Located near the northwestern Negev town of Ofakim, the 3,500-dunam (875-acre) Eshkol National Park has lawns, picnic areas and a playground. It is a great starting point for a drive along the Besor Stream’s charming scenic route.
A fine view awaits at the top of a hill, known in Arabic as Shalala Ruins, in the northern part of the national park. During World War I, Australian soldiers fought the Turkish army here. They also discovered the remains of a Byzantine church with a beautiful mosaic floor, which is now on display in Canberra, Australia.
The remnants of an Egyptian way-station dating to the late fourth millennium BCE
were found on a small hill in the center of the park. En HaBesor, the Besor spring, emerges at the foot of the hill, creating a warm-water
pool –– 20 degrees centigrade year-round (no swimming). The British built the concrete buildings near the spring were to house water pumps for their horses and steam locomotives.
The 18-kilometer Besor Route, built by the Jewish National Fund, is a scenic drive with attractions along the way, including a rope bridge. It begins in the park and ends at Tse’elim junction to the south. |