Idku

Introduction

Edku is a town in Egypt's Beheira Governorate, set on a sandy strip behind Abi Qir Bay in the northwestern Nile delta. It sits between Alexandria to the west-southwest and Rosetta to the northeast, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, with both cities reachable by coastal road and railway.

Just south of town lies Lake Idku, a large lagoon running behind and parallel to the coast. Reputed to be the ancient Canopic branch of the Nile and drained by the Al-Madiyyah Channel, which connects it to the Mediterranean, the lagoon shapes daily life here: Edku's position on the isthmus lets it draw on the fisheries of both the lake and the sea. Rice milling and silk weaving round out the town's industries.

Three days in Idku

Day one: Start in Edku itself, a town in Beheira Governorate set between Lake Idku and the farmland that feeds it. Walk the water's edge and watch the boats working the lake, then follow the Al Madiyyah Channel, the old Canopic mouth of the Nile, as it runs toward the Mediterranean. In the evening, eat rice, the crop the surrounding fields are known for, and watch the light go down over the water.

Day two: Head for the coast and Abi Qir Bay, where the Mediterranean meets the Nile's old delta channels. The bay is reputed for its seafood, so make a long lunch of it. If you want more, push on to Rosetta to see where the river finally reaches the sea, or go the other way to Alexandria for a bigger city day. Both sit within easy reach of Edku.

Day three: Give the lake a full morning. Lake Idku is the reason the town exists, and its reeds, birds and open water reward a slow look. Then take the Al Madiyyah Channel one more time, north to the Mediterranean Sea, and finish on the sand with the sea in front of you and the delta behind.