The first climb was not so difficult. After the descent there was the "Ammonite wall" to look at, a slab of rock full of giant ammonite fossils. The second climb was initially up rock that had a corroded appearance. Limestone I assume being corroded by rainwater, it made for good grip for my boots. Higher up the climb the rock changed to something crystalline, that shattered into loose scree that could be slippery underfoot.
After descending the second ridge there was a long flat section. A lone acacia tree in the middle of this section was a key navigation point, appearing on maps. Then there was the final, long, brutal climb. Instead of the official trail route, I did as the Red Guide suggested and followed a "green" trail up the cliff to Mitzpe Ramon, although to begin with I followed the green trail in the wrong direction! Once on the right route it was a steep climb, the buildings and people on top slowly getting closer. The view from the promenade at the top is spectacular.
As a reward for getting this far I had a big lunch at the restaurant by the visitors centre. Kebabs, chips, labne, pitta bread, and pickled vegetables, a change from the tinned tuna and tortillas that I had been mainly eating since Eilat. My other treat was a room at the InnSense B&B where I could shower and wash my clothes.
I am now in the Habereh pub, having salad and a couple of beers. A place with an eclectic decor it was quiet when I arrived at 7:00 pm, but now a huge group has arrived, ranging from children to grandparents, pushing the previous customers to the peripheries. And people just keep arriving (including a nice couple from Genoa who I have shared my table with). Possibly it is busy as this evening (a Thursday) is the start of the weekend in Israel, Friday being the Muslim holy day and Saturday being the Jewish Sabbath.
22.8 kilometres walked today, including my walking in the wrong direction by mistake.
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