Bkarta - Arz Jaj (Jaj cedars)

It's autumn season. Back to the trails! We parked near St Georges church in Bqarta. Bqarta is a village situated nearby to the villages Hrazmin and Ehmej in Jbeil district. It's a mix of dirt roads, footpaths, and off-trail parts. Sceneries are stunning at this time of the year. There is no technical difficulty, but the ascent is sternuous at some parts. GPS readings are not always accurate especially in the mountains, so follow your common sense and do not navigate my recording "blindly." We had our lunch break under the Cedars. On our way back, we first followed the trail leading to Arz Jaj reserve parking. From there, the descent is long but pleasant. Expect superb sceneries at this part. At some point, you will reach a wide dirt road (old quarry road). Avoid entering the quarry and make a detour in the fields before re-catching the trail. The way is clear from here back to the starting point. The day is shorter in autumn/winter, so start early to finish before sunset. This trail is short in distance, but it will take more time than usual because of the rocky uneven terrain. So take your time to watch your steps and to enjoy the beauty of the area. Enjoy this beautiful part of Lebanon and keep it clean.

Arz Jaj (Cedars of Jaj)
(Below info from www.lebanonuntravelled.com)

Nestled in the high mountain of Jaj,at an altitude of 1,500 meters, this cluster of cedars is one of the most ancient natural reserves left of the forest that once covered the whole region and which the kings of Byblos exploited during the 3rd millennium B.C…

It is also told in the Bible, in I Kings, 5: 32, that Hiram King of Tyre sent the Gibilites (Jbeïlis, people of Byblos) to cut wood for the construction of the temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem in the time of King Solomon, about 930 B.C..

On the heights of Jaj, there are now only a few fine specimens of cedars, hundreds of years old, rooted among the masses of rock. They are surely well worth the promenade, for their majestic stature, their eternal verdure and, when there is a light breeze, their particular perfume and odors fully recompense the effort of a visit that they truly merit after having held out so long against tragic devastation.

A very old squat chapel with walls of crudely cut stones, with narrow door and windows and decrepit interior, hides some holy pictures. It stands as a curiosity and as yet another witness to the difficulties of the Christian mountain-dwellers during the long “winter” of the rule of the Ottoman pashas.

A road has recently been pierced, a car-park laid out, and a winding pathway cleared up the mountainside to lead one up to the illustrious cedars (about 15 minutes hiking before reaching the forest).