The Shouf is a wonderful place to commune with nature. It is about an hour from Beirut on a good road. Best to go on the weekend as Beirut traffic can be very heavy during the week. Not long after you start your trek via the Barouk entrance, you are greeted by beautiful cedars. One of the first big individuals is the oldest in Lebanon at an estimated 3,000+ years old. The age was estimated by taking the circumference of another tree that had died in a lightning strike after counting the growth rings in its trunk. From the circumference of the dead tree, the park authorities are able to estimate the age of other trees by comparing their trunk circumference. The oldest cedar has a trunk that is 16 meters around. The first image is the lead up to this amazing tree. The tree is also said to be the inspiration for the tree on the Lebanese flag.
As you approach the old tree you can see how massive its trunk is compared to the hiker on the trail.
As you continue on the trail it leads you through a nice cool cedar grove with a mix of old and younger trees.
Also located in this reserve is the famous Lamartine cedar estimated at more than 2,000 years old. “Alphonse de Lamartine was … an Orientalist with a particular interest in Lebanon and the Middle East. He travelled to Lebanon, Syria and the Holy Land in 1832–33. During his trip to Lebanon he had met prince Bashir Shihab II and prince Simon Karam, who were enthusiasts of poetry. A valley in Lebanon is still called the Valley of Lamartine as a commemoration of that visit, and the Lebanon cedar forest still harbors the “Lamartine Cedar”, which is said to be the cedar under which Lamartine had sat [almost] 200 years ago.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonse_de_Lamartine
