their customers to water therapy sessions, such as Watzu and hydrotherapy.
Each of the two wooden guesthouse units includes a television, a kitchenette, and a refrigerator. One of the units is specially fitted for the handicapped.
*Prices: Weekdays: NIS 450 (about $100) a night per couple.
Weekend: NIS 580 (about $130).
*Telephone: 972-4-653-2208, or, 972-50-5338067.
Just opposite the guesthouse you will find a number of quaint shops that are definitely worth visiting.
Kati bakes bread and cakes that can be smelled from afar, and Keren and Liora opened the charming "Art in the village" shop, which offers original art pieces handcrafted by local artists.
*Open Monday-Saturday. Telephone: 972-52-236-6862, Keren.
A trip with character
Those who wish to see the more out-of-the-way sites in the area are welcome to use the services of local tour guides, such as Neta Kahanov from the town of Ram On, who is a walking encyclopedia of all the charming and isolated spots in the region.
עין יזרעאל מעיין (צילום: יפה רזיאל)
For example, Neta led us down to Ein-Yisrael (between the Navot and Yizreel junctions), where we drove some 200 meters (about 656 feet) along an unpaved white path until we reached an impressive eucalyptus tree grove named after Zvi Carmeli, who was killed in the area during the Independence War of 1948.
The site's main attraction is the wellspring, but if you intend to let your children swim here, you should know the water is very deep.
Neta Kahanov, certified tour guide: Telephone: 972-4-649-9434 (not on Saturdays).
