A week ago my husband, daughter and I went away for Shabbos, a last goodbye to summer, and another opportunity to explore places we've never been. I rented a small "tzimmer" in the village of Mitzpe Netofa, just a 40 minute drive from home, and when we arrived I could not help but notice cars climbing the small mountain which comprised our view. So, while there was still time before shabbat, we took a drive to the top of Mount Turan, and enjoyed stunning views and a new to us place! It turns out that there are hiking trails and biking trails, so keep that in mind, and the road itself has been recently renovated and you can learn about the different approaches here. We took the route that starts just before the gate to Mitzpe Netofa, but I now realize there are several ways to get to Mount Turan, so maybe next time we'll try a different route! The Mount Turan Scenic Route has been somewhat recently paved in large sections, rendering it accessible to vehicles, and worth a visit as the route provides a wonderful view of the stunning landscapes of the Lower Galilee. Keep on reading for more info and lots of photos.....
A view from the road on the way up, of the Beit Netofa Valley, with Safed in the far upper corner of the photo, stunning!
The Turan Ridge towers above the Turan Valley to the south and Beit Netofa Valley to the north, which creates a magnificent view. Two religious Jewish communities, Kibbutz Beit Rimon and Mitzpe Netofa, sit atop the ridge, while the Arab and Bedouin villages of Tur‘an, Rumat al-Heib, Rumana, Uzeir and Bu'eine Nujeidat cluster at its foot.
The central part of Lower Galilee consists of tall ridges interspersed with gullies. Each of these ridges is a horst, i.e., a raised portion of the earth’s crust whose precipitous slopes lead down to areas where the land has dropped. Such landscapes are dramatic, and often very popular with hikers. The Turan Ridge, which is flanked by Turan Valley to the south and Beit Netofa Valley to the north, is thus typical of the stunning scenery of the Lower Galilee.
Markings for one of the bike trails.
Pine forrest planted by the KKL to help maintain the area.
The view of Mt. Turan from our rental, at the end of the day......
Here is that fire tower we saw from a distance!
The views from the very top are not as great as those from the ascent, as there are many trees blocking the view......of course one could hike a bit for the view but we did not have time.
A look at Mitzpe Netofa, where we were staying, from the road on our way back.
A truly stunning spot! And the mountain range peaking over the trees is the Meron mountain range, which is quite substantial! Hope you've enjoyed this look at the landscape of the Lower Galilee, more to come!
