Udim: Nature and History Nearby

Nahal Udim is a tributary of Nahal Poleg and flows through Udim. The following nature and history topics extend the focus beyond the town to destinations in the surrounding area: nature reserves, hiking trails, and traces of history. When planning your trip, it’s worth distinguishing Udim itself from these nearby places, especially when coordinating overnight stays and excursions.

Nature and Landscape in the Surrounding Area

The Israel National Trail passes through the nearby Udim Nature Reserve. Existing trails in the reserve may change because of infrastructure work; check the latest notices and trail conditions before your visit. Agmon Yakum is clearly visible from the reserve’s trails. The water reservoir and its surroundings are located on the grounds of Kibbutz Yakum and are part of neither the nature reserve nor Udim.

At nearby Agmon Poleg, you can observe a floating-leaved aquatic plant, pond turtles, and nutria. A pair of black-winged stilts breeds there, and numerous waterbirds gather at the lake in winter. The animals’ presence is seasonal and may vary. Daffodils, anemones, cyclamens, Hyacinthoides, and orchids bloom in the Udim Nature Reserve during their respective flowering seasons. Which flowers you see therefore depends on the time of year.

Kurkar Rocks and Hiking Trails

Nearby Poleg Gate, also called the “Roman Gate,” is an opening cut into the kurkar ridge. Hiking trails pass through the opening and along the edge of the cliffs. The gate gave Nahal Poleg its name in several languages. Tel Poleg is also nearby: this rocky outcrop remained after extensive kurkar quarrying and contains settlement remains from the Middle Bronze Age, the Canaanite period.

A hiking trail near Tel Poleg follows a dirt road past dense vegetation along a lake, then reaches a small kurkar hill in a quarry known as Tel Poleg. Several trails intersect beside Tel Poleg. Large rocks that you can climb are also located along a nearby trail. Next to them are a pine grove with a picnic table and a monument to the defenders of Moshav Udim during the War of Independence.

A short circular trail starts at Agmon Poleg. It is about one kilometer long and suitable for the whole family. Check the latest conditions before your visit. This trail is described as a manageable option, while the longer hiking routes in the area pass different natural and historical sites.

Historical Traces at Old Udim

Old Udim preserves remains of Moshav Udim’s first settlement site, dating from 1948 to 1950. These include caves cut into the kurkar ridge and used as livestock stalls, as well as a building that served as the community secretary’s office. A monument commemorates three residents of the moshav who fell defending the community during the War of Independence. Access to the cave entrance is currently prohibited because of the risk of collapse.

Getting to Nearby Destinations

You can get off at the Wingate Institute stop on one of the shared bus routes between Tel Aviv and Netanya. It is on the western edge of the nearby Udim Nature Reserve; a footpath from there leads to Old Udim and Poleg Gate. Bus routes may change, so check the current service before traveling.

A pedestrian passage beneath the bridge over Nahal Poleg on the Coastal Highway provides access from the nearby Poleg Stream Nature Reserve to the Udim Nature Reserve. Trails in the reserves may also change because of infrastructure work, so check the latest notices before hiking. This lets you plan the bus journey, hiking route, and the particular nature or history topics that interest you separately.

Discover more destinations: Lochamej Hageta'ot, Isfiya, Kfar Baruch, Acre, Tzofar, Hosen, Ilaniya, Kfar Blum

For the main travel overview: Israel.