Many years ago I was in Trikala. There – for the first time – I heard people talking about the Aspropotamos.
At that time I did not ask for details. I thought that Aspropotamos was just a mountainous area, difficult to access and rich in hunting. And that it owed its name to some local and unremarkable stream of the many that furrow the terrain of the South Pindus. I did not suspect the presence of ten mountain villages, nor the existence of so many towering peaks, gorges, waterfalls and streams. I had no idea that some of these micro-streams and streams were the beginning of the multifaceted and fascinating flow of the legendary Acheloos. Nor did I expect that in Aspropotamos Trikala, I would meet one of the most exciting mountain destinations our country has to offer.

The enlarged Community of Aspropotamos came from the merger of eight former communities of the area and two settlements. After Meteora, it is the most important attraction for local and foreign visitors in the Prefecture of Trikala.
Natura 2000 area included in the European Habitat Network.
In the area of Aspropotamos the human presence has always been discreet, which is why the wild fauna and flora has been preserved unchanged. Untouched nature with the clear waters of the springs and the torrents, the beautiful riverside plane forests and the dense forests of fir, beech, pine, oak and maple host and maintain a wide variety of rare animals and plants.
Deer, roe deer, wild goats on the cliffs, wolves, wild boars, bears and small mammals in the forests, reptiles and amphibians coexist in the riparian meadows.
Wild trout live in the clear and navigable torrents of the area. The riverbeds full of natural stone basins, sunny glades, densely wooded slopes alternating with beautiful mountain pastures, arched bridges and post-Byzantine monuments, the stone mansions of the villages of Aspropotamos and the stone relief lintels of the churches and houses, give the area a tone of unparalleled beauty resulting from the coexistence of the historical past with modern reality.
CHRISTOS RAPTIS
President of the Enlarged Community of Aspropotamos
Many years ago I was in Trikala. There – for the first time – I heard people talking about Aspropotamos.
At that time I did not ask for details. I thought that Aspropotamos was just a mountainous area, rugged and rich in hunting. And that it owed its name to some local and unremarkable stream of the many that furrow the terrain of the South Pindus. I did not suspect the presence of ten mountain villages, nor the existence of so many towering peaks, gorges, waterfalls and streams. I had no idea that some of these micro-streams and streams were the beginning of the multifaceted and fascinating flow of the legendary Acheloos. Nor did I expect that in Aspropotamos Trikala, I would meet one of the most exciting mountain destinations our country has to offer.
TOWER OF MANTANIA
-How do you plan to cook the trout, Sotiri?
-Here in the region there is only one way to cook trout. In a pan with goat butter and cornflour.
Not more than ten minutes have passed since – it is now night – Sotiris has returned with his rod, his long rubber boots and his woven woolen tray, which has no more than sixteen trout in it. For a fisherman of the sea, this would be a very modest achievement. But for the Aspropotamos fisherman it is a reward from nature for his long hours of effort from noon to night and for the hard miles he has travelled through the riverbed and between the rapids, against the current of the river.
Sotiris picks up his pebbles and heads for the kitchen. George Bambos brings an armful of wood, the fire in the fireplace grows stronger. In mid-September, the night moves on chilly, damp from the rain and the river that echoes between the stones a few dozen yards away from the guesthouse. It is a strange sensation. Just two days ago we were letting our bodies sway in the exotic waters of Halkidiki, thinking that summer would last forever. Tonight, here in Aspropotamos, in front of the fireplace and at the altitude of 900 meters of the guesthouse, we have the illusion that we are not in Greece but in some far away country of the North.
Lambros Papageorgiou brings a cool white wine, with a fruity aroma and taste, produced exclusively for the guesthouse. We all sit in front of the lit fireplace and, until the trout appear, we accompany our wine with delicious feta cheese and spicy gruyere from local farmers.
It has been less than two years since we last traversed the Aspropotamos area. At the site where the guesthouse now stands, all we vaguely remember are large piles of stones and foundation work. We did not imagine that the next year, and specifically on October 28, 2001, the mountain lodge “Pyrgos-Mandania” would be operating at this point.
The complex name of the unit is due to architectural and historical reasons. The designation ‘Tower’ is justified by the heavy fortified structure, with stone dominating both floors. The line is simple, almost monastic, the balconies are absent, the windows are small, and strong iron bars protect the windows on the first floor. The name ‘Mantania’, moreover, refers to the more recent history of the area, since there was once a ‘mandani’ on this site, which was burnt down by the Germans. It was in this mandani that the wool was processed before being used. As the water came from above in a wooden channel, the wind was beaten with a rushing wind that brought a shaft with wooden jerks, which in turn beat the “skootia”, i.e. the heavy woolen fabrics, with reciprocating movements to “tie” them.
Genuine children of Aspropotamos, George and Lambros understood early on the enormous importance of their place for every traveller and nature lover. At the same time they lived every year the two-dimensional character of their region. Throughout the summer season all ten settlements of Aspropotamos were full of life, the feasts and religious festivals followed one another, With the first cold of October a chill of frost seemed to penetrate from end to end the villages. The windows and doors were breaking one after another, the chimneys smoking in the houses were dwindling day by day, the last cattle were hurrying to leave their mountain pastures in search of safety in the plains of the Thessalian plain. Counting on their fingers were the families who remained in the villages of Aspropotamos to welcome the winter snows. If a stranger happened to spend the night in the area, it would get wild. Nowhere on the main road running through Aspropotamos could he find a made bed or a warm corner to rest in.
This was more or less the case until last October, when for the first time smoke came out of the chimneys of the “Mandania Tower” shelter. Until then this whole dreamy place seemed hostile, inaccessible. Only hunters or some adventure lovers ventured on a trip to Aspropotamos. The venture of the two friends is therefore admirable in every respect and they can rightly be considered pioneers.
But apart from its multidimensional importance for the tourist infrastructure of this mountainous region, the guesthouse amazes us with its overall quality, the harmonious combination of functionality, high aesthetics and attention to detail.
I notice the space of the large restaurant room, the beautiful flooring which in some places is decorated with old tiles from the early 20th century. The ceiling is dominated by the huge central light fixture, made of bronze hammered in the furnace, which looks like a dried branch. Then the eye wanders to some old objects, to the handmade bronze candlesticks, to the exquisite woodwork of the bar, which is made of local solid wood. A magnet in the center of the room is always the lit fireplace, while whichever table of the dining area one chooses, the perimeter glass ensures a direct view of the outdoor environment, the lush nature of Aspropotamos.
The freshly caught wild trout come to the table. And I believe it is a unique privilege to taste this authentic and rare delicacy from the very first day of our stay in Aspropotamos.
The September night is long, so we move to the wonderfully decorated reception area, cafeteria and bar. Here the lighting is dimmed, we relax in our comfortable armchairs, accompanied by an excellent cranberry liqueur from the surrounding area, offered to us by George’s wife Kallisti. Around midnight we say goodnight to our friends and climb the wide wooden staircase. At strategic points along the corridor are two large bronze cauldrons full of wood, which the residents can use in their room fireplaces.
-We don’t need another fireplace tonight, Anna says with a laugh. But some night I want to light it.
In our room we are embraced by the warmth of central heating. Outside, the rain starts up again, heavy. We open a window and fall asleep to the sound of it on the courtyard tiles.
A BRIEF PICTURE OF THE WHITE HORSE
Before we begin our fascinating tour of the Aspropotamos, we find it necessary to identify the geographical location and boundaries of the area, along with some other interesting facts. The region of Aspropotamos is located in the westernmost part of the prefecture of Trikala. It is in fact a mountainous funnel of 280,000 hectares, with a pronounced relief, enclosed between the towering peaks of South Pindos, all of which are over 2000 m high.
This whole area is called the ‘Forest Complex of Aspropotamos’ because it is made up of eight public forests that are adjacent to each other, namely the forests of Dolianos, Krania, Polythea, Stefaniou, Kalirroi, Katafytos, Anthousa and Halikiou. Of the total 280 000 hectares, 125 000 are forested, 36 000 are partially forested, 76 000 are subalpine areas with summer pastures and the remaining 43 000 are barren areas, settlements and bushland.
The largest area in the Aspropotamos region is occupied by spruce forests, followed by beech, black pine and oak.
Apart from its great forestry value, the area is also the beginning of the Acheloos catchment area, since the sources of the great river are located here.
A wealth of archaeological and historical evidence, as well as myths, reveal the worship of Acheloos already by prehistoric people, who settled permanently around its bed. There are countless myths referring to Acheloos, but the best known is the one describing his struggle with Hercules for the sake of Dioneira, the daughter of Oeneas. The victory was finally won by Hercules, who received Dioneira as a prize. The symbolism of the myth is the struggle of the people with the destructive floods of the river and its final taming.
Many years later the river changed its name. Thus, in the early 15th century it was referred to as “White”, while in the early 16th century, Bishop Visarion of Larissa called it “Lefkopotamos”. Already during the years of the Ottoman occupation, the name Aspros or Aspropotamos has prevailed in popular poetry and in many prose works of modern literature. Even today the name Aspropotamos is still used in many areas, but in fact it is the river Acheloos.
The wider area of Pindos has been inhabited since long ago. Around 1900 BC the first Greek tribes arrived there, coming from more northern regions. These tribes include the Athamanians, the Arcadians, the Aithiki, the Lapithi, the Boeotians and the Thessalians. The latter occupied the lowland region of Trikala-Karditsa and imposed their national name on the entire Thessalian basin.
Since then Thessaly has followed the adventures of all Hellenism from antiquity to Roman times. During the Middle Ages Thessaly was a province of Macedonia with Larissa as its capital. Various invaders, Goths, Huns, Slavs, Saracens, Bulgarians and Normans followed.
In the 10th to 11th century the appearance of the name of the Vlachs began. The term Vlachos expresses the linguistic idiom that is used today – albeit on a limited scale – in some areas of Thessaly, Epirus and Macedonia.
According to the well-known balkanologist Achilleas Lazarou, in the past the Latin-speaking people of the Empire were not subject to a different classification, because they were Romans par excellence, i.e. Byzantines, and Latin prevailed as the paternal and official language. Nowadays, of course, interdisciplinary research has proven with irrefutable evidence the localness and Greek origin of the Vlachs.
In the middle of the 15th century, the Turks occupied the region of Trikala and the inhabitants were forced to take refuge on the inaccessible slopes of Pindos. The Turks rarely visit the area, so the inhabitants begin to develop by exploiting the local raw materials. With the stone of the mountains they build solid houses and magnificent churches and monasteries, with abundant wood they make furniture and utensils, with the waters of the Aspropotamos they move the water mills, the driftwood and the mandans, with the rich livestock farming they have meat, leather and wool for clothes and velvets. After 1600 the export trade began, but at the same time the harsh mountain life pushed many people to emigrate and create large estates. The revolutionary movements of 1600, 1770 and 1808 followed, culminating in the Aspropotamos Revolution of 1821-1824.
During this period the famous captains Nik. Stornaris or Stournaras, Ath. The brothers Liakatas and Christodoulos Hadjipetros, who were initiated into the Society of Friends as early as 1819. The chieftain Georgios Karaiskakis also participated, but he came into conflict with Stornaris. Eventually both of them went down to Central Greece to fight the common enemy and Stornaris was killed on 10 April 1826 during the legendary exit of Messolonghi, while Karaiskakis was killed on 23 April 1827 at the battle of Faliro.
In more recent times, the region of Aspropotamos takes part in all historical events, while in October 1943 most of the villages were burnt in retaliation by the Germans.
Today the area – after the law of Kapodistrias – is administratively the “Enlarged Community of Aspropotamos” and includes the settlements of Chalikiou, Anthousa, Katafytos, Stefaniou, Dolianos, Krania, Kalliroi, Kalirroi, Milia, Polythea and Agia Paraskevi.
Road access to the area is from two main points: the first is from the north via Kalambaka and Kastania. It is a beautiful mountainous route with rich forests of chestnut, fir, maple, pine and beech trees. At its highest point (1400m) we are at the “Kiatra Mproasta” (Orthi Petra), from where we have the first panoramic view of Aspropotamos. Going downhill we meet the forest facilities at “Koukoufli” and immediately afterwards all the roads leading to the various villages.
The second access point is from the south, via Trikala, Pyli, Elati and Pertouli. This is also a wonderful route, with many changes of scenery between mountains, meadows and gorges.
So let’s start our tour and enjoy the beauties and peculiarities of this unique region.
IN SEARCH OF THE WATERFALL OF AGIAS FRIDAY
I’ve heard of a big waterfall above Agia Paraskevi, says Lambros. Are you interested in looking for it?
We’ve always been interested in waterfalls. They are, after all, one of the most spectacular spots in a stream. Agia Paraskevi is built amphitheatrically on the southwestern slope of a steep ravine at an altitude ranging from 900-1000 meters. In the beautiful paved square rises the stone-built church of Agia Paraskevi, where every year on 26 July a big festival is celebrated under the huge plane tree. The village consists of three districts, Kato Mahala, Mesochori and Pano Mahala, and its old name is Tzourtzia. A nice paved road winds between the houses of Kato Mahala and ends in front of the stone-built chapel of Agios Georgios, the oldest of the settlement, built in 1808 at the expense of the villagers. Next to the entrance of the church is built the ‘fountain of Kamperis’.
Directly opposite us, at a distance of less than 300 metres, the entire north and northeastern horizon is hermetically blocked by a steep mountainous mass. It is the “Kourouna” with its almost vertical slopes. A few tens of metres below the church of St George, the ‘Tzourtziotiko Stream’ flows with a strong flow, which meets the Aspropotamos a little further down.
We go down the good path and in two minutes we are at the iron bridge over the stream. Here we meet an elderly couple.
-Is there a waterfall in the area?Lampros asks them.
-Of course there is, the woman replies. It is the biggest and most beautiful one in the Aspropotamos.
We look at each other with a smile on our faces and bless our luck.
-“And which way does the waterfall fall?
-By the stream, my little boy, half an hour’s walk.
-It’s further away, about 45 minutes. Her husband intervenes.
-How’s the waterfall? Does it have a name? I ask in turn.
-It’s 25 to 30 meters high, if not more. Here in our country we call it “the Demon’s Mandani”.
-Why such a name? asks Anna.
-I don’t know exactly. Maybe because when you get close you get scared, you get hit by an icy wind.
-And how do we get there?
-You’ll take this path, cross the stream and find him.
It’s three-thirty in the afternoon, the sun is still high, I reckon, with all the delays, we have plenty of time to last light.
-‘Onward, my lads, to find the Demon’s Manda-ni,’ says Lambros cheerfully.
The path climbs steeply, after 15 minutes we reach a corral. Here a branch goes downhill towards the stream, the other part continues uphill. We choose the second one. Continuous uphill again for another fifteen minutes or so. All around us the gorge is majestic, with slopes overgrown with fir trees and steep peaks. Down low, among the plane trees, the stream flows, its sound accompanying us constantly. Much further back, Agia Paraskevi has disappeared into the gorge.
The ascent ends, in front of us lies a vast pasture. In ten minutes we cross it and find ourselves in front of the stream bed.
-This is it, says Lambros, we’ve arrived!
Although it’s September, the stream has a lot of water, its bed is rough and the stones are slipping dangerously. We choose the most passable spot and with great care cross over. The only distinct path climbs uphill through the forest. The slope is very steep but we decide to follow it. For almost a quarter of an hour we cackle on a loose and steep terrain that takes us further and further away from the stream. It is already obvious that our chances of meeting the waterfall are slim.
The trail ends at an altitude of 1100 meters, above a vertical cliff. The scenery is stunning, but equally poignant is the realization that there is no waterfall anywhere. We barely make it down the dangerous descent and find ourselves back at the stream bed in frustration. If we had insisted on getting clearer information from the locals from the beginning, things would have been much easier. However, we are not prepared to give up the search effort.
We decide to follow a course parallel to the stream on the left bank, since the right bank is inaccessible. The terrain is rough, rocky, after a five-minute walk we end up on a steep slope. With difficulty we again cross the stream and for about 10 minutes we follow its right bank. We again reach an inaccessible point and wonder if it is worth attempting another -even more difficult- crossing to the left side.
-I will continue for a while, says Lambros stubbornly.
Climbing dangerously over the slippery rocks, he crosses to the opposite bank and disappears behind the rocks and dense vegetation. Anna and I sit by the babbling brook and wait for him. The sun has long since disappeared into the narrow gorge. The minutes of waiting pass agonizingly, the breeze coming down from above growing colder and colder. Exactly 35 minutes after his departure, Lambros suddenly appears in front of us.
-We both ask him in one voice.
-It seems that this waterfall is a real demon, Lambros replies. After many difficulties I came before a point with large rocks and when I had almost found a passage, I thought of you and the approaching night and gave up. But I am sure I must not have been far from him.
The way back is easy; it takes no more than an hour. The last light finds us in front of St. George’s chapel, downhill and with a strong sense of failure. Just as we are about to leave, a pickup truck pulls up beside us.
-How are you from around here, Lambro? -asks the driver.
-We heard that you have a demon in your village and we thought we’d come and find him.
Mitsos Avgeris, a cheese maker and handyman from Tzourtzia, smiles.
-And you found him?
-Not yet, he’s well hidden.
-Come to the house, let’s have a tsipouro.
The house is next to St. George’s, his wife Theodora welcomes us hospitably. In three minutes the fireplace crackles, after three and a half hours of suffering we feel great. Mitsos brings tsipouro of his own, fragrant and very strong. With quick movements Theodora sets the table, cuts a big piece of gruyere and feta cheese of their production, bread fermented, tomatoes from their garden.
We clink our glasses and wish them “good winter”.
-Well, you were very unlucky, our friend says to Lambros. After the big rocks the waterfall is no more than 50 meters away. But I think it’s a bit difficult to get there.
-If it’s where you say it is, we’ll find it, replies Anna firmly.
Mitsos thinks for a moment:
-Why don’t we do something else? Come with me tomorrow and we’ll go over the waterfall in the car. Then we’ll go down a slope and find him.
The glasses are refilled, our spirits are restored, we drink to our success tomorrow.
THE “DEMON’S MANTAN” AND THE MOOR OF “GRAIKOS”
The day dawns with a lot of fog and humidity, but quickly the sun emerges from behind the mountains. The whole morning is consumed on nearby forest trails or around the river, in these crystal clear waters of Aspropotamos, equal in purity and transparency to the waters of the legendary Voidomatis.
Near noon we are back in Ai-Giorgis, Theodora is already waiting for us with the church key in her hand. The interior of the small church is magnificent, decorated with old paintings of exceptional art. Every part of the church exudes this unique sense of time and immaculate religiosity, which is impossible not to feel it intensely.
With Mitsos Avgeris guiding our way we enter the bus of the guesthouse and start. We pass under the square of Agia Paraskevi and ascend the asphalt road, which after a kilometer gives way to a good dirt road.
300 metres further up the road forks. On the left it leaves for Gardiki while on the right towards the chapel of Agia Marina. We follow this road and 4.4 km from the village square we find the chapel built in a setting with a magnificent view. The road goes downhill and 7.5 km after our departure we meet the church of the Holy Apostles low to the right, and at this point there is a crossroads, which climbs steeply to the west.
-If we have time later, we can go up this road, says Mitsos. For now we continue straight on.
After about 3 km we emerge from the forest and reach pastures, under a barn. The road is already rough, we leave the car and continue on foot.
We find a path under the road and in ten minutes we reach a peaceful clearing with tall grasses and ferns. A dense stand of fir trees dominates the edge of this beautiful meadow.
-Here is the waterfall, behind the fir trees, in the ravine bed. It’s a bit of a steep descent, but I think we’ll make it, says Mitsos.
The descent is difficult, the slopes are very steep. But the biggest danger is the extremely slippery terrain and the few places where one can hold on. Walking very slowly, we manage to reach the gorge bed in about a quarter of an hour. A new challenge here. Our destination is on the opposite bank, we have to cross the stream. Eventually we un-jam this obstacle as well.
-Where the hell is this demon? I ask our friend.
-“He’s not far from us,” he replies. As for you, Lambreaux, you must have reached those rocks, my lad, two minutes from here.
Thirty paces further up, the atmosphere suddenly changes, gets colder.
Or is it a strange impudence, due to what we have heard so far about the waterfall? Before I have time to reflect, a loud noise comes to my ears, very different from the sound of water in the stream. Almost immediately I feel a chilling draft of air on my face. It is the icy breath of the waterfall, its countless fine droplets. The Demon’s Mandani looms opposite us, less than 30 metres away. It is an imposing waterfall, 15-16 meters high. The amount of water is incredible, especially considering the time of year. The waterfall discharges its momentum with a thunderous crash on the surface of a circular pond at least 12 metres in diameter. We sit across from it, impressed and unconcerned by its icy breath.
-You, who have seen other waterfalls, what do you think of this one? asks Mitsos.
-It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen, I reply.
The difficult return is a concern for us.
-I prefer another route, says Mitsos. It’s much steeper, but in 10 minutes it will take us to the clearing.
It’s the southwestern slope of the gorge, rising above the waterfall with terrible gradients, perhaps over 70%. We gaze in awe at the slope above our heads, but the ground under the fir trees seems smooth, without the slipperiness and pitfalls of the descent. We find some thick branches that we use as sticks and very slowly start our calvary, With many stops in between we manage in a ten minute period to see the light of the afternoon sun on the clearing. It’s amazing how easy it was after all.
-What a great way to make access to the waterfall accessible for the whole family, I say to Lambreaux. Carving a path with wooden steps across that steep slope.
Returning to Agioi Apostoloi, we briefly stop at the junction with the steep dirt road. The afternoon is well advanced, but the challenge of getting high up into the highlands is great. With a decisive move, Lambros turns right and climbs in a southwest direction Immediately the road becomes very rough. We cross a stream with plenty of water, then immediately enter a nice spruce forest.
-Here a little further up we meet the “Itamos”, a rare tree, Mitsos is heard to say.
-Are you sure?- I ask him in disbelief.
-Of course, I’ve been seeing them for years.
We don’t have to wait long. A little further up we come across the first itamos, with their beautiful bright red but poisonous fruits. The trees are getting more and more numerous, it is probably the with-largest concentration of itami trees left in Greece since ancient times.
At exactly 2.4 km we turn left. Just above 1400m the last few itami are lost, and extensive pastures begin.
At an altitude of 1750 meters we stop. Here is a stable with cows, all around us a vast plateau with pastures. Directly opposite us to the southwest, the horizon is interrupted by the towering Kakarditsa, which stands at 2429m and is the highest peak of South Pindos.
As we step near the stall, we find that the ground is overgrown with “dwarf”, that rare plant of high altitudes, sought after for its taste either in salads, pies, or even fried, with fresh butter and eggs.
Still tender after the abundant rains, we take all available bags and fill them.
The road takes a northerly direction, after a while we pass by a perfectly flat plateau, about 500 metres long and 300 metres wide.
-The location is called “Dokimi” and got its name because in the past the local cattle breeders used to test their strength here with two large stones, 50 ounces one and 80 ounces the other, Mitsos explains.
We cross a part of the neck with terrible mud and immediately afterwards, 8 km from the intersection of Agioi Apostoloi, we start to go downhill.
-Now we will pass close to the famous “Fountain of Graikos”, the fountain with the coldest water of Aspropotamos, Mitsos continues our information.
-How did it get this name?
-Once upon a time, a humpbacked carpenter came to these mountains, we, the rednecks, call them “graikos”. After all this way he got sweaty and thirsty. “Don’t drink water from this fountain right away, the natives say, it will make you thirsty.” He drank, or-drank voraciously. The cold water went down into his system and reaped him. From then on, the fountain was named after him. But here it is, we’re here.
We take our canteens and with justifiable curiosity we descend. It is a beautiful stone fountain with a rich flow, built in 1930 by the Community of Giurgia and restored in 1989 at the expense of the Brotherhood. I approach and put my hand underneath. It’s as if melted ice is touching me. I fill my canteen and taste. By the third sip I’m already having trouble with my throat and I stop. But the taste of the water is ethereal, I will remember it as one of the most beautiful mountain waters I have tasted so far.
The sun lowers over the peaks of Katarrachia and the beautiful pastures with the stables. It is a peaceful landscape, but after two or three months it is covered by incredible amounts of snow. The horizon darkens, the road constantly descends, changing direction. The eastern horizon is now revealed before us in all its depth. Suddenly, the sky lights up dimly over Cap Gras. At the same time I almost remember that tonight is a full moon.
-Lambreaux, stop, I call to our friend.
He brakes sharply and turns his head.
-What’s going on? Did something happen to us?
I’m pointing ahead with my finger.
-Anna, quick, the telephoto lens and the tripod.
At that very moment, a thin orange-colored arc, growing larger by the second, bursts from Cap-Grass’s back. Mitsos and Lambros let out an exclamation of admiration, while Anna and I are already out of the car, feverishly setting up the tripod. In less than a minute the full moon looms over the mountain in all its glory. We remain facing it, enchanted, and watch it conquer the night sky dome more and more every moment.
THE MONASTERY OF THE HOLY FORERUNNER OF DOLINA – CRANIA
When, years ago, we first saw the church of the Holy Cross of Dolians, we were amazed, we did not expect to find ourselves in front of such an elegant work of art. Since then we have visited the monastery several times, always hoping that we would have the chance to enter its interior. Unfortunately, except on the days of its services (15 and 31 August, 14 September), the interior of the monastery is rarely open to the view of the people. We therefore considered it an extraordinary piece of luck that, through the mediation of our friends at the guesthouse, Mr. Stelios – the church’s overseer – offered to open it for us.
We set off in the direction of Kalambaka and exactly five kilometers later, we go up the good dirt road to the right. After 700 meters we meet the stone building, which stands in the dense fir forest with Byzantine splendor. The characteristic feature that makes the church an architectural monument unique in Greece is its twelve domes, which in combination with the niches, the vaults, the four-tiered roof and the small windows, make up an impressive complexity.
With the huge key, Mr. Stelios opens the unique southern entrance of the church and we enter the interior. Here too the dominance of stone is universal, on the floor, on the walls, on the domes of the cupolas. No part of the temple is plastered either externally or internally. The columns, which divide the church into three aisles, are also made of stone. Each row consists of three columns, built according to the local style, i.e. with small cylindrical spindles of chipped stone, placed one on top of the other. The windows of the domes are very narrow and allow very little light to penetrate, thus creating a mystical atmosphere. We complement the low lighting by patiently lighting the many candles in the central chandelier.
The temple’s iconostasis was once carved in oak, but was destroyed by a German fire in October 1943. The current iconostasis was built in 1985 and is the work of the Trikala woodcarver Kostas Schinas. Externally, the church suffered much damage from the German fire, both to the central dome, the narthex and the masonry. After successive repairs, some successful and some not – which began in 1956 and were completed a few years ago – the original architectural character of the church was largely restored.
The most probable date of construction is 1792. In addition to the Church of the Holy Cross, the oldest church of St. Nicholas (probably around 1700) and the Monastery of Agia Zoni (around 1750) were in the area and were completely destroyed by the Germans.
After spending a long time inside we come out and admire the exterior details of the structure, especially the fine stone reliefs, which are the most ha-characteristic decorative elements in the church’s masonry.
We thank Mr. Stelios and 100meters from the church we turn right for Doliana. After one and a half kilometer we reach the stone-built cemetery church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary of Doliana. Here there is a small concrete paved square with two huge oak trees, one of which is struck by lightning. Immediately afterwards we meet the paved road that in three minutes leads us to Doliana.
At an altitude of 1150m, the settlement is very sparsely populated, with about 30 houses lost in the greenery. In the area there are plenty of walnut trees. In almost all the courtyards, fruit and vegetables are grown and many flowers bloom. Chickens roam freely in the lush greenery. A point of reference in Doliana is the tavern of Mr. Apostolis, well-known throughout the region with the nickname “Bobas”. The tavern first opened in 1987 as a small shack and since then it has been open winter and summer. Today it has a modern form, maintaining its simplicity. Mr. Apostolis and his wife Stefania offer their own sausages, sheep’s kebab and beef steak from their own cows. The tsipouro is excellent, accompanied with local cheese saganaki and tomatoes from their garden. Here we also meet the brothers Ilias and Sotiris Karambouzi, Sarakatsanai farmers.
IN THE MOUNTAINS OF DOLIANA
-Come with us for a walk in the mountains? propose the brothers Karambouzi
After the tsipouros at Bomba, we think a mountain ride will do us good.
We squeeze into the hard-packed rural road and leave Doliana in a northerly direction, leaving the forest road that leads to Krania to the south. The road is rough, but the route passes through nice fir forest, with abundant water and extensive logging. Almost five kilometres further up we stop at a clearing formed at an altitude of 1600 metres between the fir forests.
The landscape is serene and the views all around us are magnificent. I believe we have reached the end of our destination, but it seems that the brothers have different plans.
-We move a little higher to see the headwaters of the Craniotiko stream?
-How much further up, guys?
-Well, behind the woods.
The forest seems vast, yet we agree to start. After the first few difficult minutes of adjustment, the walk becomes pleasant, the route through the forest is stunning. The fir trees all around us are majestic, some are lightning-stricken while others are fallen to the ground, their trunks rotting in the damp. Half an hour later we reach a clearing, rocky and bare, at an altitude of 1700m. The horizon opens wide, with all the fascinating relief of the huge funnel of Aspropotamos. Skliva, Katarrachias, Xerovouni, Lakmos and far to the southwest the solid mass of Tzoumerka, with Kakarditsa and the other towering peaks. To the east rise the bare smooth peaks of Trigia, while below, low down, a thin white line is clearly visible in a fissure in the ground. These are the sources of the Kraniotikos stream, which crosses Krania and further down joins the main stream of the Aspropotamos.
Returning by car we take a southerly direction towards Krania. It is again one of the forest trails with all the fascinating elements of the Aspropotamos. The whole place is full of mushrooms. Every now and then we stop and pick. Arriving in Krania we have already filled two bags with four kinds of delicious mushrooms. Lambros is excited and begins to seriously consider including them in the dishes of the guesthouse.
Krania is the largest village of Aspropotamos, built amphitheatrically on the two slopes of the ravine that crosses the Kraniotiko stream. The two main mahalades are Agios Dimitrios on the SW slope and Agia Paraskevi on the NE. The cafes, taverns and rooms to let are located in Mesochori. In winter the village is almost deserted, but in summer it is very busy. The two mahalades are connected by the large central single-arch bridge, while the bridge of “Gikas” is also beautiful, both works of Epirotic craftsmen from the mid-19th century. Of the village’s fountains, the most imposing is the stone-built fountain of “Mouschos”. In the late afternoon we have a short drink in the deserted square and then return to the guesthouse.
In the hall of the restaurant the big fireplace is already lit, the residents are gathered around it and enjoy it. Soon Sotiris returns from his daily walk on the waters of Aspropotamos, with meager results.
-Unfortunately we have nothing fresh to cook, he says disappointed.
-Don’t worry Sotiri, tonight’s dinner will consist of mountain produce.
We hand him the two bags of mushrooms and Anna deliberates with him for a while, suggesting two different ways of preparing them.
-Okay, Sotiris says with an enigmatic smile and disappears into his kitchen.
After a while he presents us with the first dish of mushrooms prepared with cream and immediately afterwards he brings us fried mushrooms with chunks of eggplant, onion and red sauce.
-Did you suggest this recipe to him?I ask Anna, surprised.
-No, he replies, he invented it himself.
Meanwhile the Karambouzi brothers, fanatical meat fans as cattle farmers, watch us silently eating the mushrooms, patiently waiting for the meat they have ordered to arrive. Suddenly Sotiris Karambouzis picks up and tastes a mushroom, and then another. Next to him, his brother Elias watches in amazement.
-They’re not meat, of course, but they’re not bad, says Sotiris and continues to eat mushrooms.
We all burst out laughing and congratulate the fanatical meat-eater on his historic decision, while his brother waves his ke-neck and gives him reproachful looks. Meanwhile, Sotiris continues to amaze us with his imagination, bringing us alternately fried mushrooms, stuffed with minced meat and roasted with chopped parsley, garlic and fresh butter.
Next to us, a group of five Athenians settle for ribs and steaks. We offer them some and they are delighted. (The next day, on a mountain excursion, they return with their own mushrooms).
IN THE HEIGHTS AND FOREST ROADS OF POLYTHEA
Polythea is a beautiful amphitheatrical village that – even if only a few families – is still inhabited in winter. It is only three kilometres from the hub of “Three Rivers”, but we are attempting an approach via the Dacian route, which connects Polythea with Krania and runs roughly parallel to the main road network. It is a route with rich forests and excellent viewpoints at every point of the mountain horizon.
We reach Polythea and heading south-southwest we take a good dirt road, passing by the “Kipia” location. This is the area where formerly each family of Polythea used to designate a piece of land marked out with “abraies” (dry stone walls). Potatoes, beans, tomatoes and other vegetables were grown on these small plots with local seeds, which preserved the characteristics of each variety unchanged over time.
We cross the “Giannakis Stream” with a mi-cross waterfall and a pond and after two kilometres we reach the “Giani” position, with a wonderful view of the village and the surrounding horizon. Here there is a wooden pavilion and a fountain with a sculptural composition of megaliths, created in the last decade
-We can continue along the forest road and reach the asphalt road near Milia, says Lambros. But first I suggest we visit a mountain stable and dairy in the highlands of Polythea.
We return to the village and heading S-SE we take a rough road that climbs uphill parallel to the stream of Giannakis. About three kilometres further up, Lambros stops in front of a path, which after a while leads us to a clearing with a panoramic view.
-I didn’t bring you here just for the view but mainly to show you this stone threshing floor, our friend says.
It is indeed a small stone threshing floor at an altitude of 1300 meters. The slabs that form its flat surface – though grassy – are clearly visible and are kept in fairly good condition.
The existence of this threshing floor at such a distance from the village and at such an altitude is really unusual.
We continue on our uphill route, the fir trees become thinner and thinner and after two and a half kilometres the road stops in pastures, at an altitude of about 1500 metres. Here is the stable and the cheese dairy of Stathopoulos from Polythea. The wall of the old stone building has collapsed from the snow. The new cheese factory is built a little further on with concrete blocks. It’s a nice place with gentle slopes and excellent views of a wide horizon. The towering peaks of the South Pindos Mountains rise up from everywhere, while to the east we have the massif of “Kap-Gras” (Vlach name meaning “Fat Head”), with an altitude of 1938m.
From every point of the plateau water gushes out and of course there is a watering trough for the animals. Another feature of the area is the abundant engravings on the smooth surfaces of the rocks, with old dates and names, patiently carved during the endless hours of solitude of the herders. We leave this wonderful place and return to Polythea. We re-cross the viewpoint and the gazebo and take the forest road in a S-SE direction. It is one of the most beautiful routes we have encountered, with fir, maple, sycamore and pine trees, a gully with rich water and lush vegetation.
The road surface is generally reliable, but in the winter season conventional cars are likely to encounter difficulties from the mud.
At 6.7 km from Polythea turn right and continue downhill. The fir trees have already thinned out, the oak begins to dominate.
Three kilometres further down the forest road ends, we reach the tarmac, after an exquisite route of 9.8 km in total from Polythea.
FROM THE WREATH TO THE GRAVEL AT THE MERCY OF THE STORM
For two consecutive days we are accompanied by satisfactory sunshine, but the heat, especially in the midday and afternoon hours, is unnatural at this time of year. The weather reports announce extreme weather conditions and the first clouds are already gathering in the sky. However, this does not prevent our friend Angelos Sinanis from Elati, to travel with his motorbike the 52 km that separate us and come to meet us. Living in Elati for years now, Angelos has created there the “Likono” an excellent shop with a huge variety of organic and local products, stylish gift items and a complete library with maps, guides and nature books. Together we have repeatedly toured the area and discovered some of the most beautiful sites.
-I suggest we move towards Stefani, so you can experience the forest route from Stefani to Anthusa, our friend says.
We get into the SUZUKI JIMNY and start heading towards Kalambaka. At 7.4 km from the guesthouse we leave the main road and turn left to Stefanyi, which used to be called “Skliniyasa”. The road follows a course parallel to the “Skliniasiotiko stream”, which retains its old name. After the 5,5 km asphalted route, a good dirt road of one kilometre leads to Stefani.
With an altitude of 1320 meters at the square, Stefanis is the most mountainous settlement of Aspropotamos. The houses do not exceed 50 and are all gathered on a small SE facing slope, surrounded by lush mountains. The roofs of the houses, as well as the church of Agia Paraskevi, are made of sheet metal for protection from the winter snow.
In the nice paved square of the village, the tavern of Mrs. Leni is open and the fireplace is lit. We drink a tsipouroki and watch her prepare the “blastos”, a traditional Vlach pie with various greens, such as leeks, nettles, lapata, fresh onions and dill, surrounded with cornmeal instead of a leaf.
-Sit down. In an hour it will be ready, the little woman tells us.
Fireplace lit, chippy, heavy clouds and cold outside. But most of all, the prospect of this wonderful pie, here in the Wreath of Whitewater. A perfect backdrop for relaxation and authentic anti-human moments. But we, faithful to the day’s programme – which we ourselves have ultimately worked out – refuse this invitation, turn our backs on our hornet’s nest and follow logic. We bid farewell to Mrs. Lennie and make vague promises for some next time.
We head downhill from Stefani and immediately take a left (north) on the Da-sa road to Anthousa. The road surface is perfectly reliable, the route unfolds around us with indescribable beauty, first with abundant willows around the stream and then with dense fir trees and huge black pines and beech trees, rivaling each other in size and majesty.
At 6.5 km we come across a tap on a tree trunk on the road, and at exactly 9.2 km we reach the neck at an altitude of 1700 metres. At this point there is a decisive junction. On the left (south) the road descends towards Anthousa, while on the right (west) it ascends in various directions, either towards Katara or towards Metsovo via Anilios (30km) or towards Chaliki. We study the map for a while, undecided
-The decision is yours, says Angelos. If we follow the original plan, then we will go downhill to the left and after about 10 km of amazing road we will reach Anthousa. But if you want to be in the bare highlands of Rona, above the sources of the Aspropotamos, then we will take the direction to Metsovo, and in between we will go downhill to Haliki.
This second prospect looks more exciting, so we reset the odometer reading and decide to follow it. We turn right and after a while, the good relations we had with the road so far cease, the road becomes rough. At 1, 6 km we meet a road on our right that leads to the Anili Ski Centre. We continue to the left, to the location “Oxya Despotis”, where one of the most important pure beech forests is located. We meet a corral and immediately afterwards an uphill with soft soil and terrible mud which we overcome with four-wheel drive. We reach a ridge at an altitude of 1850 m, with pastures among the beech trees. The landscape is idyllic, but already the weather that has been threatening us since morning makes its threats more concrete. The sky is blackening from side to side, the clouds are lowering over our heads, the peaks of the Pit disappear behind the antra. The first flashes of lightning furrow the dark sky, the storm arrives at any moment.
It erupts with incredible ferocity. In front of us, the drops are no longer distinguishable. It is a solid wall of water, which sweeps over the land and the car with a deafening noise. In a matter of seconds, all sense of road disappears, the dirt roadway turns into a rushing torrent of ditches, each moment becoming deeper and deeper and more dangerous.
At almost zero speed and with little or no visibility, I try to navigate the downhill road, which is now only euphemistically considered a road. We continue our agonizing course and at 8.5 km we meet the crossroads, which leads to Metsovo on the right, while on the left it descends to Chaliki.
The rain continues to fall with unrelenting intensity, the road seems endless to me, but once we see a part of Chaliki below. We enter the village just as the odometer shows 16km from the neck above Stefani. For this 16 km we needed a total of more than two hours.
From the paved square of Haliki, the water flows rushingly. Shuffling through the rain we run to find shelter in the tavern of Mrs. Maria. We take off our jackets and lay them out to dry by the burning fireplace. Then we order Mrs. Mary a little chippo…
RONA, AT THE SPRINGS OF WHITEWATER
If we wanted to identify the sources of the Aspropotamos – and by extension of Acheloos – we would first have to take into account – even if only briefly – the boundaries of its catchment area. This basin is a vast mountainous area enclosed between the towering peaks of the Southern Pindos. More specifically, these mountains are the Lakmos (Dove), Kakarditsa and Tzoumerka in the west, the Egg with the Marosa and Lupata peaks in the south, the Trigia in the east and the Cedar and Rona highlands in the north. Countless springs gush from all over this mountain range, which soon turn into streams, rivers and tributaries. The complexity, the number of small and large streams and the quantity of water, which seems to be inexhaustible, is staggering.
It goes without saying that every concentration and flow of water in this vast area is in fact a complex of the sources of the Aspropotamos-Acheloos. Traditionally, however, the most famous sources of the Aspropotamos are located in the highlands of Rona, above Chaliki. There, according to legend, lived the three river-brothers and sisters: ….the Aspros which was the largest, the Salambrias (Pinios) and the Arachthos. One day Aspros quarreled with the two younger ones and they got angry and decided to abandon him. They got up at night and went downhill, Arachthos to Ioannina and Salambria to Trikala. Aspros awoke at dawn, did not find them and began to search for them. He tore the mountains in search of them, but in his grief he took the wrong road and when he reached the Ionian Sea it was too late, he could not turn back…..
Having Kostas Delidemos from Haliki as our guide, we set off in front of the guesthouse of Haliki for the springs of Rona. We head north towards Metsovo, this dirt road-torrent, which we were descending in the storm a few days before. At 3km we meet a nice stone fountain on the left side of the road, at 3.9km a concrete bridge and immediately turn right. The road is rough and after the last rain, very muddy. At 6.4km we cross the stream that descends from the springs for the first time, and a little later, at 7.3km, the road ends. We find ourselves in a small meadow, among fir and beech trees, at an altitude of 1285m. We leave the car and go up the path in the ravine, among beech and fir trees. The slope of the terrain is steep, the stream descends into its bed rapids and is rushing and booming. Sometimes we veer off the trail a bit to reach small but beautiful waterfalls. But access is difficult and in some places dangerous. It’s one of those unnamed streams of the Whitewater, in the early stages of formation, cascading briskly down steep slopes before taming their momentum in gentle gullies. Far from forest and paved roads, far from the eyes of the people, these streams are the secret and age-old feeder of the great river Acheloos. The vegetation all around is lush, untouched by the hand of man.
Twenty minutes after our departure we meet a second meadow and after that we re-enter the gully, with successive waterfalls. It is a fascinating course, and it was impossible to suspect its beauty when we could see the slopes of the Rhone from a distance.
The path reemerges from the gully and moves away, we emerge from the shade and climb for about 200 metres into a clearing. After the exhausting vegetation above our heads the horizon opens up again, revealing to the W-SW the Dove and its neighbouring peaks. The mono-path, though used, is not always clearly visible in the towering ferns. So, to avoid being disoriented, one must soon take a course parallel to the stream again, leaving it on the left, about 100 metres lower.
Cross the slope overgrown with brown ferns and in a few minutes you enter a dense beech forest. This is where the path ends, very close across from us to the N-NE rises a steep funnel-shaped slope, overgrown with low vegetation.
In its centre dominates a complex of large characteristic rocks. We are already in the area of the Rona springs, at an altitude of 1500m, just below the highlands where the big storm hit us a few days ago.
Sitting under the beech trees, we watch the stream beside us as it quietly descends between the rocks. Its sound is a low murmur. It’s impossible to believe that a few hundred yards downstream, this same stream becomes a babbling brook, with unruly flows and cascades. It is certain, that if from this point we ascend for a short time alongside its humble sluggishness, we shall find ourselves after a few minutes at its original source, where the earth begins to weep.
We bend down and drink from the divine, unpolluted water.
And it is like a small pilgrimage to Nature, to the birthplace of Aspropotamos, the legendary Acheloos.
IN THE HIGHLANDS OF TRIGIA
Our friend Kyriakos from Volos, a companion in many excursions, a fanatic hiker and mountaineer, learns that we are in Aspropotamos and rushes to meet us.
-Have you been to the highlands of Trigia?
-No, we have reached Konakia, just above Krania.
-Well then, let’s take a walk on the heights.
From the main road of Aspropotamos we head towards Krania and 1 km further up we find the first houses of the settlement. We cross the village and at 3.2 km we meet a crossroads, which on the right leads us to the Gika bridge, while on the left it goes uphill to Paliochori and Konakia. We turn left and after 5 km we are in Konakia.
It is a settlement, created by Sarakatsan farmers and used only during the summer season. It consists of about forty wooden houses with tin roofs. Already at this time of the year there is complete tranquillity, only one chimney smokes in the settlement.
We continue along the uphill and reliable road above Konakia, through pure fir forests. Down low is the deep ravine of the Kraniotikos, one of the main tributaries of the Aspropotamos.
At 5.9 km from the asphalt road we leave the road leading to Paliochori and turn left at a tight and steep bend. Already the gradients are getting steeper, deep water holes are created on the road surface, only four-wheel drive cars can continue. The road narrows, becomes even more difficult, as we gain altitude, the cliff below us becomes more and more chaotic.
A little further up, the gradients normalise, we see the bare, rounded summit of Trigia for the first time in E-NE. At a distance of 12 km from the tarmac, we are already at an altitude of 1800m. All around us are vast pastures, an area with gentle slopes, whose only vegetation is grass.
A little lower down, on a smooth sheltered plateau, a barn can be seen. It is the cheese dairy of the Karambouzi brothers, who only a few days ago left the mountain, returning to the Tirnavos area to spend the winter.
We get out of the car and are immediately hit by a cold breeze. At this altitude, approaching 2000m, the temperature is very different from that around the villages of Aspropotamos. While we admire the spectacle of the Aspropotamos basin, our friend Kyriakos has his eyes fixed on the top of Trigia.
-I invite us to fly up there for a couple of minutes, so that we can have a look at the plain of Trikala.
It is five in the afternoon, the difference in altitude between us and the summit is 350m, the time required for the ascent and return is about two hours. The most unpleasant thing is that with the prevailing clouds, daylight is already scarce. Most probably, during our return, night will catch up with us.
-“I too would like to climb to the top of Trigia,” says Anna. But I would prefer it to be a pleasant, stress-free climb, which would ensure us some good photography.
I totally agree with her, I wouldn’t want it to be just a climb for the sake of the climb either.
-Your arguments are reasonable, says Kyriakos. But you’ve known me for so many years, peaks draw me like a magnet.
Without delay he takes a light jacket and sets off. We watch him as he walks away, his step brisk and light. He disappears for two minutes into a hollow in the ground and then rejoins the trail, which traverses uphill along the stony slope of the Trigia. But for our part, we too do not remain completely inactive. We descend towards the stable and then climb to the smooth peak that rises further up. Here, at an altitude of about 1900 metres, they have erected a stone column that is more than a man’s boot in height. These stone structures – which to some extent resemble ancient menhirs – are very popular on mountain tops or in places exposed to the winds in various parts of the world. The most impressive such concentration, with thousands of stone structures of all sizes and shapes, I saw many years ago in the Northern Cape, in the foothills of Norway. It is something of a tradition for the numerous visitors to this inhospitable part of the world to tower their own stone monuments before departing for their homelands. If the monument can withstand the terrible winds of the Northern Cape, it is fated that one day the visitor will return.
The symbolism of course varies from country to country, but always inherent in such a construction is the desire of man to resist the fury of the elements, especially the winds.
Ten minutes before six o’clock, and as the light is steadily diminishing, a tiny marker can be seen on the bare slopes of Trigia. It is our friend Kyriakos, who has completely ignored the trail and is descending vertically. At 6:10, exactly 1 hour and 15 minutes after his departure, he is close to us, lively and thriving, as if he hadn’t walked at all. It is certain that in such a frenetic march, we could not have followed him.
THE WOUND IS UNKNOWN IN THE WHITE POND
The days in the region of Aspropotamos pass in a fascinating way, in the forcings, in the settlements, in the highlands and in the forests. It is an incredible variety of images and scenes, impossible to describe in detail. One of the most striking features of the region are the countless fountains and springs that run continuously, not only in the settlements but also in many parts of the forest complex. It is impossible for a visitor to Aspropotamos to go thirsty, no matter where he or she finds himself or herself. Of course the quality of the water is top notch, the purity of the streams and creeks is incredible. There are not a few times when we ignore people’s fountains, preferring to quench our thirst in the natural flow of water between the stones.
The weather rivals the landscape in variety. But whatever the conditions – sun, rain, clouds or fog – Aspropotamos always has a special charm.
Our daily tours last from morning until the last light of day. Before we set off, we enjoy a top breakfast and a wonderful cappuccino, always prepared by Kallisti. Throughout the day we settle for a sandwich or some pie or – more rarely – a tsipouroki in the village cafes. But in the evenings, tired and full of the day’s experiences, we drink a nice white or red wine with the delicacies that Sotiris offers us: wild trout, pies, mushrooms or wonderful meat.
One evening our friend approaches all joy.
-I found some wild boar and saved it for you. I’ve made it for you with red sauce and onions.
Another evening we visit the nice tavern of Apostolis Drosos, in the central square of Kallirroi. To please us, the hospitable man and his wife Agathi offer us an incredible variety of dishes, which among other things include bean soup, goat stew, fried gruyere, local sausage and pasta with sheep meat.
The end of a day finds us at the tavern of Lakis Vukia, in Katafyto, where we eat a wonderful pork pancake. Suddenly Kostas Delidimos from Haliki, our guide to the springs of Rona, enters the shop.
-Guess what I saw on the way from Haliki to Katafyto.
-What did you see, Kostas? Rabbits? Wolf? Foxes?
-Bear! says full of excitement, a huge bear in the road, ten meters away from the car.
That same evening, instead of relaxing in front of the lit fireplace, we jump in the car and set out on a night patrol. By three past midnight we were traversing all the surrounding roads, dirt and paved, in the secret hope that we would have the same rare experience as our friend. In vain! The only animal that came our way was a cute little bunny, who after running in front of the car lights for a few hundred yards, disappeared into the darkness of the beech forest.
One afternoon, when we have returned to the guesthouse for a short rest, George Bambos announces that Thanasis Samouris is about to arrive from Krinitsa, Trikala, with a team from TREKKING HELLAS, Thessaly branch. Their aim is to check the amount of water in the Aspropotamos and possibly drop the kayaks into the river. Would we be interested to see them “in action”?
We are not waiting long. After a while the TREKKING people arrive, inflate the kayaks and drop them into the river, just above the iron bridge of Milia.
Usually the descent of the Aspropotamos starts in the calm waters below the bridge of Agia Paraskevi and ends at the concrete bridge “Alexiou” before Gardiki. It is a stunning route, about 7 km long, which, depending on the momentum of the river and the performance of the crews, lasts from 1.5-2.5 hours. The descent – even for beginners – is considered particularly accessible, since in this section the Aspropotamos is classified as second degree of difficulty, with passages not exceeding third degree.
-To give you an idea of what I mean, Thanassis tells me, the Arachthos is classified as being of third degree of difficulty, while the Aoos and part of the Aliakmonas reach the fourth degree, with passes of fifth degree.
-And what period does one go down the Aspropotamos?
-The season usually lasts from January to May, but sometimes also in December, always depending on the water level. Whenever you have some time left we invite you for such an experience.
But the first experience of crossing the river was to be experienced by Europeans 40 years ago. It was July 7, 1961, when the Austrian philhellene, Baron Franz von Alber, arrived at the Three Rivers site. At the age of 62, he was already three times European champion in downriver races, and on one of the wildest rivers, the Lieser in Austria. Accompanied by four experienced companions, the adventurous Austrian crossed the Acheloos (Aspropotamos) from Tri Potamia to the Stratos bridge in Agrinio. The fascinating experience of this huge route, with plenty of photos and notes, is published in an article entitled “Wanderers on the Acheloos” in the great Anoveros magazine “Kanu Sport”. At one point in his tour he even states that ‘The water of the river is drinkable from source to end, just as our rivers were many hundreds of years ago’.
The following year Alber attempts a second descent and this time “Kanu-Sport” has photos of the Acheloos on its cover.
Summing up his impressions of the river, the first man to cross it in Europe wrote in his long article: ‘Like a colourful creation, on the last day of the creation of the world, adorned with old ornaments, so the Creator created the Acheloos with the clearest springs, the deepest gorges, the rarest rock constrictions and the favourite routes through the waters of all Europe’.
Since these publications, the river has become well-known throughout Europe and there are many adventure lovers who discover its beauty every year.
But apart from the Aspropotamos there is one of the most beautiful routes, which we have not had time to complete. It is the famous forest route from Stefani to Anthousa, which finally ended up in Haliki, through the adventures of that unprecedented storm.
In wonderful weather this time we meet two kilometers below the guesthouse, the junction leading right to Katafyto, Anthousa, and Haliki. It is one of the most amazing asphalt routes, climbing parallel to the spectacular f-gorge of Aspropotamos, constantly revealing breathtaking landscapes.
We pass the junction to Katafytos and four kilometres before Chaliki we turn right for Anthousa. The old “Lepenitsa” is one of the most picturesque villages of Aspropotamos, built at an altitude of 1150m on a small slope between dense fir forests. In the nice paved square with plane trees and the tavern is the Heroes of the Fallen and a wonderful stone fountain with plenty of water, flowing through the mouth of a marble head of a mystic. But the most important building in the square is the magnificent church of Agioi Panti, with a four-aisled roof and a hexonartheca (loggia) with successive stone columns and arches. The interior of the church has a beautiful wooden carved iconostasis and ceiling. According to a reminder, it was started to be built on 16 June 1786 and renovated in 1871.
Many of the houses in Anthusa are stone-built and beautifully constructed. One of the most important is the large stone and tiled mansion of Papastergiou, secluded on a small hill opposite the square, to the southwest. It is one of the few houses that was not burned by the Germans, because it was used as a command post.
We ascend the forest road outside Anthousa in a northeastern direction, alongside the “Lepenitsis” stream. The road surface is very good, passing through continuous spruce forest. At 5.2km we turn left (west), while at 6.5km we continue right (east). Beech and maple trees are already making their appearance, whose vivid colours create – during the autumn season – wonderful contrasts with the deep green masses of fir and pine trees. At 9,8 km. there is a junction with two secondary logging roads, the right one leading to a forest of fir and pine trees, while the left one leads to a mixed forest of fir and beech. We continue on the main forest network and after 1 km (10.8 km from Anthousa) we reach an altitude of 1650m at the neck of the forest, where the crossroads to Stefani or Haliki is located. Continuing to the right (A) for Stefani we will meet it after 9.5km.
In conclusion, we would say that this circular route of 20.3 km from Stefani to An-thousa -or vice versa- crosses some of the most amazing forest landscapes one can encounter, is perfectly passable, has a fountain with wonderful water and we wholeheartedly recommend it to every nature lover.
FROM GRAVEL TO THE LEGENDARY “VERLINGA”
The hours and days in Aspropotamos go by very fast, which is mainly due to the daily thunderous change of images and performances. Our ambition is to get to know every accessible corner of this region, every route that might lead to a point of interest. Unfortunately, the touring possibilities seem endless; we have the feeling that there will always be something we have missed.
-But before you leave, it is impossible not to visit the highlands of Verligas, this unique area of the springs of Aspropotamos, just below Peristeri, says George Babos.
Kostas Delidimos from Chaliki expresses his desire to accompany us. So we start again on this wonderful route, which starts from Tri Potamia, climbs parallel to the spectacular gorge of Apropotamos and leads us to Haliki. The wider area is of great touristic interest since, about five kilometers before Haliki, on the dirt road leading to Kalarrites, there are two stone monuments that are worth visiting.
The first is the ‘Bridge of Michos’. As we turn the dirt road to Kalarrites, we meet at a distance of 900 m from the crossroads – and after crossing the Aspropotamos – a downhill path that in three minutes leads us to the riverbed. Here is the bridge of Michos, which, after the bridges of Halikiou, is the only stone bridge of Aspropotamos up to Mesochora.
On the way to Kalarrites – 1200m from the asphalt road – we meet the second monument of the area, the Holy Monastery of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, known as Panagia Galatotrofousa. It is a magnificent stone complex, consisting of the Katholikon and the renovated cells of the monastery, built in a location of outstanding natural beauty, above the confluence of two rivers, the Aspropotamos and the Negri.
About 1200 meters before Chaliki another monument of Orthodoxy distracts our attention. It is the monastery of Profetilia, built at a distance of about 100 meters below the road, in a wonderful natural environment. Only the two churches of the monastery, built in the 18th century, are preserved today. The largest, dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Saviour, was built in 1783. It was radically renovated in 1868 and in its present form it is a three-aisled cruciform basilica. The smaller church is dedicated to the Prophet and the monastery is known by its name. The date of its construction is 1835. The cells and other facilities of the monastery are not preserved, they are heaped in ruins. Next to the road there is also a stone-built covered fountain, one of the many that the visitor encounters throughout the region of Aspropotamos.
Chaliki, built amphitheatrically on the SE foothills of Lakkos, at an altitude of 1160m, already looms in front of us. Initially, we are a bit surprised by its location, since Haliki is probably the only settlement of Aspropotamos, which is not surrounded by dense vegetation. However, the visitor is quickly compensated when he gets to know the natural environment around Haliki, with its dense fir forests, abundant water, hiking trails and endless pastures.
So we are once again in Haliki, the northwesternmost settlement of the prefecture of Trikala and at the same time the most remote village from Trikala, from which it is 100 km away. With its altitude and its wonderful climate, it attracts every summer all the people of Chaliki who come to their place of origin to spend their holidays.
Chaliki has flourished in the past. In this location many people place the ancient city of ‘Chalkida’ which was considered one of the largest cities of Epirus. However, the name Haliki is already mentioned in the Chrysovulo of the Byzantine emperor Andronikos Palaiologos in 1332.
For the smaller villages of Aspropotamos, Chaliki was the head village, a kind of economic centre of the region, whose economy was based almost exclusively on animal husbandry. Because of this prosperity, it was often the target of bandit raids, the main one being that of the ten-member gang of Tsitsimitros in 1878.
During the years of Turkish rule, Chaliki maintained its autonomy and in 1790 a school was opened with the Chalikiotian Dimitrios Papaioannou as teacher. This school was founded after the efforts of Hieromonachos Hilarion Mavrogiorgos and operated continuously during the years of the Turkish occupation for all the villages of the region. The school was also visited by Cosmas the Aetolian who was impressed by the religiosity of the inhabitants and the seven churches they had built in and around the village.
The traveller Poqueville mentions about Chaliki that ‘during the summer, which lasts only three months in these mountainous regions, numerous herds graze around the original source of the Acheloos. Haliki is the only village on this slope and has three hundred families of poor Vlachs who are sociable and hospitable’.
A sample of Haliki’s old prosperity today – apart from the seven churches and the three arched bridges – are the large stone houses, which were rebuilt after the Germans burned the village.
A highlight is the great festival of Agia Paraskevi, which, because it lasts for three days, attracts visitors from all the neighbouring villages.
Having completed our tour in and around Chaliki, we set off for the highlands of Lakmos, the legendary “Verlinga”.
From the square, we go immediately uphill to the left, crossing the village in a southwest direction. It is very pleasant – but also optimistic for the future of the area – that we are moving on a wonderful paved road, which, with exactly the same excellent construction, has been crossing all the central points of the settlements of Aspropotamos for some time now. It was a magnificent project of 600 million drachmas, completed after the efforts of the leadership of the Aspropotamos Extended Community.
Immediately after Haliki, a wonderful path begins among fir and beech trees, parallel to the Guvatummani stream. Plenty of small streams cross the road, but it continues to be passable, albeit with some difficulties.
Exactly five and a half kilometres after the square the road forks, a branch of the road climbs uphill to the right towards Verlinga and Lakmos (Pigeon).
-If we continue for a while more on the straight, we can see two nice waterfalls, says Costas Delidimos and we have no reason not to agree.
We are now on the edge of a spectacular chasm. At some point we see a section of Chaliki low to the NE, while high to the west the pointed peak of Peristeri dominates. At 7km we reach the courtyard of the route, continuing for a while along a muddy dirt road, at the place known as Stournaras’ Mandri. Already opposite us we can see a stream with a rich flow, we go there and quench our thirst from a fountain with crystal clear water.
We cross the plateau – almost parallel to the flow of the stream – and after three minutes the flat terrain ends. We are above a steep slope, between which an impressive gorge forms, overgrown with maples and beech trees. The slopes are very steep and the terrain is rocky, slippery and quite dangerous. We descend slowly and with great care, having the branches of the trees as our allies in our effort.
We don’t need more than ten minutes and the first waterfall is already in front of us.
The way it rolls with momentum down a narrowing of the rocks is very impressive, the total height must be more than 15m. Where its waters touch the ground it forms a beautiful pond with dimensions of about 6 x 4 meters. With great difficulty Anna manages to find a spot on the steep slope to set up her tripod and take pictures.
-After many years in Aspropotamos, this is the first time I visit this waterfall, says George Babos.
A little further upstream the stream forms a second waterfall, a little smaller than the first but just as beautiful. So here is a completely unknown -to many- area of Aspropotamos with a stunning and rugged gorge that, on its route to Haliki, could certainly offer powerful thrills and unique images to the daredevils who would attempt to descend it.
We return to the junction, which on the right leads to Verlinga.
The road now becomes uphill and very quickly ceases to be friendly for conventional cars. Even for the hostel’s high four-wheel drive bus it is very rough in places. The reason of course is the steep recent rains, which have created deep water holes. The landscape all around is changing dramatically, the fir and beech trees are disappearing, leaving slopes with rough and rocky terrain. But it is a stunning overall picture, high above us the nose of the peak of Peristeri permanently dominates. At an altitude of 1700m, a pasture with a sheepfold with a stable extends in front of us, at the location “Paliomantra”. A little higher up, through a narrow crack in the ground, which like a huge serpent winds its way between the rocks, a stream with a white-white flow flows. Further up, at an altitude of 1750m, just off the road we see a nice stone-built fountain with watering troughs for the sheep. Built by the Forestry Service of Kalambaka in 1957, it still runs with a rich flow after so many years at this high altitude and among these rocky slopes.
Exactly five and a half kilometres from the crossroads – and 11km in total from Haliki – we reach the end of our route. It’s a lovely plateau of flat land and gentle, velvety slopes, one of the most beautiful pastures we’ve seen so far. Here, at an altitude of 1850 m, is the highest barn in the region. At a distance of about 100 metres from the stall, the ground becomes stony and rises steeply. At its highest point, it forms a passageway from which successive waterfalls flow. We turn our heads in every direction, enchanted.
-And where to see Verlinga, says Kostas.
-But isn’t that Verlinga?
-Yes, it’s the wider area, but the main Verlinga isn’t visible from here, it’s behind that slope.
We start crossing the sweet grassy slopes of the plateau, heading W-SW. After a while we pass a scarecrow.
-What’s the scarecrow doing up here?-I ask Kostas in surprise. I don’t see any vines or other crops that are in danger from birds.
-It’s not for the birds but for the wolves, our friend replies very seriously. Don’t forget that in summer, the place is full of sheep. I don’t know of course how effective it is, but to have it, it will do something.
We abandon the velvety slopes and begin a steep climb, over slippery and rocky terrain, on a path that is barely discernible. It’s midday, the sun at this altitude – despite the chilly breeze – is burning brightly. The march is tiring, but the motivation of the Verligas arms us with patience and endurance. Twenty minutes after our departure we reach the highest point of the slope. The sight we see from below is incredible. A huge funnel stretches along the foot of the ridge of the Lakkos, running from northwest to southeast. It is a vast green pasture, with flat land and sweet slopes that gently ascend and meet the stony and barren slopes of the peaks all around. But what above all captures our gaze and makes the landscape unique is the stream, which with incredible meandering meanderings crosses the valley with a flow from southwest to northeast. We could never have imagined that at this altitude of 2,000m, hidden and unseen by the eyes of the people, this enchanting valley would spread out just below the rock-strewn, bare and windswept peaks of Peristeri.
It is a geological formation, the like of which we have never hitherto encountered in our travels.
-This is Verlinga, says Kostas, the second -along with Rona- famous point of the sources of Acheloos. Its name is Vlach and means a stream of water that circles. I have spent some unforgettable summers up here, tending the sheep.
We walk along the neck in a southerly direction and in less than a decade, we reach a smooth slope, from where we have a panoramic view of Verligas and the peaks of Peristeri. Here, at an altitude of almost 2000m, plenty of icy water flows from the depths of the barren ground. It is the “Karvelos” fountain, one of the primary sources of Acheloos.
Once again – as in Rona – we bend down and drink from this pristine water, almost moved by this unique privilege. Its temperature can only be compared to that of the famous fountain of Graikos.
-And if you ask about its name, Kostas says, it is due to the huge doughy loaf of bread, which a Vlach once ate here, drinking from this water.
Not having a fermented loaf but only a few humble sandwiches, we all sit around Karvelou and enjoy them accompanied by this exquisite water. Then we stay for a long time admiring the landscape around us, making a promise: to come back to Verlinga and in other times.
A WALK IN THE SHELTER
In the last morning a heavy cloud covers the area of Aspropotamos. We don’t mind, after all, we are used to sudden changes in the weather. With our friend Kyriakos and Lambros we set off for a short pilgrimage to the beautiful church of Agios Nikolaos in Katafytos. The old name of the village was “Kotori”, but today’s name is totally justified, since the village is lost in the densely forested slopes of “Kedros”, “Kladia” and “Oxyas”. We come across several nice houses, such as a three-storey stone house, dating back to 1882. The village is paved – like all of them – has a square in the centre with a nice stone fountain and a tavern. A little lower down, a booming stream with the local name “Zarilis or Potokos” flows and a little further up is a restored watermill.
-Well done, says Father John, come and let me open the church for you.
The church is impressive, with heavy masonry and stone columns inside that divide it into three naves. Built in 1786, it has an amazing carved wooden iconostasis of the same period, painted in vivid colours. Above the entrance to the women’s room, the entire wall is covered with a large composition representing the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
Just as we are about to leave, a heavy rainstorm breaks out. We sit for a while on the stone terrace of the exonarthex until it passes. For a few minutes the rain pummels the roofs over our heads with a thud, while the village opposite us is engulfed in mist. As we pass by the tavern, Lambros stops.
-I suggest a short stop for one last tsipouro at the Aspropotamos, our friend says, and no one objects.
Lakis Voukias greets us cheerfully.
-Would you like a simple or special meze?
-Special, of course, Lambros replies.
In two minutes Lakis will be back.
-“Try this meze and see if you understand what it is.
They look like little pieces of meat in a lot of sauce.
-“Wild boar’s bottom,” says Lambros cheerfully.
We all try some of this delicious morsel and after a while Lakis brings it back. Father Giannis sits with us for a moment. I watch him as he speaks, simple, slender, a biblical figure, sixth descendant of the Lugaian generation, a true shepherd and guardian in this remote corner of Greece. His ascetic figure accompanies us on our journey
OPINION
At the end of October – just a few days before the publication of the magazine – we attempt one last lightning trip to Aspropotamos. All day long we move along our familiar and favourite routes, but already at high altitudes the beech trees have been stripped bare, their colourful foliage lying in heaps on the roads. Autumn is gradually receding, winter is approaching.
Late in the afternoon – and while we are about to leave the area – we meet at the guesthouse “Pyrgos-Mandania” Triantafillos and Penelope, friends and partners from the cartographic company “ANAVASI”, who are completing their data for the region of Aspropotamos.
-Our current ascent to the top of Trigia offered us an unforgettable view of some of the highest Greek peaks.
We don’t need to hear any more, the memory of the image of Kyriakos, climbing the peak alone, comes back vividly.
The next morning, while all the four-day excursionists prepare for their return, we prepare for our ascent of Trigia.
In the highlands, wonderful weather awaits us. We start our ascent from an altitude of about 1800 meters, heading N-NE on the stony path of the slope and later turn east and continue vertically. In exactly 1 hour we are at the summit at 2,204 m with a chilly wind despite the sunshine. Visibility is excellent to every point on the horizon. To the north-northwest stands out the sharp peak of Smolika and a little to the west-farther the Gamilas massif. To the west-northwest is Lakmos and further south, Kakarditsa and Tzoumerka. Almost the entire southern and eastern horizon is a vast relief with innumerable peaks, which realistically depicts the mountainous character of Greece.
Down low in the northeast, Kalambaka with Meteora is wonderfully visible, and further behind it in the background, Kissavos and the peaks of Mount Olympus. Many more familiar mountains loom on the horizon above the ridge of Trigia, which rises almost in the centre of mainland Greece. But unlike the NW side – which is relatively smooth, – the whole SW side of the mountain is a vertical, inaccessible cliff, at the foot of which stretches the beautiful valley of Paleochori.
At 2204m we let time flow effortlessly, schedules and city obligations can wait. Besides, it is unknown when our footsteps will bring us back up here, to this peak of Aspropotamos.
THANKS
Thank you very much:
-The President of the Expanded Community of Aspropotamos Christos Rapti for his support in our work.
-The friends Lambros Papageorgiou and George Bambos, owners of the mountain accommodation “Pyrgos Mantania”, both for their warm hospitality and for the endless hours that accompanied us and with their valuable knowledge of the region contributed to the completion of the article.
-The philologist Maria Tabakioti – Simou.
-Finally, Mr. Stelios, Mitsos Avgeris, Kostas Delidimos, Apostolos Drossos and Angelos Sinanis, who in various ways expressed their friendship.
DISTANCES.
From Athens: 400 km. via Lamia – Domokou, Karditsa, Trikala.
From Thessaloniki: a) Via Larissa, Trikala, Pyli, Elati, Pertouli : 305 km.
- b) Via Larissa, Kalambaka, Mourgani bridge, Kastania : 295 km.
- C) Via Veria, Kastania, Grevena, Mourgani bridge, Kastania : 275 km.