The Sharon Coast National Park

We visited the Sharon Coast National Park, also known as Hof HaSharon, at the end of October last year. October can be wintry here in Israel but it was a beautiful day and we were able to enjoy the well-marked, easy to hike trails before the rain came down in force the following day.

Situated near the coastal town of Herzliya, the park runs along the Mediterranean coastline, in an area where the sandstone cliffs rise 40 metres above the shoreline in places. When the sea is rough, the waves break against the steep cliffs and flood the entire strip of beach. Private lagoons and charming bays, created by the natural erosion of the sandstone cliffs, are also features of the area. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority have prepared the southern portion of the park for the public. The area is totally fenced in, and entrance is by foot only. 

Arriving at the park, we decided to follow the Cliff trail which took us along the sand dunes and past some spectacular observations points. To the south we could see the smokestacks of the Ashdod power plant, and to the north the hotels in Netanya, and the smokestacks of the Hadera power plant. We passed a small channel going down to the shore, which my youngest son of course had to run down, then a second observation terrace with more wonderful views of the sandstone cliffs. From here the path branched out eastbound for those needing to shorten their hike and return to the beginning. We continued on towards the Iris trail, where species of the purple iris bloom in February. Eventually we had no choice but to return south on the Gazelle trail. On our way we passed an artificial irrigation pool, intended to quench the thirst of the herd of deer that live in the national park, but which also attracts other wildlife such as fox and a species of porcupine. The deer are notoriously shy and difficult to spot.

Another notable feature of the park are the winter pools, which some people call swamps. These swamps used to cover the entire area and made farming (and the threat of malaria) a nightmare for the earliest Jewish immigrants to pre-State Palestine. In the early 20th century, Eucalyptus trees were planted to dry out the swamps and make the land usable. All that remains of these swamps are within the park grounds. When they swell with the winter rains, the largest pool covers over fifty acres.

The Sharon National Park is not all that well known and so was not overrun with other visitors. We were able to enjoy the sand dunes and forests, all within the park grounds, in relative peace and quiet. It was a lovely place to visit.