The Cave of Three Bridges near Tannourine village (a 90-minute drive from Beirut) is a primordial wonder. A vertical shaft of icy melt water drops 250 metres through a limestone cave. Over the centuries the water has carved three limestone arcs across the main chamber at the end of a dizzyingly steep gorge. The curved nature of the erosion and abundance of greenery give the impression of an imagined landscape, a sublime rendering of the natural world. The Baatara Gorge can be accessed by trail from the village of Mgharet al-Ghaouaghir and offers an insight into the incredible geology of this tiny, troubled country.

Gareth Roberts