Routes and Rates
A fun itinerary for the whole family, combining an experiential attraction for children (the hanging bridges and a walk in Nesher Park) and a visit to a historical museum in Kfar Hasidim that recreates the days of the Jewish shtetl in Eastern Europe in the previous centuries that were and were lost.
Nesher Park, developed in 2004 by KKL and Nesher Municipality, offers a unique local attraction in the form of the two bridges hanging between the wooded mountains, tens of meters high above Nahal Katya (a short stream that descends from Carmel towards the city of Nesher). This attraction, and the network of paths paved throughout the park, offers many traveling families an experiential visit to the place.
The route described here is a light circular route, suitable for the whole family and reaches the suspension bridges directly. But as mentioned, a convenient network of hiking trails marked in the area allows hikers to “assemble” hiking trails with varying levels of difficulty themselves.
From the park parking lot we will continue on a comfortable dirt road marked black (white-black-white color stripes) and after about 600 m we will reach the first suspension bridge. The two bridges are about 70 meters long and are about 150 m from each other. They can be crossed from side to side (not intended for strollers). On the basic route, we will cross the stream in one bridge and return with the other bridge.
For those interested in a more significant walking route, we will descend from the park parking lot with the green marking on a staircase that will soon bring us to a large wooden “Hanukkah”, which was established as a memorial site in memory of Lieutenant Uri Binmo, who was arrested by suicide bombers in Hanukkah 2005. We will continue from here among pine trees that will bring us to the meeting of the green and blue paths.
If we veer left onto the path marked in blue, we will meet several caves on our way, one of which is very large and allows entry into it and movement on an upright floor. However, only some of the halls in the cave are lit, and other corners of the cave will require the use of a lantern. In this cave they found evidence that ancient man lived in this cave in prehistoric times.
We will leave the cave and return to the blue path, the path passes through the shady grove and the vegetation here is abundant and varied. Later we will reach the meeting of the blue-green paths again, this is the continuation of the green path we deviated from. Further down the path we will reach viewpoints and the pair of suspension bridges. You can climb the bridges and go from side to side as well as advance to the next bridge and return with it to the opposite bank. Those who do not feel comfortable climbing the bridges can simply continue on the green path, which surrounds the stream and continues on the other bank. Next to the second suspension bridge we will notice a black trail marker, which will lead us straight back to the parking lot.
If we have our time and we are not too tired, we will continue from here to a nostalgic and charming museum, Yankel’s Shtetel, located at the foot of Mount Carmel not far from here, in Kfar Hasidim. Admission is paid, but free for children up to the age of 8. The tour must be arranged in advance with the owners of the place. The place keeps Shabbat and is closed on Saturdays and holidays.
This visitor center, established by an antiquities collector named Gadi Ya’akov, commemorates the daily life that was in the Jewish towns of Eastern Europe (the “shtetls”) in recent centuries before they were destroyed in the Holocaust. The owner of the place, Gadi, will give us fascinating explanations and stories about the many wooden buildings placed in this small and charming center, and about the various ancient objects. The signs at the place are written in Yiddish, which adds to the authenticity of the atmosphere of the visit to the place. The visit is an educational and enriching experience for both children and adults.
Difficulty level:
Easy – is suitable for the whole family. The bridges that hang in the park are experiential for children but are not accessible to baby carriages and the disabled. The park offers children’s play facilities and picnic tables.
Walking duration:
The length of the basic route is 1.5 km (it is also possible to split in the network of hiking trails in the area and assemble a longer independent route)
And lasts about an hour (by incorporating additional trails into the park, the hike can be extended up to three hours of relaxed walking).
Notes:
The visit to Yankel’s Shettal must be arranged in advance (on phone 052-4481481)
Directions:
To get and walk Nesher Park: for those coming from western Haifa and the coastal area, we will drive through the Carmel tunnels. We will leave at the Kiryat interchange and turn according to the signs to the city of Nesher. At the Nesher intersection we turn right and go up Moshe Road (Route 705) where we will drive 3.5 km and after the bridge we turn right onto Harob Street. On this street we will drive about one kilometer and turn according to the signs at a very sharp right turn (almost a U-turn) towards the park’s parking lot.
To continue from the park to visit “Yankel’s Shtetel” (by prior arrangement only, closed on Saturdays and holidays), we will go to Harov Street and turn right (left turning is prohibited). In the first square we turn right and go to Moshe Road. Here we turn left and go back down to Nesher Junction. At the intersection we turn right onto road 752 with which we will reach the Yegor interchange. Here we will continue straight, and at Hasidim Junction we will turn right towards ridges. After 450 m we turn right towards Kfar Hasidim (a religious settlement, closed on Saturdays and holidays). At the second turn to the left, we turn to Nachalat Ya’akov Street and continue with it for about 1.5 km (almost to the end of the street).
*The information is submitted as a service to the public, the details indicated in the article may change from time to time.