מערת קשת

M'eret Keshet - M'eret Qeshet - Arch Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Adamit Park. From coastal road 4, close to th Libyan border, turn east on 899 through Shlomi, left on 8993 towards Adamit, on top of the hill right into Adamit Park. 150 m walk, paved, no steps. (33.076548, 35.195010)
Open:	All year daily 8-20. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Natural Bridge
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
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History

Description

מערת קשת (M'eret Keshet, Ma'arat Queshet, Rainbow Cave) is a natural bridge located on top of a hill near Adamit. This bridge is the result of a collapsed karst cave, its obvious that the cave ceiling behind the entrance collapsed forming a doline or karstfenster, and the portal remains a natural bridge. They say the "nickname" cave was given to the place only because no more suitable description could be found. As there is a name, which is natural bridge or arch, and we are sure there is a Hebrew translation, so it seems this is just an urban legend they repeat until they believe it.

A group of robbers lived from robbing people travelling through Nahal Batsat valley. One night the Prophet appeared to one of the robbers and warned him that their fate would be bitter if they did not return to an honest life. In the morning, the robber told about the vision he saw at night, and asked them to stop robbing and become farmers. The other robbers were not convinced. But he kept pestering them, so they decided to get rid of him. They promised him that they would only rob the large caravan approaching them and then stop their evil deeds. The robbers placed him as a lookout at the top of the Rainbow Cave, whose ceiling was still intact at that time. Then they waited for the first opportunity to throw him from there into the abyss. At this moment the ceiling of the cave collapsed and the robbers fell into the hole. The ceiling remained only at the place where the robber with a conscience stood. This is the arch which exists to this day.

The site is quite popular and well developed. There is a forest park named פארק אדמית (Adamit Park) with a loop road, at the southern end of the loop is the Keshet Cave parking. From here a concrete trail leads downhill in serpentines to the natural bridge. There is an iron railing along the rim of the doline, and it is possible to walk across the bridge. The site is used by climbers.