starters

O, de moon dar shines de brighter, / ’Weh down Souf, / An’ I know my heart is lighter, / ’Weh down Souf; / An’ de berry thought brings pledjur, / I’ll be happy dar’dout medjur, / Fur dar I hab my tredjur, / ’Weh down Souf.
Daniel Webster Davis, ’Weh Down Souf

Winding through mountain ways

Like many Arabic words, the name of the village above Al Hamra – and below Aqabat al Hamra – is open to a bit of interpretation when spelt in English. It is generally accepted that it is either Misfat or Misfah, depending on how it is used:
Misfah, when used as a single word
Misfat al Abriyeen, when used fully
Misfah translates into ‘from a distance’ and Abriyeen refers to the common family here, the Al Abris.

UTM GPS waypoints to get to Aqabat al Hamra

Misfat al Abriyeen
40 Q 0531807, 2559133
Elevation 968m

Climb plateaus
40 Q 0532733, 2560781
Elevation 1207m

Water tank
40 Q 0532892, 2560937
Elevation 1254m

Aqabat al Hamra
40 Q 0534319, 2561539
Elevation 1491m

Directions

Head out from Muscat on the Sultan Qaboos Highway, turning towards Nizwa after the airport. Drive through Nizwa, towards the mountains, turning right at the second filling station, an Omanoil, on your right after Tanuf, the one with a new roundabout and a huge red Toyota sign. The road will wind its way to Al Hamra, and it’s first roundabout and Shell station. Turning left will take you to Jebel Shams. Head straight into the main road of the town, and right at the sign. The road will climb up to Misfah.

Park your car at the parking lot just outside the village, and walk down its central ally, itself dropping down stair, following the falaj. Once at the water cooler, under the mosque, turn left, following the painted flags on the rock that indicate the hiking path. It follows a ridge above the wadi on your right, before dipping down into it further on, crossing the dry riverbed and making its way extremely steeply up the other side.

Your first hour will take you through the steepest bit, but you’ll then hit a water tank and some stone walls, while the land will level a bit, sloping up gently ahead. This is where the painted flags make an abrupt right hand turn. Do not follow them – that’s another hike for another day. Instead, follow the natural ledge that you are on, angling its way across the slope. Don’t cross it up the mountain, just keep in its line. You will find the occasional stripe of white paint over the rick to guide you. Aqabat is straight ahead.

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