Kerem Maharal
Last week, we set off in search of time out from hectic, sometime frazzled lives in the Holy City, Jerusalem. Some two hours later, we arrived at the gate of The Castle in Kerem Maharal, an 11th Century Crusader castle, nestling within a moshav of the same name, deep within the The Carmel Forest, between Haifa and Zichron Yaakov.
This spectacular squat and imposing pile is lovingly tended by artist Udi Stoler and his craftswoman partner Tsilla Martin, who have resurrected the castle from near rubble over 27 years of painstaking, and probably back-breaking, labour.
Ensconced in one of the 2 guest suites, with a fire alight in the pot-belly stove, cares dissolved. It could have been the complimentary local wine from the Amphorae Winery, or the clear air from being so high and having such far-reaching views across the forest. We slept deeply, secure against any type of invader within the foot-thick walls.
Udi displays his paintings liberally throughout the castle, and has also made most of the furniture, from local stone and wood, and made in the couple’s local factory. He has a great eye for detail; the use of earthy colours within mix with the greens, browns and blues without.
A wonderful optional breakfast of local specialities of fish and cheese complimented our stay, and set us up to discover the local beach. The Castle’s cat and dog are great assets to the environment too! The whole Castle is also available for rent, and could sleep many if willing to bed down on floors, or outside in the grounds.
This would be a wonderful venue for a group retreat, for meditation, discussion, hiking, or a large family event – maybe even a Green Prophet gathering ?
I recommend a stay at The Castle at Kerem Maharal to wholly recharge and reinvigorate.
Author: James Murray-White
Growing up in a green village outside Cambridge, UK gave me an eye into the natural world, and years later, after being an actor, dramatist, weary traveller and anthropologist, the environment fires me up the most – and the need to save and nurture it… while we live within it. I now live in the UK, with partner Tania and 2 pesky cats – writing and filming the world (slowly making a documentary about the Bedouin situation) take up my creative time. I do this while growing things organically and composting profusely take up the remainder. James can be reached at james (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
I stayed at a Crusader castle in Syria, though I could hardly call it a bed and breakfast. It was about 100 times the size of this castle (above). And the guards locked me and my friend in for the night. We were the only ones there and it was scary. There were ghosts….