Qadisha Valley
The Qadisha Valley (also known as Wadi Qannoubine or the Holy Valley) is a deep gorge carved by the Qadisha River, also known as the Nahr Abu Ali when it reaches Tripoli.
The sides of the valley are steep cliffs that contain many caves, often at more than 1000m and all difficult of access. The most scenic section of the valley stretches for approximately twenty kilometers between Bcharre and Tourza.
The word Qadisha comes from a Semitic root meaning "holy" and Wadi Qadisha is the "Holy Valley." Filled with caves and rock shelters inhabited from the third millennium B.C. to the Roman period, the valley is scattered with cave chapels, hermitages and monasteries cut from rock. Since the Early Middle Ages generations of monks, hermits, ascetics and anchorites found asylum here. Even Moslem Soufis were found in this valley.
The Maronites, however, are the dominant Christian group in the valley.
In 1998 UNESCO added the valley to the list of World Heritage Sites because of its importance as the site of some of the earliest Christian monastic settlements in the world.
additional information:
wikipedia.org
qadisha.org
qadishavalley.com
unesco.org
About the Cache
There are several ways to reach this cache.
The easiest way is going by car to Bcharre and enter at N 34° 14.550 E 36° 0.530 the road down to the Valley. Just follow the brown sign to the Monastery of Qannoubine.
If you have no 4 wheel drive and you like your car, stop at the parking place (N 34° 14.775 E 35° 59.870). From here you can walk the last few kilometers or call the service (03/277 898, arabish spoken only) which will take you to N 34° 15.280 E 35° 57.420.
Here is a nice restaurant called Abou Joseph with all the tasty Lebanese food … and cool drinks as well.
Follow the path until you reach the sign which leads you to the Monastery of Qannoubine.
After passing the monastery on the way to St. Marina Church you will reach to a place where the trail gets into a curve to the left. At this curve you will find a few meters up from the trail a small "geocaching G". Near this symbol you will find the geocache hidden in a rock. (look at the spoiler)
short note on cache maintenance:
My dear Lebanese family has offered to assist. Thank you very much for this.