The greatest of the Crusader Castles in the Galilee
Are you ready for a hike to an ancient and magical castle, located in a perfect beauty spot over the Kziv Stream? Great, let’s start!
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Reaching the castle isn’t a problem- just travel eastwards down route 89 from Nahariya to Maalot and follow the signs into the pleasant Maronite village of Maaliya. Follow the road straight, constantly until you exit and pass by the gate of the Jewish Village Mitzpe Hila. Follow the signs to the red blazed starting point of our hike.
Follow the red trail for about a kilometer through the verdant Mediterranean woodlands. It is wide and straight all the way- at least until you approach the castle. Then it becomes somewhat rocky and difficult. Soon you will see the glorious view from the top of the mountain- the blue sea in the horizon to your left, mountain chains ahead, and the verdant green Kziv Valley below. A few more minutes of light bouldering and here is the castle before us.
900 years ago, this was the site of a garrison overseeing the sugar plantations in the Kziv Valley below. Back before the age of discovery the Holy Land was a treasure trove for those prepared to invest the labor (or force serfs to labor) to grow the sub-tropical cash crops Europe was lusting for. It is no wonder that the central guard tower, still intact after all these years, was the site of one of the final battles between the Crusaders and the Mamelukes- they had much to fight for. Take your time wandering through the arches, courtyards and towers of the fortress. Can you feel the presence of the ghosts of long gone knights, preparing for that final battle?
Click here to view Ein Tamir, a small spring that contributes to the Kziv stream