Ein Akev, Natural spring in Negev Desert, Israel

Ein Akev is a natural spring in the Negev Desert, in southern Israel, where water flows down a rock face and collects in a pool at the base of a narrow canyon. The surrounding walls of pale limestone rise steeply on both sides, and a few desert plants cling to the cracks where moisture reaches.

The name Ein Akev derives from the Arabic Ein Umm Ka'b, meaning "spring of the heel," after a black flint stone at the upper spring that contrasts with the surrounding white rock. The two springs, Ein Akev Upper and Lower, emerge in the Ein Akev streambed on the Ovdat Plateau in the middle Negev, near Nahal Zin and Ein Avdat.

The name comes from the Arabic Ein Umm Ka'b, meaning "spring of the heel"; the black flint rock that gave the site its name stands at the upper spring, contrasting with the white surroundings. The lower spring's pool is fed by a ten-metre waterfall and holds water all year, supporting plants such as common reed, sharp club-rush and tamarisk.

The path to the spring crosses uneven rock and can feel exposed under the desert sun, so setting out in the morning gives a more comfortable experience. Sturdy footwear is important, and carrying more water than you think you need is a practical habit in this terrain.

The name Ein Akev comes from the Arabic Ein Umm Ka'b, meaning "spring of the heel," after a black flint rock at the upper spring that stands out sharply against the white limestone around it. The lower spring is a layered spring whose water falls about ten metres into a pool roughly eight metres deep and ten metres across, holding cold, slightly saline water all year.