Hatta Pools

Last Saturday we continued our series of explorations of Oman and surrounds. After getting a little waylaid, map issues or should I confess map reading issues, we wended our way the long way to visit the Hatta Pool. In the process of getting waylaid, we did a full circuit of the area I had visited with the Natural History Group. It was a good because now I know where to go for some great day and overnight trips. Getting waylaid also meant another Omani stamp in the passport and we got to travel a road I'd only traveled part of.

We finally arrived at Hatta late in the day and caught up with the Adu Dhabi crew who had arrived a little earlier. The AD crew are a bunch of kiwis, newish arrivals who are working in the boat building industry. They are up for an adventure too, keen to explore and see what there is to see of the natural beauty of this place. The Hatta Pools did not disappoint.

Jane had fun on the 4WD road as we all piled into her car. The boys had a rental and while rental cars can usually go more places than your own car, this was some Chinese made car. It wasn't so sure on the bumps, we weren't so sure of it's brakes. Jane took us off road negotiating some big bumps. The waylaid theme continued and after retracing some of the bumpy bits, we were ready to wander down to the pools.

It was beautiful, the light was perfect, there was no one else there. I was surprised at the extensive system of pools, big, deep pools that were nestled within the rocks and wider shallow pools on the flat. It was late in the day, too cold for this warm weather person to swim but the others enjoyed a dip while I ventured further up the wadi with my camera. The water was refreshing, the upper canyons full of pigeons roosting on the sides.

We wandered home feeling like we'd had a holiday. Definitely a place to revisit, maybe for an overnight camp when it gets a bit warmer. We stocked up on some very local food at Burger King, nothing like hot chips and a burger after a day out exploring. One good thing about having traveling companions is that we can get get a group pic. This one is on the top of the Hatta Dam, a very impressive wall holding back a scenic pool.

The other pics are of the swimmers from the top of the wadi walls; the sun low in the sky over the dam; and a shallow pool with the explorers in the background.