EL AL | Atmosphere

Rosh HaNikra Beach Israel’s northernmost beach is delimited by chalk-white cliffs the Bible names the “Ladder of Tyre”. Nowadays, they mark Israel’s border with Lebanon. Waves have been crashing against those rocks since time immemorial. A short walk along the beach usually begins at the Rosh HaNikra Lookout from which the view is nothing less than spectacular: Achziv beach, Nahariya, Akko (Acre), Haifa Bay, Mount Carmel all lay before you. Right beside the lookout spot, an anchor-shaped rock is placed to indicate the starting point of Israel’s coastal walking trail that ends at the southern kibbutz of Zikim. There are endless reasons to visit Rosh HaNikra, from exploring the old train tracks the British built in the rocks in 1941 all the way up to Beirut, to marine-life marvels such as the sea turtle rescue center where devoted workers ensure hatchlings make their way safely into the sea. Atlit Beach The small bay of Atlit is a special place. At its southern point stands a massive stone wall: the remains of the 13 th century Crusader fortress called Château Pèlerin (Pilgrim Castle). From this very spot, the last Crusaders set off to sea on the 14 th of August 1291, surrendering power to the Ottomans. Nowadays, the fortress is enclosed in a military site. In the times of the Crusaders, Atlit was an important town. A cemetery with more than 1,700 gravestones, often richly adorned, attests to this. It’s possible to visit the cemetery though visitors are cautioned to take care not to damage the ancient and fragile sandstone tombs. Atlit bay is one of the country’s most important archeological sites, with remains of a fishing village from the Neolithic period (9000 B.C.) having been discovered there. Nowadays, it’s the location of an important desalination plant, with vast pipes pumping seawater directly into coastline salt factories that are always fascinating to behold.

Photos: Yaakov Shkolnik

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ATMOSPHERE AUGUST 2022