Dibeen Forest Reserve
Nov 12, 2011 16:38:47 GMT
Post by onlymark on Nov 12, 2011 16:38:47 GMT
Today it was decided we’d go to Ajloun castle. It is to the north of Amman not far from Jerash, the Roman city, about an hour away. I’d wanted to visit it because rather than it being a Crusader castle, it was built by the nephew of Saladin in 1184AD to defend the area from the Crusaders, one of the few built in response to the invasion. I wanted to see how it compared in style and also it was a bit of a curiosity as in 1260AD it was sacked by the Mongols.
However, it was not to be.
On the way my daughters colluded together and decided, “We’re not going to see another castle, are we? It’s boring. Can’t we just go for a walk instead?”
I managed to negotiate a fair exchange, showing them my sad and disappointed face, and managed to wrangle out of them a kiss each if I diverted elsewhere. They felt really guilty and even offered me their bag of crisps – but, I hasten to add, their bag of jelly babies was out of bounds and not negotiable.
I suffered in silence but directed the car to a nearby nature reserve – called Dibeen Forest.
It’s roughly located here –
After paying our entrance fee (1JD = 1 Euro per adult, kids up to twelve free) we had a drive in, parked up and went for a walk. A pleasant 23 degrees C and no wind made for a good walking day.
A little background and info for you –
Dibeen was set up in 2004 and covers an area of 8.5 square kilometres. It contains one of the few remaining areas of pine and oak forest in the whole of the Middle East and is situated on a number of hills. Surrounding countryside is actually mainly olive trees.
There are Alleppo Pines and Palestine Oak trees in abundance in the mid altitudes, pine mainly lower down and oak in the higher reaches, a mix in the middle.
Also are orchids, pistachio and a lovely tree that I’ve not seen before (that I noticed anyway) called a Greek Strawberry Tree. You’ll spot them in the photos easily enough.
images.kew.org/arbutus_andrachne/print/655733.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbutus_andrachne
However, it was not to be.
On the way my daughters colluded together and decided, “We’re not going to see another castle, are we? It’s boring. Can’t we just go for a walk instead?”
I managed to negotiate a fair exchange, showing them my sad and disappointed face, and managed to wrangle out of them a kiss each if I diverted elsewhere. They felt really guilty and even offered me their bag of crisps – but, I hasten to add, their bag of jelly babies was out of bounds and not negotiable.
I suffered in silence but directed the car to a nearby nature reserve – called Dibeen Forest.
It’s roughly located here –
After paying our entrance fee (1JD = 1 Euro per adult, kids up to twelve free) we had a drive in, parked up and went for a walk. A pleasant 23 degrees C and no wind made for a good walking day.
A little background and info for you –
Dibeen was set up in 2004 and covers an area of 8.5 square kilometres. It contains one of the few remaining areas of pine and oak forest in the whole of the Middle East and is situated on a number of hills. Surrounding countryside is actually mainly olive trees.
There are Alleppo Pines and Palestine Oak trees in abundance in the mid altitudes, pine mainly lower down and oak in the higher reaches, a mix in the middle.
Also are orchids, pistachio and a lovely tree that I’ve not seen before (that I noticed anyway) called a Greek Strawberry Tree. You’ll spot them in the photos easily enough.
images.kew.org/arbutus_andrachne/print/655733.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbutus_andrachne