• Home
  • Israel National Trail
  • North
    • Kibbutz Dan to Ginosar
    • Mount Arbel
    • Kinneret to Kfar Kish
    • Kfar Kish to Mount Tabor
    • Mount Tabor (Shibli) to Nazaret Illit
    • Isifya to Nofit
    • Nahal Oren to Isifya
    • Ofer to Nahal Oren >
      • The Enchanted Forest
    • Beit Hanania to Ofer
  • Central
    • Alexander to Beit Hanania
    • Poleg to Nahal Alexander >
      • Map - Poleg Beach to Nachal Alexander
    • Poleg to Herzliya
    • Bnei Brak to Hod Hasharon >
      • Mall to Mall Revisited
    • Herzliya to Bnei Brak
    • Hod Hasharon to Road 465
    • Road 465 to Gimzo
    • Bnei Brit caves to Evan Sapir
    • Evan Sapir to Bar Giyorra
    • Tsur Hadassa to Tel Azeka
    • Tel Azeka to Beit Guvrin
    • Beit Guvrin to Tel Keshet
    • Tel Keshet to Dvira
    • Dvira to Meitar
    • Amassa to Meitar
  • South
    • Har Amasa to Arad
    • Nachal Ye'elim
    • Arad airstrip to Meitzad Tamar
    • Meitzad Tamar to Road 227
    • Road 227 to Oron
    • Carbolet
    • Mador to Ekev
    • Avdat to Wadi Hava
    • Wadi Hava to Mitzpe Ramon
    • Givanim to Gev Holit
    • Gev Holit to Sapir
    • Nahal Barak
    • Tsihor to Shizafon
    • Shizafon to Shacharut
    • Timna to Shacharut
    • Elifaz to Be'er Ora
    • Canyon Shachoret to Be'er Ora
    • En Netafim to Canyon Shachoret
    • Taba to En Netafim
  • Resources
  • Other Hikes
    • Merhav Am to Avdat
    • Nahal Daroch
    • Ein Ekev Overnight
    • Mount Ido
    • Mount Pitam
    • Merhav Am Loop Trail
    • Nachal Tze'elim to Nachal Mishmar
    • Ma'ale Tzapir
    • Emek HaMayanot I
    • Nahal Hagor and Saraf
    • Maktesh HaKatan
    • Nahal Tsafit
  • About Us
  • Hikers Poem
  • Foraging
  • Contact
RaananaHikers

Stream to Nowhere

Sunday, November 24, 2013


We were seven intrepid hikers this morning, meeting at 6:30 a.m. to complete our coastal tour.

Today’s hike started where the Poleg Stream empties in the sea. Or doesn’t. In fact, this small coastal stream only flows into the Mediterranean during the winter months. Like the Yarkon and the Alexander Streams, the Poleg originates in the mountains and has been very polluted. On its journey to the sea, the stream collects debris and waste from cities, villages and farms all the way from the West bank.

The naturalists want to keep this as a nature preserve, which will help protect the green and loggerhead sea turtles who come to this area to nest and lay eggs. In the winter, when the stream flows into the sea, grey mullet swim upstream to spawn.

However, developers and the Netanya Municipality have been fighting to turn this estuary into a marina and hotel resort area. Environmental groups are fighting this and the decision is on hold for now. Having hiked through this oasis, we hope this natural gem will remain protected forever.

When we started our hike, we imagined we would be walking right along the coast. But our first blaze indicated that we were to go inland. We followed the stream and walked under Highway 2. Confused,  we did lose the trail at one point, but were excited to come across a gas station with restrooms and strong espresso—and right outside, we found a reassuring Israel Trail blaze which took us back across the highway in the direction of the sea.

We hiked back to the coast and followed winding trails across soft sandy dunes. This was the Sha’ar Poleg Nature Reserve. This area is the rare habitat for many plants including the dark purple iris which blooms in February. This coastal promontory was deemed a nature preserve to protect the area from the hands of real estate developers and is an idyllic retreat in a very populated part of Israel. The reserve extends from the Wingate Institute to Rishpon and is 1200 meters long and 400 meters wide. Typical desert plants that grow here include white broom, Artemisia, sea squill and Israeli thyme. 

A small area with a wooden bench atop the cliffs was a perfect place to unwind, eat and enjoy the view and the soft warmth of the November sun. We then followed the dunes until we exited the area in the upscale residential neighborhood of Shefayim. There we followed a road and some fields until we reached Apollonia where we followed the path onto the soft sand, took off our shoes and walked the length of the beach barefoot.

We left the wild untamed beach and soon arrived at the fancy hotels, outdoor cafes and beach bars of upscale Herzliya Pituach. 



We finished at the Arena Mall, completing 19 kilometers of the beautiful, diverse Israel Trail.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Contact Us

            Resources

Other Hikes

Vacation Home in Tsfat

               Copyright © 2017