Tel Socho Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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A fun walk up a hill with a rewarding view at the top.
Tel Socho, which looks out over the Elah Valley, is also called Givat HaTurmusim- the Hill of Lupins- because of the distinctive flower that blooms in early spring. Due to its geography, during the Biblical period the Elah Valley was an important site in the Kingdom of Judah, forming a crossroads between the Shfela lowlands in the West and Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Hebron in the mountainous East. The Philistines camped here on their way to fight King Saul, and the Tel Socho hill overlooks the Valley of Elah where Goliath was killed. Later on, Nebuchadnezer came through on his way to conquer Jerusalem, and the Romans paved a road along what is today Rte. 375. It is possible that the Second Temple era scholar Antigonus Ish Socho also came from here. Nowadays the Valley is the site of the satellite dishes which serve Israel's communications system, and the hill serves as a pilgrimage site for wildflower enthusiasts. In winter and spring the hill is covered in a variety of flora including cyclamen, buttercup, anemone, poppies, and clover. The most popular time to see the blooms is in March, when lupins cover the hill in purple. (Note: today in the heart of summer we did not see so many flowering shrubs, but as we drove up a gazelle bounded down the hill and proceeded into the trees too fast for us to get a good picture.)
At the top of the hill you can see remnants of the ancient Socho, and look out over the entire Elah Valley. A word of caution: the top of the hill has a number of open pits so be careful!!
Right across the street is Kibbutz Netiv HaLamed Hey, named for the 35 Palmach fighters who were killed while trying to reach the nearby beseiged Gush Etzion in 1948.
Directions here: From Rte. 1 exit at Shaar Hagay towards Bet Shemesh (Rte. 38). Pass Bet Shemesh, and make a left at Elah Junction towards Kibbutz Netiv HaLamed Hey (Rte. 375). About 2.2 km after the intersection you'll see the unmarked turnoff to Tel Socho on your right. About 30 m after the turnoff the path begins heading East, you can park right there.
There are a number of ways up the hill, which is not high but is a bit steep. The official trail is marked in blue and white and goes around the entire hill. The whole route should take just over an hour. There are trails that break off from the main one that can shorten the hike. Whereas the steepness makes the terrain challenging, on holidays and Independence Day the hill is pretty crowded with families. There is a backroad, accessible to jeeps.
The cache is in a Lock and Lock box, and originally contained a mini flashlight, some toys, and a travel bug.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ng gur obggbz bs gur jrfgrea fvqr bs gur jnyy.