The secret jacuzzi where you can still find peace

At the height of the summer vacation, when almost every natural pool in the Valley of Springs is crowded with visitors, Chen Yosef, a veteran spring blogger, found herself almost alone at Ein HaMessil — a small and shallow pool that receives spring water from a large pipe, in a pampering stream and with the power of a "divine jacuzzi."

"I arrived at the place in the morning and saw that I was the only car in the parking lot," she tells Ynet. "I didn't know how long it would stay like that for me, so I immediately took out the tripod and filmed. Later, I had two isolated hours there with myself, at my leisure, in nature, and I could have stayed there for more hours." She laughs: "I enjoy my own company."

The Ein HaMessil pool, also known as Ein Tzamad, is located in the Valley of Springs, near the famous "White Waterfalls." It is a small and shallow water corner, surrounded by eucalyptus trees, into which spring water is channeled from a large pipe. On days when almost every known spring in the area becomes a crowded recreation site, it is precisely there that there is a good chance to find some quiet.

"Now in the summer, there is no empty spring in the Valley of Springs, at any time — not even early in the morning or late in the evening," she says. "We have been in the middle of the summer vacation for a month, and most of the springs near my house are full and there are a lot of traffic jams. I was looking for a place that would have as few people as possible. I said, let's try my luck at Ein HaMessil — and I got lucky. I arrived there at ten in the morning and was alone. Later, another group of girls arrived. It was perfect."

Chen emphasizes that her pampering experience at the beautiful spring does not guarantee that the next visitors will find it empty. "A week before that, I arrived there with friends because I wanted to show them an isolated place, but then I didn't get lucky," she says. "One person who knows the place brought all his friends, they opened a barbecue there and had the time of their lives. It was one big group, but that is also the disadvantage of the place — it is terribly small. And yet, it is a stunning place."

According to her, it is precisely the road to the spring that is one of the reasons it manages to remain less crowded than other sites in the area. "I think what deters people from coming to Ein HaMessil is that there is a seven-minute drive on a dirt road," she explains. "There are people who are very deterred by this, especially those who come from the center and are not used to driving off-road. No matter how much I advertise it — because of the dusty road to it, it remains relatively less known and less popular. That's what I like about it and that's what makes it unique."

Chen emphasizes that there is no need for an off-road vehicle. "There is no need to be alarmed by the dirt road," she laughs. "It is suitable for any vehicle. From the car to the water, it is about a half-minute walk, right in front of the White Waterfalls."

The pool itself is not large or deep, and for an adult, the water reaches below the knee. "There is a large transport pipe there that sprays water like a huge jacuzzi in nature, but this is water that comes from a spring in the area, from the bowels of the earth. The water comes out there with such force that it officially makes Ein HaMessil the big jacuzzi of the Valley of Springs."

"The water is not freezing," she encourages those who are hesitant. And there is also shade: "If you arrive very early in the morning, the shade also falls on the pool itself, but later in the day it moves away from it. Outside the water, there is shade all day, there are large eucalyptus trees there and there is a place to sit."

Alongside the healing silence of nature, the intimate dip in the pleasant water and the strong and pampering stream, Chen also discovered a sight that angered her very much. "The lovely KKL picnic table that was outside, people brought into the pool," she says angrily. "It is heavy and I had no way to take it out. They brought another folding plastic table there to eat in the water and left it there. It's horrific." She sighs: "The distance from the car is so short, and there is also a huge trash can there — so why leave dirt? I don't understand."

Because of the small dimensions of the pool at Ein HaMessil, one table in the water or a large and noisy group is enough to completely change the experience. "There is no need to bring the whole house there — chairs, tables, and sofas," she asks the public. "The place is not big anyway, so leave all the furniture at home, so that the pool remains for swimming."

And now for Chen's great tip: those who arrive at Ein HaMessil and discover that the pool is occupied can continue on the dirt road to Ein Avuka. Yosef emphasizes that these are two springs with different characters. "Ein Avuka is a place suitable for camping, for older people and teenagers, because the water there is deep," she says. "In contrast, Ein HaMessil is suitable for families, for a dip, or for a couple who wants to be alone."

In case of crowding in August, another option is to move away from the main pool and look for hidden corners. "If you walk a little on foot and explore the rest of the stream, there are a few more small and shallow corners there," she says. "They are really small and suitable for couples who come to isolate themselves and see that there are people in the big pool."

"When I travel alone, I arrive in nature with a tripod. It's hard because you have to engineer it in the flowing water," she laughs. "You have to make sure that the water and the current don't knock it over, and everything there is on a slope and on stones. So first of all, I see the angle I want to shoot from, and then I try to find creative ways for the tripod to stand properly. I collect stones, put one here and one there, so that the current doesn't blow it away."

And while she was trying to stabilize the tripod against the current, another surprise awaited her in the water. "There are tiny fish there, and they are capable of biting a little. No need to be afraid," she reassures. "People pay money for something like this," she laughs.

How to get there: Drive on Highway 71 towards Beit She'an. Inside the city, turn south onto Highway 7076, and at the junction before Kibbutz Ein HaNatziv, turn right onto a dirt road (a left turn leads to the White Waterfalls). After a few minutes of slow driving, you reach the adjacent parking lot. You can also just write "Ein HaMessil" in Waze.

Warning: Swimming in Ein HaMessil is without supervision and lifeguard services and is at the sole responsibility of the bathers.