_a.jpg "צילום: יפה רזיאל")
Judea desert
צילום: יפה רזיאל
Nahal Hama'ara: From figs to bats
In the north the earth is trembling, but a hike in Nahal Dolev nature reserve in Judean Mountains provides a respite from tension and a rare opportunity to see a real-life bat cave
Start at the Nes Harim parking lot between Moshav Nes Harim and Moshav Bar Giora on road 3866. A 4.5-mile marked trail from the parking lot leads to Hirbit Bet Itab and Nahal Hama’ara. It’s an easy trail, mostly downhill. Make sure to have a car meet you where the trail ends in the parking area next to Moshav Zanoah on road 386.
There is a Mediterranean grove in this beautiful nature reserve, and in winter the water creates small waterfalls and water holes that are a natural habitat for wild animals, song birds, and raptors. The trails in Nahal Hama’ara are marked, and you should obey the instructions.
At the exit from the Nes Harim parking lot you can look out at the hill where Hirbat Bet Itab is located. The almond and olive trees hint at the proximity of the Bet Itab spring, which flows within a small stone structure with a broken roof. There is a small trough on the side of the building which you can reach by going down five steps.
Go up a short distance on the marked trail and you will see the ruins of the village of Bet Itab, which was conquered during the War of Independence in October 1948. The top of the ruins provides a beautiful view of Mount Hebron, the Jerusalem hills, the Shfela, and the coastal plain.
Continue on the red marked trail between ancient oaks and a thick grove, skipping Ein Sufla—a small, dark cave for the very thin and the very brave—and continue to the channel of Nahal Hama’ara on the dirt path. On the two-mile hike to the Cave of the Twins you will see thousands of Mediterranean shrubs, as well as beautiful rock formations.
Twins legend
The Cave of the Twins was discovered in 1873 by members of the British Society for the Study of the Land of Israel. It was created from karst, in which rock is eroded by rain enriched by carbon dioxide.
Bring flashlights and wear comfortable walking shoes, and if there are children with you, make sure that they don’t slip. The cave has a number of halls with thousands of bats. There is a banister leading to the lower part of the cave.
From there continue on to the left wall of the cave, and climb up to the spring whose waters flow into a small pool. According to legend, a barren woman who drank from the waters of the spring gave birth to twins.
Where did the bats come from? Apparently they’ve been there for a very long time. Four kinds of bats live in the cave. One is the common fruit bat, and the others are all insect bats: the Natterer's bat, the common serotine bat, and the lesser horseshoe bat.
The bats are active at night but during the day they stay in dark places. Don’t disturb them by shining flashlights on them. Remember that we are their guests, and they are in danger of extinction.
For more information call the Nature and National Parks Protection Authority, 972-2-5005444.
