Travels with Binty Battutah: Ajlun

Travels with Binty Battutah: Ajlun: On Mount Auf in a valley in north western Jordan, close to the birth place of the prophet Elijah, stands a ruined castle. It ...

Ajlun

On Mount Auf in a valley in north western Jordan, close to the birth place of the prophet Elijah, stands a ruined castle. It is set among whispering pines, where a breeze gently blows in the scented air.  I feel at peace in this beautiful place, Ajloun castle. Looking down at the rolling green countryside, I see a lush patchwork of forests, farm land, and olive groves with their carpets of yellow flowers; a slender sandy road twists and winds its way through small, ancient settlements.  From here, on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Dead Sea and Lake Tiberius.

 The fortress which was built between AD 1184 and 1185, on the site of an old Christian monastery, is an excellent example of Arab / Islamic military architecture. The castle was strategically important in that it served as a protection against the Crusaders. The fire beacons in one of its towers were part of a chain of transmitters that could send messages from Damascus to Cairo in twelve hours. The position of the castle also ensured the safety of the Ajloun Iron mines and the three wadis (dry river beds)  that lead into the valley.

Much of the castle was destroyed in earthquakes in 1837 and 1927, so only some forty percent of it still remains. It’s still a fascinating place to visit. Murder holes which were used for pouring boiling oil on enemies and arrow slits are visible on the outer walls.  Inside the castle there are some beautiful vaulted rooms complete with ventilation shafts. The castle had a sophisticated plumbing system with eleven cisterns which allowed for the flow if water throughout the building and evidence of this can be seen in the walls.  According to Ebrahim, one of the castle guides, drinking water was filtered through two different types of sand, blocks of stone and special cooked herbs.

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On the wall below the arch there is a groove that was used for plumbing,

Behind the castle, in the warm spring sunshine, we sat in a grassy field of tiny flowers, and enjoyed a delicious picnic of fresh crunchy salads, wonderful just out of the oven khoubbuz (Arabic bread) and hummus, all washed down with sublime Bedouin tea.

 

Our delicous picnic.

This is Audh Al Hassanat, a Bedouin guide. He is a very experienced and reliable person.  His knowledge of Jordan and it's people and especially Wadi Rum, which is close to his heart, is exceptional. He is always happy and positive. Audh goes to great lengths to put his clients at ease and meet their needs. He speaks excellent English.

Audh also offers adventure and desert tours.
His contact details are desertwolf@gmail.com
Mobile 962 77724b4605

I highly recommend him to make your Jordan holiday memorable.