Udim: Stream, Nature and History

The Nahal Udim, a tributary of the Poleg Stream, flows through Udim. The surrounding area also features riverbank landscapes, kurkar ridges and evidence of early settlement. This destination combines nature within the village with hiking and historical sites nearby.

Nature Nearby

In the nearby Udim Nature Reserve, daffodils, anemones, cyclamens, hyacinthoides and orchids bloom in their respective flowering seasons. At Agmon Poleg, you can observe an aquatic plant with floating leaves, marsh turtles and coypus. A pair of black-winged stilts breeds there, and numerous waterbirds stay at the water in winter. The animals’ presence is seasonal and may vary.

The Agmon Yakum water reservoir is clearly visible from paths in the nearby Udim Nature Reserve. The lake and its surroundings are on the land of Kibbutz Yakum and are not part of the nature reserve.

Kurkar Landscape and History

The Poleg Gate, also known as the “Roman Gate,” is an opening cut into the kurkar ridge. Hiking trails pass through the opening itself and along the cliff edge. Udim can be seen from this ridge; the opening gave the Poleg Stream its name in several languages.

Tel Poleg is a rocky outcrop left standing after extensive kurkar quarrying. It contains settlement remains from the Middle Bronze Age, also known as the Canaanite period.

Old Udim preserves remains of the first settlement site of Moshav Udim, dating from 1948 to 1950. These include caves cut into the kurkar ridges that were used as livestock barns, a building used as the community secretariat, and a memorial to three residents of the moshav who fell defending the place during the War of Independence. Due to the risk of collapse, entry to the cave is currently prohibited.

Hiking Trails and Places to Visit

A hiking trail near Tel Poleg follows a dirt track alongside dense waterside vegetation by the lake, then reaches a small kurkar hill in a quarry known as Tel Poleg. Several trails intersect near Tel Poleg.

A nearby hiking trail passes large rocks that you can climb. Beside them are a pine grove with a picnic table and a memorial to the defenders of Moshav Udim during the War of Independence.

A short circular trail of about one kilometer starts at Agmon Poleg and is suitable for the whole family. Check the current conditions before your visit.

The Israel National Trail passes through the nearby Udim Nature Reserve. A pedestrian passage under the bridge over the Poleg Stream on the coastal highway provides access from the nearby Poleg Stream Nature Reserve to the Udim Nature Reserve. Existing paths in the reserve may change due to infrastructure work, so check the current route conditions and notices before your visit.

You can take one of the shared bus routes between Tel Aviv and Netanya and get off at the Wingate Institute stop on the western edge of the nearby nature reserve. From there, a footpath leads to Old Udim and the Poleg Gate. As bus routes may change, check the current service before travelling.

When looking for a holiday rental in Udim, it helps to distinguish between the village and its surroundings: the Nahal Udim flows through the village, while the nature and historical sites described here are nearby. This can help you decide whether the stream in Udim itself or the hiking destinations and historical sites in the surrounding area are more important for your stay.

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For the main travel overview: Israel.