Photo Essay: Breathe in that beauty

Drive a couple of hours south into the Negev, and let the adventure begin.

By ITSIK MAROM
Mountains 521 (photo credit: Itsik Marom)
Mountains 521
(photo credit: Itsik Marom)
Get into your car and travel south into the Negev, and in less than two hours you will find yourself in a great rocky canyon. Just beyond Yeroham, on Route 206, you can park your car on a small parking lot and set out on your adventure – but not before securing your valuables.
Unfortunately, there is a risk of break-ins by the local Beduin population, so beware.
Once you are settled, start walking half a kilometer – about 10 minutes – along the green trail. As you enter, you will find yourself in Wadi (Nahal) Hatira, a wide sandy river bed with sporadic plants coloring the yellow-brown with shallow green. Along the way, the sand changes and gives way to white rock.
And then, suddenly, you will see, right before your eyes, the great rocky canyon known as Ein Yorke’am. The white rock opens down into a bell shape, creating a 15-meter-deep stand. At the bottom lies a shallow pool of green water originating not in a nearby spring, but as a direct result of the local winter rainfall. In a rainy year, the water level rises, creating a couple of rocky pools a few meters deep along the canyon.
Curved stairs will lead you down to the water level, or you can jump off the rock ledge. Many of the young people who visit prefer the second alternative – but first, make sure the water is deep enough.
Jumping in is at your own risk, of course.
From the canyon, you can continue along the green-colored trail for another kilometer down the wadi.
You will reach the Hatira waterfall, a striking 100-meter drop straight down, creating a breathtaking lookout.
Stand for a moment and breathe in the beauty of the Negev.
The best time to visit Ein Yorke’am is in February or March, when you can enjoy the pleasant temperatures and have a good chance of observing the green water pools.
Itsik Marom is a nature and wildlife photographer. More of his work can be seen at www.imnaturephoto.com