Mitzpe Kinneret Lookout and Ein Akub in the Mevo Hama Forest

Mitzpe Kinneret Lookout is in the Mevo Hama Forest and it provides spectacular views over the southern part of Lake Kinneret. This lookout can also be visited as part of a short, circular hike that starts from Ein Akub, which is a popular picnic spot.

ViSITING THE MITZPE KINNERET LOOKOUT AND EIN AKUB:

Enter “מצפה כנרת מנדל” into Waze. If you are unable to enter the Hebrew, enter "Ein Akub" into Waze. This will take you to the main road through the Mevo Hama Forest. An arrowed sign to the first turn-off on the left from close to the beginning of this road indicates the way to the lookout.

At the lookout is a sign identifying the places you are viewing. This includes Kibbutz Tel Kazir below you and Tiberias on the far side of Lake Kinneret. On a clear day, you can see the Upper Galilee, including Mount Canaan, Tzfat and Mount Meron. There is a recording in Hebrew describing this site and explaining the indiscriminate Syrian shelling from the nearby village of Tawfik on the Jewish settlements below, particularly on Kibbutz Tel Kazir. This shelling ended after the 1967 Six-Day War when the Golan Heights came under Israeli control. Another recording in Hebrew tells us about Kinneret Mandel who died in a terrorist attack in Gush Etzion (this site is named after her). There are picnic tables, although none of them are shaded.

In the direction away from the lake, you can make out a British pillbox. This was part of a defensive line built by the British in the Golan during the Mandate period against a possible French and/or German invasion.

Continue a bit further along the Mevo Forest road and you will come to Ein Akub. You can also enter "Ein Akub" into Waze. This is a pleasant place for a picnic. It has a spring, but no pool. There is a very pleasant path around the spring, but no opportunity for the kids to get wet There are plenty of shaded picnic tables.

ABOUT THE CIRCULAR HIKE:

Time: About 1 hour.

Distance: 2¾ Km.

Type of walk: Circular.

Difficulty: An easy hike along paved or dirt jeep roads. There is a significant incline on the return part of the hike.

Directions: See above.

Public transport: There is no bus service close to the Mevo Hama Forest.

DIRECTIONS FOR A CIRCULAR HIKE THAT INCLUDES MITZPE KINNERET:

This short family hike starts from Ein Akub, passes the outskirts of the ruins of Taufik, visits Mitzpe Kinneret and returns to your car at Ein Akub. A small part of the hike is on the spectacular Golan Trail, a 120-Km/5 to 7-day continuous trail from nearby Ein Tawfik to Mount Hermon.

From Ein Akub, take the green-marked trail down the hill.

At the T-junction follow the green markings by turning left, crossing the cattle grid, and then turning right. This will take you to the outskirts and ruins of the Syrian village of Tawfik. After you see two concrete picnic tables on your right, look out over Lake Kinneret and turn back. In theory, you can continue further in this direction on the green-marked trail all the way to Kibbutz HaOno, but there is little point in doing this.

Turning back, you will soon come to the 4-way crossroads you previously passed. Continue straight ahead along the road. You will soon pass on your right an enclosed concrete structure.

This structure was built for canon by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1968-1970 War of Attrition as a response to shelling on Tiberias from north of the Gilad. After Israel returned the shelling from here, the firing ceased. It is called Emdat Hanivronim after a similar firing placement in Greece built by the Germans.

At the T-junction, take the adjacent side road to Mitzpe Kinneret.

When you leave Mitzpe Kinneret, turn left towards Ein Akub. This is the road you came along with your car. Soon you will see your car at the spring.

The military installation of Emdat Hanivronim is no longer in use. It is enclosed and cannot be entered.

Circular trail to Mitzpe Kinneret Overlook. To follow your location on your smart phone, click on these words:

Click on the black box with a cross at the top left of the map and this will change color from black to green.