Pilots Hill (“Har Hatayassim”)
Situated in the heart of the Jerusalem Hills, the Gordonia Hotel serves as a base for tours in the vicinity that are no more than a short drive away. Many of the routes are easy and comfortable, and they are fascinating. Routes can be covered by foot, car, bike, or by combining a short drive with a pleasant walk and the opportunity to enjoy nature and the excellent air.
Where?
12 kilometers south of the Yearim Hotel.
How to get there?
Exit the hotel and drive to Highway #1 in the direction of Jerusalem, until
Harel Junction. Turn right (southwest) and drive towards Kibbutz Tzuba, along Road #395.
Pass the kibbutz and continue towards Ramat Raziel. Pilots Hill (signposted) is situated
about 1 kilometer before Ramat Raziel.
What’s worthwhile?
A monument containing fragments from the Norseman aircraft that crashed here in May 1948, during Israel’s War of Independence, in one of the battles for control of the road to Jerusalem, has been erected here. The road to the top of the hill is accessible to all vehicles, and the views of the coastal plain, Gush Etzion, Jerusalem and the Masrek plateaus, are terrific. A walking path well-signposted in black starts out at the monument and leads to Ein Tayassim. The 800m route, punctuated by a relatively sharp descent to the spring, is for serious hikers. One further option is to continue from there to the Sorek Valley Gorge, Refaim Valley and Katlev Valley, each about a five-kilometer walk along a comfortable path, in a different direction.
