Hiking Around Israel

In my first piece for Times of Israel, I wrote about how excited I am to visit Israel and the cycling I would do there. This is the sequel and has to do with hiking, running and trail running.

By all accounts, Israel has some of the most spectacular terrain in the world for those who are into hiking, running and trail running. Despite its small size – being roughly the same size as New Hampshire, it has incredibly diverse conditions. From the desert to the green hills and everything in between. You can find canyons, coastlines, mountains and forests, which always keep things interesting.

By all accounts, the Israel National Trail, an one-thousand km hiking path that traverses the country is a once in a lifetime experience! To do the whole thing takes around two months and should be done in spring or fall when it’s not too hot or too cold.

Doing the whole thing is obviously a serious undertaking and while I won’t have time to do that, I am looking forward to doing some of it.

In the major cities you have a lot of fabulous running routes along the beachfront in Tel Aviv or in Train Track Park in Jerusalem. Starting the day off with a run is just fabulous and it’s something I’m very much looking forward to doing. I also want to veer away from the tourist areas and get to know the real Israel.

Then there is trail running. Up by the Carmel Mountains are some fantastic forest trails. Then down south in the Negev with not many other people around, you’re sharing the space with mountain goats, ibex, foxes and wolves.

The wonderful thing about doing these things in Israel is that you’re not just running through some cool scenery but through areas of significant historical significance. You can be hiking through places that are described in the bible and you can visualise the events that take place. For example, I’m looking forward to going to the Valley of Elah National Park where the David vs Goliath battle took place! This is one of the most famous stories in all of humanity, and I can’t wait to be in the exact same place where it occurred.

If there are any hikes, runs or trail runs that you particularly recommend, please do so in the comments!