2021-11-27 Arbit Qozhayya to Wadi Qannoubine

The stairs to heaven again and again.
Despite the difficulty of climbing up 1200+ stiff uneven stairs, there is beauty and satisfaction of the views you get on your way up.
The trail starts from the hydroelectric power station in Maraat El Nahr. We took the stairs that are next to the huge pipes bringing water down from the reservoir to the turbines to generate electricity. These stairs were built more than 70 years ago and weeds have reclaimed some of them making it more difficult and painful to navigate them. once you reach the water reservoir, you make your way right towards Hawqa and Bane villages; Hawqa is where Father Drio Escobar, the Columbian hermit, dwells. The trail to Hawqa is a barren trail with beautiful rock formations. Once in Hawqa, you take the 600+ stairs down leading to the herimtages (Mahabis in Arabic) and if you are lucky, you will meet Dario (to read more about Dario: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/qadisha-valley-mountain-hermit-dario-escobar or https://lebanonuntravelled.com/dario-escobar-an-hermit-in-the-holly-valley/). Today, and for the last two years, Dario's Hermitage is off limits due to Corona virus fears.
After the hermitages visit, the trail made its way to St. Marina church (read more about her story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marina_the_Monk and the movie made about her: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9794412/) which was recently renovated and on to the Monastery of Lady of Qannoubine. After a short break, the trail continued to Qannoubine village, its ruins, an ancient abandoned school, and two churches. The trail crossed a bridge to the other side of the river and onto the ruins of Maaraboun; which is also under renovation which allowed us to see more areas that were previously inaccessible - Maaraboun, part cave part stone walls structure, is a testament to how people lived away from Ottoman rule in a rugged territory that made Ottoman army stay away. It is in these areas that the Kibbi Nayyeh (a raw meat and burghul Lebanese delicacy) was born; during Ottoman rule the people were afraid to start a fire in order not to draw attention of the soldiers to there whereabouts and began improvising and experimenting with food dishes.
After Maaraboun, the trail was cleared of all bushes and it seems the municipalities did rehabilitate it all the way back to our starting point.
A great difficult hike with God's fall colors in full swing.
This trail is recommended at this time of the year.