This post covers two shvilim, or paths, that we recently hiked that are located in the Adulam Nature Reserve Park area. Both hikes are off the Rt 38 and Rt 375 intersection near Bet Shemesh. 

The first 11 pictures are of Shvil Adulam which starts at about 60 feet below a gas station. This hike was an easy walk on a dirt and rocky road.  We walked one hour into the path enjoying the rich green countryside, some winter wild flowers, and a forest. We had the bonus of meeting a tortoise who was walking across the path, and later on, seeing a herd of goats with their shepard. 

Later in the week we hiked (twice!) the Tel Socho trail. I've included a picture of the blurb explaining this area on the sign post at the beginning of the hike.  After studying the map, I realized that we could have done both hikes together as they do connect! But it would have been a much longer time and distance commitment.

Tel Socho is also known as Givat Ha Turmosim, because it is blanketed in beautiful purpley-blue Lupin flowers from February and into March plus there are other flowers. In January- February you can see pink cyclamen and red anemone flowers.  

The Tel Socho trail can be quickly done in two hours or you can walk further along and go onto other trails such as the "pink" marked trail which will take you into a forest and beyond (we have yet to go far enough onto this path to see where it fully goes to).

The Socho trail can be a loop or a "walk into and then turn around and walk back" hike. You can enter/exit up the side of a ROCKY long hill (two pictures included of the hill, but not a close up of the rocks you have to climb on!) or walk along a dirt flat road which will eventually go up an easy hill. So getting in and out of the main part of the hike can be a very easy walk or a more challenging walk.