Travel broadens the mind, so they say. Well, the adventure we have just been on has absolutely done that! We've explored in the desert, climbing mountains and squeezing through massive canyons; we've seen sites of historical and biblical significance; and we have experienced some of the best and worst sides of human behaviour.
Where did we go to get all this? To a country that we would admit had never been on our radar but an opportunity to visit family on a short-term foreign posting gave us the chance to visit Israel and the Palestinian Territories. The trip has been mind-blowing on many levels and the Little Chaps have absolutely had their first experience of "proper travel". The political Pic: En Advat
situation will sit uncomfortably with many people but the country itself is an outdoor activity playground with so much to see and so much to do.
The Easter holidays are a great time to get out to a country in the Middle East. In theory, the weather has come out of the unstable "winter" period (it was about 9 or 10 degrees Centigrade in the weeks before we went to Tel Aviv!!), temperatures should be warm and welcoming after a British Winter but not yet so hot that even the locals ignore the beach and seek air-conditioned spaces. As it turns out, we hit a bit of an early season heatwave with temperatures in the low 40 Centigrades and this meant that we had to really manage our activities and the well-being of the Little Chaps to get around everything that we wanted to do and see. It's not likely to reach temperatures like that in the UK this summer but there are plenty of adventurous European destinations with high summer temperatures so we have some great tips below to help you stay active with your Little Ones in the heat.
As usual, we pretty much just dived in to the activities, using our previous outdoor experiences to try and manage the whole family's well being in the desert and the heat. There are a number of things we did that absolutely worked to keep us in the best condition to enjoy everything that Israel had to offer us:
Manage (adult) Expectations
It always starts here in our planning! We know in the UK that the Little Chaps can manage a certain distance and amount of climbing on a given day, maybe for a couple of days in a row and that we can climb some pretty cool mountains. Knowing that the effects of international travel itself (fatigue, changing time zones and different routines) combined with intense heat can soon wear anyone down, we knew that it was much better to aim for shorter distances in each of our activities which would mean we could do more days of activity in a row. The biggest mountains or longest treks were not on the list. Instead shorter but more meaningful activities made our itinerary so that we could manage the Little Chap's energy levels. Another useful strategy was to employ the "desert plod" which is the same principle as Alpine and higher altitude walking - keep moving but at a slower pace than normal.
Start early
Probably the biggest tip for managing heat. The period of the day between about 11am and 3pm can be intensely hot. If you throw in desert environments or going to altitude the sun's rays can feel relentless and the best place to be is somewhere cool and shady. As such, timing your activity to start early, and I mean early, is key. It can be hard on a holiday to get up earlier than you would for work but it utilises the best part of the day and you can see some amazing sunrises. We made sure we were completely ready the night before and got up around 6am with the intention of starting our activity around 8am if we had to travel or earlier if we were camping at the start of the walk in. Simply going to bed earlier makes this easier than you would imagine! We planned our drives for the middle of the day where we could so that we could sit in the air conditioned car whilst it ate up the highway miles. It also gave the Little Chaps a chance to snooze.
Hydrate
This seems obvious but it really is important. A standard summer walk in the UK would involve us taking 2 full hydration bladders (about 5L) although it rarely all gets drunk. In the desert heat, we added at least an extra water bottle (about 2L) and most of it got drunk. Hydration bladders are great as you don't have to keep on stopping to take out a water bottle. We had to encourage the Little Chaps to drink plenty at first, particularly after an activity, but we soon developed a drinking habit!
Snack
An important part of hydration is to also keep salt and sugar intake up. Biscuits are great (although we mostly had to buy quite plain, dry biscuits as chocolate etc has obvious drawbacks in the heat!) but the really good snack that we found was a savoury trail mix. Basically a salted mix of biscuits/crackers and nuts. Easy to eat by the handful, easy to transport and great to keep the salt intake up. We had no issues persuading the Little Chaps to snack (!) so a good tip is to explore what your Little Ones will eat. Crisps do tick the box but they are high volume and, relatively, a low energy source so a nut mix is a good solution. Maybe add some raisins or chopped dried apricots to add sweetness.
Mix it up
Another one for the planning stage. In the heat, it can be easy to lose enthusiasm for any activity so we made sure that our days were as varied as possible. We didn't just go for walk after walk or historical site overload and tried to mix it up as much as possible. This meant the Little Chaps were always looking forwards to the next canyon or the next historical site later in the holiday.
There are also all the usual things to do with covering up, wearing a hat with an all-around brim and wearing plenty of sunscreen.
Also, invest in decent sunglasses. Cheap sunglasses can do little to filter out harmful rays and Go Outdoors sell some great Sinner children's sunglasses that are Category 3 rated and, from memory, under £20. Little Chap 1 actually wears an adult pair of sunglasses so it's always worth trying on as many as you can.
All of these points can easily be transferred into the upcoming summer season. Okay, starting pre-sunrise is unnecessary in the UK, and most European destinations, but starting early is still good, if only to get into the car parks which are under pressure as many people are still holidaying in the UK. Getting your hydration and snacks sorted is a key bit of preparation whatever the season - see our previous post about Winter food and our pork pie test here.
So, bearing all this in mind, what did we get up to? And how many of our own bits of advice did we ignore at times?! You've probably guessed that it's the one about managing expectations as we definitely got a bit carried away on one day! The thing is, the Israeli path network is so vast, well-marked and well-maintained that there is just so much to do and there are many tempting walking options, not to mention all the significant historical sites. Then there's the watersports....and the mountain biking....oh, and the Dead Sea....the list goes on!
Pics: Barak Canyon - walking along the edge before descending into the Canyon itself
Our overall plan was to head South into the Negev Desert to explore the area before returning north to spend some time with family, as well as undertaking some shorter trips out from Tel Aviv.
We had a couple of quick stops on our drive south, visiting En Advat which is a short but impressive canyon and also stopping for the view of "Israel's Grand Canyon" at Mizpe Ramon. These were great acclimatisation opportunities for the Little Chaps as the heat was already intense and was forecast to go higher. We practiced our "desert plod" and drinking lots in these short (about an hour each time) excursions.
Pics - "wild" campsites in the desert. Sunrise breakfast was amazing!
Our first night in the desert was a wild camp. There are a number of these "wild" campsites set up with access often up a rough, but driveable, track. Stone circles mark the pitches and are filled with pea gravel which is very comfortable to lie on. One of the best things about these sites is the lack of ambient light and the view of the night sky was brilliant. Waking early in the morning, we drove further from the main highway for our first day in the desert -Barak Canyon. We left the car in the car park (basically abandoned it in the desert!) and followed the well marked trail up a wide gorge. A steep climb took us up onto a plateau and we followed the trail markings cross country. All the junctions were clearly marked with the different tracks and there were loads of markings so not much chance of getting lost. We walked back along the top of the canyon (see pics above) before descending into it and then descending in it. Perfectly maintained ladders and metal staples were in place at any steep sections and were to be an enjoyable feature of many of our walks. We marvelled at the signs of how powerful the water must be when it does flow through the narrow gap and plunge down the waterfalls. Lunch (pitta bread and hummus - we didn't get bored of it despite having almost every day!) was enjoyed in the last bit of shade before returning down the valley in the almost midday sun to the car.
Our main destination was Timna Park. It is actually a privately funded reserve (very similar to the National Park system in Israel) that contains a number of historical sites based around the copper mining that took place here as well as some interesting rock formations. There is a campsite within the park which would be our base for 3 nights whilst we explored the area. We had time to visit the Rock Arches (and ladders!) after the drive down from Barak Canyon.
Pics: Left - Timna Rock Arch; Centre - Red Canyon; Right - return "Black" canyon
Our first excursion took us out of Timna Park and an early morning start to drive around to the Red Canyon. We had a short climb up to a view point first (views of the Sinai Peninsula - Egypt - through the heat haze) before dropping down to the Canyon. There is some seriously impressive geology to be seen and the Red Canyon shows some interesting rock layers. The return canyon (we called it the Black Canyon as the way markers were black) was hot and we utilised as much shade as possible to aid with acclimatisation. The afternoon was spent snorkelling at the Coral Beach Reserve on the edge of the Red Sea. The Little Chaps absolutely loved this after overcoming the technical difficulties of snorkel mask and breathing tube. We were able to hire everything from masks to buoyancy aids and it was great to see into the hidden depths of the ocean.
Our next activity was unexpected as we had planned to walk around the sites in Timna Park. However, we discovered a mountain bike trail and hired some bikes. The park staff thought we were a little crazy heading out on the hire bikes to hit the singletrack but the Little Chaps assured them we had mountain biked before, just not in a desert! The track was fantastic! Singletrack as good as any UK Trailcentre, including bermed sections and all the interesting rock formations in the park. This was a hot day so loads of drink stops and we were glad of the early start as we made it around by lunchtime for an afternoon in the shade. I do wish we had taken our TowWhee and will make a point of sticking this great bit of kit in our luggage on future trips for these unexpected bike rides. See our review here
Pics L-R: miles of sweet singletrack; more singletrack!; Mount Timna (the big flat topped hill)
The next day we decided to climb Mount Timna, the highest point in the reserve. Why? Well, because it was there and we camped under it for 3 nights! This turned out to be a long and hot day and did push the Little Chaps perhaps just a little too much as, in the end, I returned the last 2km for the car leaving them in the shade. But it was a great day and they did so well in the latter stages as the temperatures hit about 42 degrees C! There was a geology trail with signposts which really engaged all of us in the landscape. Luckily, we had taken extra water with us this day. Our desert plod served us well and the 10k that they managed was a sign of their growing strength and fitness (boding well for the summer season back home!).
We spent the weekend with family, enjoying the Negev Camel Ranch. A camel ride out into the desert to a fortified town (Mamshit) which was very close to a nuclear research facility! A camel standing up with you on it's back is an odd sensation to say the least and provided much amusement - highly recommended! We also had another canyon walk and enjoyed a traditional desert breakfast during our stay here.
Pics: Negev Camel Ranch
Our travels took us back north now towards the Red Sea. A quick dip for Mummy and Daddy and a gentle paddle for the Little Chaps (as the extreme saltiness of the water can be really bad for children's eyes) and then on to Masada. This was a hill top Palace built by King Herod and is a seriously impressive place. Perched on an enormous rock outcrop, access is by cable car and I thought this might be the highlight of this visit for the Little Chaps. However, they were really interested in the history and layout of the Palace and were really engaged in our look around.
Another wild camp and then on to Wadi Arugot and the hidden waterfall. This wadi actually has water running in it so we had a ghyll scramble (sort of!) as we followed the valley in the river. A refreshing dip in the top pools amongst a group of Army recruits enjoying a day off - I have seen many things but machine guns left on a beach was new to me! Little Chap #2 was instrumental in starting a river weed fight (think snowballs made out of weed collected from the water) with an army detachment who, despite your thoughts on the Israeli army, were so good at playing with the Little Chaps in good humour and it was great fun. We had to remind the Little Chaps of this moment when we saw serious army guys later in the trip.
Pics; Masada hilltop palace and Wadi Arugot
We now headed back to Tel Aviv and embarked on two ambitious trips - Bethlehem and Jerusalem. We really wanted to show the Little Chaps the sights relating to the Nativity story that so many children act out at Christmas. But Bethlehem is in the West Bank so checkpoints, the enormous dividing wall and the stark realisation of a country divided were on the agenda.
First the good bit. The Church of the Nativity (the site of Jesus's birth and the infamous manger where he was laid) and the Shepherds Fields (a cave chapel where the shepherds were staying when the angel came) were very quiet with almost no tourists. There was an ongoing security "situation" so perhaps many people stayed away. The Little Chaps really related each site to the story they know so well and, believer or not, they were great places to visit.
Pics: Inspecting where Jesus was born; Shepherd's cave and Church painting
After lunch we saw the challenging side of things and went to inspect the Wall. It was immense and words truly fail me to convey the emotions we all felt. Little Chap #1 was engrossed by the various stories of suffering that were highlighted and by the end of the day he was emotionally exhausted. Little Chap #2 spent most of the afternoon asking "why". I've happily answered many awkward questions as a parent but this was tricky to say the least!
The artist Banksy is incredibly active along the wall and there are many examples of his artwork on it. The "Walled Off Hotel" (a brilliant name and it even serves a "Walled Off Salad"!) includes a museum telling the Palestinian side of the story and we all came out in a very reflective mood.
Luckily, unlike the Palestinians, we were able to cross the checkpoint after only a short queue to return home but I think this experience will live with us all for a very long time. The Little Chaps were mentally shattered once we returned home for the night but it had been an interesting day.
It was incredibly moving and powerful and such an insight into the goings-on (big acts and small, incredibly petty acts) in this part of the world. Some of the details and the stories are just horrific and yet the Palestinian people that we met all through the day were so lovely. They talked to the Little Chaps, they showed them things, all without a hint of the political background.
I would urge you to go and visit if you ever get a chance.
Pics L-R; The Wall; Banksy artwork; Walled Off Hotel
The rest of our visit was rather more light hearted although the Wall never seemed far from our thoughts from that point. The Little Chaps would often ask things like "is it just over there?" as we travelled around. Jerusalem was just as interesting, looking at the Western Wall and Temple Mount so close together and luckily we got in and out before some protests started and fights broke out in the following days.
We also managed to visit Caesarea, a vast Roman town and the town of Akko where we wandered through narrow, twisting, turning streets and visited a Mosque and a Knights Templar / Crusader site. Our final highlight was a big one - we woke up one morning to find a swell rolling in from across the Mediterranean with waves hitting the beach. We squeezed into some wetsuits and enjoyed a morning of surfing - I mostly yelled out lines from Point Break and pulled the Chaps (and myself) out of the water. We had great fun and can't wait to go surfing again - I have not mentioned that the Med and the North Sea have a large temperature differential!
And then, suddenly, it was time to fly home. What an amazing adventure we have had. The Palestinian Territories and Israel are a fascinating country, so much to see, so much to do and yet so, so dominated by the political situation.
I am so glad that the Little Chaps found the trip both fun and thought-provoking. This was "proper" travel and a proper adventure that will, I hope, prompt in the Little Chaps a real insight into the lives of others. Before we went, I really felt uncomfortable in myself with the thought that I was somehow supporting the conduct of Israel by visiting but now I feel that I can speak about what we saw with real feeling and the evidence of our own eyes, not just what we have seen in the media.
Go to the Palestinian Territories and Israel for the activities, go to look around, go to make up your own mind but please, come back and share it. The good and the bad, share it all.
I can't wait to travel again with the Little Chaps...
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