Tel Sokho is a popular hiking spot located very close to Beit Shemesh.  (Bet Shemesh is about 40 minute drive from Jerusalem) It is also known as the Hill of the Lupins, גבעת התורמוסים-- Givat Ha-Turmusim.  

People flock here to see the winter wildflowers that bloom in February with the most plentiful and common flowers being the lupins, cyclamens (rakefet), and red anemones (kalaniyot). The terrain here is usually carpeted with lupins, however this year, the lupins are sparse.  (Probably due to a fairly dry winter.)

In this set of pictures, I include views of the terrain. You can see how rocky it is. I didn’t’ think of taking pictures of the slippery rocks we went up to get to the beginning of the hike!

One of the pictures is of information board that tells about this place.  

Please click on the picture to see it in its entirety,