One of the beauties of living in Mashhad is that the countryside is always within minutes of our home.
Today at 6 am, right out of the blue, we decided to check out the fall colors in an area known as the Purple Valley, known locally as Valley of Arghawan. Persian: purple. It’s one of countless valleys among the peaks surrounding Mashhad.
The Binalud Mountains of Khorasan, Iran
The western side of Mashhad is covered with high hills and mountains known as the Binalud Mountain Range. Here, there are countless peaks and valleys and villages to explore, connected via many dirt roads, many not yet mapped.
Just now, after years of living in Mashhad on and off, I’m realizing what a treasure trove sits within minutes of my home. I had forgotten what an amazing time we had a year ago just an hour away sleeping on the floor.
The drive through the Binalud area is always thrilling.
First your slowly leave the settled areas as the road turns steep:
Up and down mostly rocky landscape …
… which is usually dotted with trees in the valleys, along the streams being fed by the peaks.
In the gorges, there are many rest areas, along rivers, or along manmade pools, like the one with found here.
Beauty of Fall scenery east of Mashhad
The picture below is what draws people to the Binalud area east of Mashhad. In mid-November the fall colors reach their peak.
Most people picnic here by the river. We came unprepared. So ended up eating at one of the few restaurants along the river.
Breakfast was, what else, but the quintessential Iranian breakfast, the omelet and fresh bread and raw onions.
A river runs through Purple Valley, along which people picnic.
And, of course, whereever people are eating, there are stray dogs waiting for handouts. These two guys ate all the bread we were taking back home.
More about the Purple Valley aka Arghawan Valley
The valley is named “purple” because of the purple flowers of the the Judas trees (Cercis siliquastrum) native to the area.
The leaves on the plant turn yellow in the fall season.
But in spring, Judas trees flowers are bright purple, hence the name of the valley. This is what the place looks like in the spring:
The woody plant is used to weave baskets and other household goods, a local art that is, sadly, dying out. The plant itself is also endangered.
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