Ramthah Loop



Ramthah Loop

The Ramthah Loop is a round-trip mountain hike that begins and ends in the mountain oasis of Ramthah. The hike covers more than 11km and provides a contrast of two wadi systems, Wadi Ramthah and Wadi Khadrah.

Ramthah is a much small oasis community reflecting the smaller scale of the catchment area and the smaller of the two wadi beds. The main wadi is about 10m wide and seldom more than 10m deep.

Khadrah is a large crescent-shaped oasis located on a sweeping curve of the wadi. The main wadi bed upstream from the oasis is up to 20m deep and, though there are narrow 'rock gorges' where the wadi cuts through solid roack, the main channel is often 30 or more meters across.

There are several sites along the route and many 'placed stone' structures of unknown purpose or use.

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Leaving the active farms at Ramthah
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Looking across the wadi to remains of 'bait khaimah'
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The pass in the distance
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Starting out on the falaj
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The wadi bed, the abandoned oasis in the distance
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The wadi bed, the abandoned oasis in the distance
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New, cement falaj above remains of sarooj falaj
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Detail of old sarooj falaj
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The reservoir at the head of the falaj in the abandoned date garden
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Track leading through the abandoned oasis
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Dead date palms in the abandoned oasis
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Goat track leading to the first pass
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View back towards Ramthah
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Approaching first pass
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Approaching first pass
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Remains of placed stones on track
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View from top of first pass back towards Ramthah
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View towards Wadi Khadrah (distance) with one of the tributaries of Wadi Ramthah in foreground
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View up from wadi bed, path visible just right of center
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Cut (center) is lower pass to Wadi Khadrah
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Upper pass to Wadi Khadrah is beyond mountain on the left
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Wadi bed of this tributary of Wadi Khadrah
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Stone 'brdige' (foreground) on one of the several routes around gorges
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Sidr in the wadi bed
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One of the stone cairns -- with white rock on top -- marking change of direction
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Narrow track up the slope
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View back
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Goat track visible
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Small 'shelter' beside the track
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Moringa peregrina
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Moringa peregrina
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Dyerophytum indicum
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Magnificent sidr in middle of wadi bed
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Sidr looking downstream
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Retaining wall for this section of track from bottom of wadi to top of conglomerate
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Detail of retaining wall
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Placed stone, function unknown
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First glimpse of upper pass
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Upper pass
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Upper pass
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Approaching upper pass
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Several gazelle latrines as you approach the upper pass
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Well-worn track used by goats and donkeys
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Moringa peregrina surviving in a narrow crack in this rock near the upper pass
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Moringa peregrina
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Moringa peregrina
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View from upper pass down into Wadi Khadrah
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Approaching Wadi Khadrah
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White stone markers used to mark trail
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White stone marker (left) used to mark trail
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Distance between mountrain ridges for Wadi Khadrah several times that for Wadi Ramthah
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First glimpse down into Wadi Khadrah
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Looking upstream Wadi Khadrah
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Looking downstream Wadi Khadrah
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Last ridge to cross before 'football house'
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View downstream Wadi Khadrah
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View downstream Wadi Khadrah
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'Football house', 'hunting camp', 'campsite' and 'chimneys' all in the distance
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Curious geological features: large stones with desert varnish right but fine gravel left
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One the access points down into Wadi Khadrah (lower left)
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Placed stones
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Remains of a majlis, perhaps
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Goat/donkey trail to 'football house'
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Goat/donkey trail to 'football house'
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Short section of wall
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Placed stones
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Narrow track over rought ground
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One of the crescent structures at 'football house'
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Largest structure at 'football house'
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Barasti, clothing, tin cans, bottles all found at 'football house'
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Gazelle latrine not far from crescent-shaped structures
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One of the tributaries of Wadi Khadrah
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Track on route back to Ramthah
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Animals have kicked stones to the sides to create obvious track
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Rough ground near lower pass
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Looking back towards Wadi Khadrah
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Approaching lower pass
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Ramthah in distance (right)
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Lower pass
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Lower pass
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Members following the falaj
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Leaving Ramthah, approaching abandoned oasis
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Lower pass visible left
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Scree slope
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Members negotiating the scree slope
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Members negotiating the scree slope

Profile of ascent to the upper pass and then descent to lower pass

Track when overlaid on Google Earth