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Go hiking in Hatta
SABITA RADHAKRISHNA
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If you want to camp in peace, then Hatta is for you, says SABITA RADHAKRISHNA
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TREKKERS' PARADISE A replicated fortress at Hatta
Hatta is about 100 km south east of Dubai city, very near the Oman border. It is the site of the oldest fort in the Dubai Emirate, built in 1790 along with several watchtowers on the surrounding hills. The Hatta dam built in 1989 controls the flow of water from the mountains to the village below. Some of the water also seeps through and replenishes the subterranean water table. A drive to Hatta gains you a scenic visit in an otherwise arid country.
A sturdy car preferably a four-wheel drive would weather the rugged paths, especially if you value your chassis! Dubai city with its thrum and throb is soon forgotten when you pass by desert sands, with finely etched lines and dunes sculpted by the wind. We motored towards Al Ain and at the 5th interchange we headed towards Hatta/Oman, both clearly signposted.
The stark jagged mountain range of the Hajar Mountains awesome in their formations, absorbed colour variations from dull browns to deep reds, from pale greys to intense blues. From the road we could sight the Big Red Dune over 100 metres high where several four-wheel drives and hired dune buggies were getting the feel of the desert sand and practising dune driving and some were even trying sand skiing. .
Magnificent view
We passed through an Omani enclave. We carried our passports with us, just in case we were required to produce them but as it happened we did not need them. We drove to the base of the Jebel Rawdah which is really a large hill rather than a mountain whose summit can be reached by walk in say about an hour and a half. We carried plenty of water with us, good walking shoes and sun hats. Another fantastic walk, I am told, (which we did not attempt) is the hike up Jebel Hatta which is the highest mountain in the area at a height of 1,311 metres and the view of course the biggest bonus at the end of the arduous climb.
Midway we came across limestone rock and climbed as far as we could to enjoy the scenery. Sliced by the ravages of weather into longish slabs arranged like a flight of small steps, it made the climb easy. We espied gentle little cascades of water spurting between the limestone slabs giving the appearance of the sluices of a dam. We sat there on big sized rocks munching our eats and wetting our hands in the cool water.
Who can resist a little bit of shopping and bargaining for the fun of it when the roads suddenly display a range of craft tantalising in its display on the sides? Beautifully fashioned clay pots, traditional looking ones, cylindrical ones and planters in all shapes and sizes... could be yours at an incredibly low price! We found antiquated Iranian silk carpets, which you could not tell from the originals, and what's more there were gorgeous displays of the kilims from Afghanistan.
Peace and tranquillity
On we went to Hatta, which houses an ancient mountain village, and what strikes you immediately is the feeling of peace and tranquillity. The Hatta Heritage Village, quaint and pretty with its mud construction, is set in its own oasis. Walk right in to find out how a Bedouin lives in his home and kneel down in a prayer room on brightly coloured carpets where walls have built-in niches and trellises as part of the construction. The Hatta dam on the far side of the village is scenic. You explore narrow alleyways, the large central fort and discover traditional life in the mud and barasati houses. Throughout the village runs a falaj with pleasant shaded seating areas. At the entrance a house displays traditional handicrafts.
As we neared the Hatta Pools, we were stopped by a long line of vehicles. We saw one vehicle stuck in what seemed to be a little ravine and it was a question of the driver not being skilled enough or the car not having enough power to pull itself up. The occupants got down to lighten the load and to help push the car. The driver made several attempts to get the car up the slope and each time his wheels sank further into the wet sand making the path quite impossible for the other vehicles to proceed further.
After the car was mercifully out of our path, my son who is an expert driver revved the engine and shot across, with the other drivers trying to follow suit!
A little further down, water was flowing over the paths and a car was literally floating in the shallow water, unable to move. It needed a tow rope and help from other drivers to get out of the situation. Moral of the story, carry a tow rope as part of your camping equipment and travel with other groups and not by yourself.
There is always water in the Hatta Pools in the wadi which runs in a shallow manner across bedrock then plunges a few metres down a waterfall into a small pool and continues inside a steep sided gorge. You could walk downstream but when the water is high, the pool and waterfall cannot be accessed.
At the pools you see strangely shaped canyons crafted by the rushing waters. Flash floods from wadis can be dangerous and water just comes on from nowhere, so this journey is not to be taken during the rains.
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