Wadi Numeira
So, here’s the plan.
(Accidentally) Go on an organised a walk on one of the hottest days of the year so far, forecast to be over 30 degrees in Amman and around 40 degrees down at the Dead Sea. Fortunately it only reached 34 degrees down there as we slipped away a little before the hottest part of the day.
When I say ‘organise’ I mean more get some others to organise it when the initial idea (“Hey! Let’s go for a walk next weekend. I’ve no idea this time but I’m sure one of you can think of somewhere!”) is mooted to a group of work colleagues. As there were no other suggestions a walk in Wadi Numeira came up and was agreed upon.
I’d not been here before so I was looking forward to it even though I knew there was little if no greenery to be seen.
We set off bright and early armed with a packet of crisps and a sandwich each plus plenty of water. When I know it will be hot for the walk I tend to freeze several bottles the night before so throughout the day they gradually unfreeze and give lovely cold drinks.
It takes just under an hour and a half to get there from central Amman and the wadi is located as per the following map, south of the main part of the Dead Sea and adjacent to the area now used industrially for potash and salt -
So, here’s the plan.
(Accidentally) Go on an organised a walk on one of the hottest days of the year so far, forecast to be over 30 degrees in Amman and around 40 degrees down at the Dead Sea. Fortunately it only reached 34 degrees down there as we slipped away a little before the hottest part of the day.
When I say ‘organise’ I mean more get some others to organise it when the initial idea (“Hey! Let’s go for a walk next weekend. I’ve no idea this time but I’m sure one of you can think of somewhere!”) is mooted to a group of work colleagues. As there were no other suggestions a walk in Wadi Numeira came up and was agreed upon.
I’d not been here before so I was looking forward to it even though I knew there was little if no greenery to be seen.
We set off bright and early armed with a packet of crisps and a sandwich each plus plenty of water. When I know it will be hot for the walk I tend to freeze several bottles the night before so throughout the day they gradually unfreeze and give lovely cold drinks.
It takes just under an hour and a half to get there from central Amman and the wadi is located as per the following map, south of the main part of the Dead Sea and adjacent to the area now used industrially for potash and salt -
Parking just off the main road a number of us made our way to the entrance across the run off area and across plenty of rough walking with fist sized and above rocks – there is no ‘path’ as such -
A stream does run through the wadi most of the year. It isn’t clear water due to the deposits but it is warm, about 28 degrees or so, and not polluted –
It soon narrows down –
Then around the first corner –
A scramble over the rocks crossing and re-crossing the stream –
Using the odd pretty stepping stone –
The sides are getting higher -
We have a little company, a dog called Bingo –
The walls are getting closer and closer and still higher –
And more –
We can see it opens out a little again and the cliffs begin to decrease in height –
Uh-oh. It closes in again –
Then takes a ninety degree bend to the right –
Claustrophobia anyone? –
Look young lady, I know you’ve not fallen over, you just wanted to sit in the water –
Passing the paddling daughters the wadi carries on –
But then dramatically narrows yet again –
Then decides to do another ninety degree turn, but this time to the left –
Here it opens out and become a quite pleasant walk again dipping in and out of the stream –
This was as far as we walked this time, we will return, but on a cooler day. Several others continued, never to be seen again (by us anyway) –
Just at the point of turning around I spied a bit, the only bit really, of green stuff -
More next time. Bye for now.