Length: 1 hour
Mode of Transport: Walking and carriers, not stroller friendly Why Go? Flowers galore Toilets? Nature, baby What to Bring: Water, backpack, snacks Entrance Fee: FREE
Baby N has entered the tinokia and I am sad. And bored. And need to get out of the house before I find myself sniffing her bed sheets and crying. So I decided to check off my bucket list of things I always wanted to do with time on my hands...uh, and hands that are free for that matter.
Plus, 'tis the season: flower season, that is. Now, while most of the flower sites are packed on the weekends, I decided to frolic in the forest on a Wednesday at 10:30. I entered into Waze "גבעת הרקפות טל שחר" and it took me right to the parking area at the foot of the forest. Google Maps will also work, just enter "Cyclamen Hill - Tal Shahar". During this time of year, the small forest is covered with a carpet of ballet slipper pink cyclamen flowers, or known in Hebrew as rakefet. There were also a few red anemones, or called calaneot in Hebrew, that dotted the pink blanket. I was truly blown away at how many there were.
Side note, the cyclamen is the official national flower of the state of Israel, which was only decided upon in 2007. Up until that point there was no national flower. When getting ready for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, the Olympic Village was planting every country's national flower in a botanical garden, and when they turned to Israel, we said...uh, um, err. Let me get back to you on that one. So we picked the poisonous (mainly to cats and dogs) *gasp* flower to represent our people, and the rest is history. It is also said that King Solomon designed his crown to resemble the shape of the cyclamen.
To get there, simply follow the GPS location. You will pass over an active railroad track, and then the parking is 100 meters ahead of you. There are no marked trails, but there are worn pathways, and it's pretty much impossible to get lost. There are no picnic benches or designated areas to put down blankets, but there are plenty of sweet rocks to grab a rest. It's an easy walk, and you can make the trip as long or as short as you would like. I wound up wandering for about 45 minutes.
There is a wonderful restaurant at the entrance of the moshav of Tal Shachar called Shvilim, which is open every day except for Saturday, since they are a kosher joint.
Go on. Stop and smell the flowers.
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