Abr Forest in Shahroud, Semnan Province, is due to host an international marathon for the first time next month, intended to promote the natural tourist attractions of the province.
"The marathon event will be held in Semnan on August 30, featuring a 21-kilometer half-race and a full 42 kilometers," the head of the provincial office of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, Mohammad Jahanshiri, said.
"It aims to promote the tourism potential, sustainable development and preservation of natural resources in the province," the CHTN quoted him as saying on Monday.
The course takes runners on a scenic tour through the village of Qatri in northern Shahroud, the ancient Hyrcanian Forests and English yew trees.
The Lut Desert, Also known as Dasht-e Lut, in the province of Kerman played host to the latest editions of the race in Iran in 2016 and 2017.
World-Class Race
Some world-renowned marathon runners are participating in the race, including Mohammed Alhansal, the five-time winner of the Marathon Des Sables, and Italian marathon runner Paolo Venturini who set a Guinness World Record in the summer of 2017 by running across the Lut Desert, known as the hottest spot on Earth.
Those interested in participating can visit the website at www.luttravel.com.
The spectacular scenery offered by the forest trails and trees shrouded in thick fog in the heart of Alborz Mountains makes Abr Forest an ideal venue for the marathon run, Jahanshiri added.
Located 45 kilometers northeast of Shahroud, Abr (Persian for cloud) Forest covers 14,000 hectares and is part of the ancient Caspian Hyrcanian forests.
Due to high humidity and special climatic conditions surrounding Alborz Mountains, clouds descend to the ground and cover the forest in certain times of the year, which is the logic behind its naming.
It was designated as a protected area in September 2016.
Sprawling on an area of 35,000 hectares, the forest is a remnant of the ancient Caspian and Hyrcanian forests, encircling the northern slopes of the Alborz Mountains like a belt, covering the southern coasts of the Caspian Sea.
Inside the thick woods, it is hard to imagine that the forest is located in the semi-arid province of Semnan, close to the Central Desert and Khar-Turan National Park southeast of Shahroud city. To a large number of eco-tourists, Abr Forest is among the most beautiful natural scenery in Iran and the entire world.
