THE “STRANGER” FROM THE NORTH

In his appointment with the Orvilos, Kyriakos Papageorgiou did not manage to be present. His legal obligations kept him in Volos. Thus, his goal to conquer all Greek mountains with a peak above 2,000 meters in 2009 was postponed for the next year. The meeting, therefore, and the acquaintance with the unknown Orvilos we undertook to implement it.

The designation “unknown” is not a figure of speech for the mountain. It is estimated that only a few dozen climbers make it to the top every year. It would be too optimistic to say that they exceed triple digits. As a rule, these climbers come from northern Greece, especially from mountaineering clubs in Thessaloniki, Serres, Kavala and Drama. The crowding on Orvilos is therefore unknown. It is probably the loneliest Greek mountain. The reasons are many. First of all, it is its remote geographical position in the northernmost reaches of the country, between the prefectures of Drama and Serres. Orvilos is, along with Rodope and Belles, the natural mountain border between Greece and Bulgaria. Its peaks are visible from very few places. Its image is not familiar, it does not beckon the inhabitants of the region every day, as it does, for example, with Falakro, Paggaio, Menoikio or Belles.

Another reason for the isolation of Orvilos is the exploitation of the closer and much more accessible mountains of the region. They are the famous for their ski resorts, Falakro of Drama, Laylias of Serres and even Paggaio of Kavala. The tourist infrastructure of the region is also rudimentary to non-existent. The only nearby accommodation is located 15 km from the foot of the mountain. It is the “ACTIVITIES PARK, KATAFYGIO – XENONAS ANO VRONTOUS”, which with great effort and a lot of passion created the brothers Panagiotis and Savas Daniilidis. In this nest of nature, the most remote on our northern borders, we always find a warm and welcoming shelter. We even find an ideological love of the two brothers for the natural environment. A love that is expressed in practice by the systematic involvement in a large number of outdoor activities, which are aimed at all nature lovers, regardless of their level of education, gender and age. Everyone can approach, get to know and love nature. This is their succinct philosophy.

–Are you really thinking of climbing Orvilos? Panagiotis had asked a few days before.

Our answer left no room for misinterpretation.

–Okay then. We will organize everything.

-Can you do anything with the December weather, Panagiotis?

-We’ll do something with him too.

GOING UP TO ORVILOS

At a quarter to 7:15 on the 6th of December it is still night. The fireplace, however, is lit with large beech logs. Here at the 1,100 meter altitude of the guesthouse, the cold is not joking.

Our biggest concern is the short length of the day at this time of year. Will we be able to complete with natural light, ascent and descent?

–Don’t worry, Panagiotis reassures us. After all, we will have with us help from climbers from Serres. We will have with us the lawyer Michalis Kragias and Alexandra Trahana, from the Serres Beekeeping Society.

So we are preparing to celebrate the day of the saint of the Greek seas with a walk on the mountain.

The Serra mountaineers are punctual on time. Michalis has been climbing the mountains for 20 years already. At the age of 11 years old he saw Greece from its highest balcony, the Mytikas of Olympus. Alexandra has also been climbing systematically for 10 years. Slim and perfectly fit. The third of the company is Yiannis Liangas, a partner of the Activities Park. An old ranger, climber and mountaineer. The fourth, of course, is Panagiotis Daniilidis. For him, natural activities are an integral part of his life.

–Where are we going to walk next to these mountain beasts? I say to Anna in a low voice.

She nods her head in affirmation. I couldn’t tell if she was agreeing with me or trying to encourage me. Either way we drink our coffee by the fireplace flames, load our backpacks and bodies into two 4×4 cars and set off. We already know the route to Orvilos, from the settlement of Ano Vrontou (ELL. PAN. Issue 66, 2008). It is a bad and completely unmaintained road, crossing Forest Pine forests and nice potato fields.

At 12.5 km. from the guesthouse (and 7 from A. Vrontou) we reach the position “Percek“. Here the remains of the outposts that belonged to the extensive fortification line of the northern border constructed by Metaxas are still preserved. We descend a little further, always on a rough road, and at 14.7 km. we reach the most advanced and ruined outpost of the area. A strategic position, it overlooks the plain of Katafytos with its artificial lake and to the north the passes of the Orvilos. Continue for another 400 metres (15.1 km. from the guesthouse). Here we are stopped by a chaotic waterfall that cuts off the road. But already we are very close to the starting point.

09:30′. We start from an altitude of 1,190 m. We cross about 300 meters of forest road and reach a plateau with a mobile phone antenna. A wooden sign reads – with a touch of humour – “To Chai“.

–He means the abundant native mountain tea, which is fragrant in the summers in the highlands of Orvilos, our mountaineering friends explain. That’s as far as many people climb. They pick up the chai and return. What’s the point of climbing to the top?

100 meters after the antenna we enter a pine forest with small clusters of young birch trees. The path is quite clear with red markings and plastic strips on the branches. Several places, however, are unclear and covered with weeds. The trail needs widening and maintenance. The uphill is noticeable. Michael’s instruments record an average gradient of 20%, which of course is higher in some places.

09:55′. We have already covered a distance of 1 km. and we are at an altitude of. <1,380 meters. This is where the forest ends. Across to the NW the peak of Orvilos, particularly white, is revealed in clouds. The explanation is simple; it has been snowing in the mountains of the region for the last two or three days. Today, however, the weather is still wonderful. Thin clouds, sunshine and blue skies.

We take heading NW (300 – 305^o). The trail is indiscernible to nonexistent, walking in sight towards the top of Cholia. The going is gentle and pleasant on bare uplands, with grass as the dominant vegetation. Small pines and cedars occur sporadically. Many parts of the ground are dug up by hogs. This explains why there are so many hunters. Now and then the sense of smell picks up subtle scents. I take a careful look at the ground. Among the grasses I see small, dry tea sprigs. The sign had not been put up by accident.

Gradually the weather starts to change. The clouds have covered the top and the distant visibility is gone. The breeze cools, the slopes increase. We approach the foothills of Tsolias, always in sight.

10:30′. In one hour from our departure we have covered 2.1 km. and have reached an altitude of 1,500 metres. This is a normal pace, allowing us to take photos, observe the landscape around us and take notes. Our climbing friends, of course, make very frequent use of brakes. They march at their own pace for a few hundred meters and then brake, wait for us for a few minutes and then continue.

We reach an iron sign, which above the ground protrudes features. Here we begin to follow a narrow path heading N – NW 340^o. The lake of Kataphyto resembles a huge mirror, used to reflect nature, especially the sky. We are already crossing the steep E – NE slopes of Tsolias obliquely. We even meet the last beech tree on the path.

11:15′. We reach a neck, at an altitude of 1,740 meters. The scenery is magnificent. Sweet plateau with pastures, lower spectacular folds in bare slopes. On the western horizon stands out lonely the low peak of Angistro with alt. 1,100 m. and in the same straight line, much further back, the bulkier and much higher Belles. Back there, in the mists, we suspect the fascinating basin with Lake Kerkini.

ON THE SNOWY PEAK

The grassy path, so desirable after the uphill climbs, is sweet on the neck. But it is a very fleeting pleasure, lasting only a few minutes. To the north-northwest, the peak is briefly revealed, white against the blue background of the sky. Then, like the rest of the ridge, it disappears into the mist. Up there, the mystery remains. We have no idea of the height and extent of the snow. On the plateau, however, the weather is still good, with plenty of sunshine and almost warm.

The path ends, in front of us now rises the steep cone that leads to the top, wild, merciless, hostile, impossible to avoid. Our friends choose the vertical route, which requires a climb with a terrible gradient. I find a little further west the markings, in red paint on the rocks, of a narrow but distinct path. The course that follows is W – NW, longer of course, but less uphill. From a distance, Anna follows me, taking pictures, non-stop.

11:45′. I’m at 1,920 meters. An elevation difference of only 200 meters separates me from the highest point of the summit. The thought fills me with optimism for the rest of the climb. The goal is not far away. But already some conditions are beginning to change. The slope of the trail becomes steeper. The sun is hiding behind clouds, the temperature is plummeting. But even the wind, which has been almost non-existent until now, finds the moment to appear from the northwest, moderate in intensity but very cold.

Ten minutes later, as I reach 2,000 metres, I find the first traces of snow on the ground. A lone, young robin looms on the trail. Its branches are crystallized from the ice, looking like nature’s early Christmas decorations. Step by step the altitude increases, but so does the height of the snow. At first, the markings on the stones are lost. Soon afterwards, there is no longer a trail. Suddenly I find myself in the middle of a steep slope covered with snow. About 100 meters higher, almost on the ridge, Yannis Liangas waves his stick at me.

-Hang on, you’re getting closer.

I am sending the same message to Anna below. It is not easy to walk on the vertical slope, on terrain unseen under snow. In some places it’s more than 20 centimetres. Fortunately I have my climbing stick. Which proves to be as useful and valuable as a blind man’s cane.

12:40′. I reach the 2,212 meters of the summit in 3 hours and 10 minutes exactly. My march in the snow lasted at least a 40-minute period. Can I say that it didn’t tire me out? That would be a lie. Just as I would be lying if I said I wasn’t overjoyed to be on top of this mountain, next to the border line with Bulgaria. Stretching lower into the vast horizon to the north, with undulating terrain and beautiful cloudy skies.

Our mountaineering friends are very happy to welcome us to the highest peak of their country. Much more happy and grateful are we. Thanks to the precious participation of these people we are at this moment able to gaze at all this fascinating vastness from the summit of Orvilos, this lonely Vigil of the North.

EPILOGUE

13:10′. Heading east we walk a few hundred yards along the border. At the end of the ridge we change direction to the south. The slope is terrible, in some places reaching 45%!

15:25′. The last of them are arriving at the cars. All together we return to the hostel. As the sun lowers, Panagiotis tidies the logs by the fireplace. We all sit around together. The only one missing is Kyriakos. He would love to be here right now.

THANKS TO

-The Municipal Government of Serres

-The brothers Panagiotis and Savvas Danilides for their hospitality at the Park A. Brontus and for all their help.

-The climbers of Serres Michalis Krajia and Alexandra Trahanas as well as Yiannis Liangas for their camaraderie and their valuable participation in the ascent of Orvilos.

Distances

From Serres: 28 km

From Thessaloniki: 110 km

From K. Nefrokopi: 18 km