–I have crossed the northern border, Anna tells me.

–Which one? We have hundreds of kilometres of northern border in Greece.

–In the mountains of Edessa, in Pinovo and in Jena.

At the sound of the names of the two mountains, memories come back vividly. Even though eight years have already passed since October 2001. When we crossed the stunning Jena Gorge. With its pristine vegetation, the big waterfall and 25 (!) wooden bridges, with tree trunks over streams of unpolluted water.

After the humid and mysterious jungle of the canyon, we were greeted by Jena, with trenches and slopes stripped of trees. A landscape austere and barren, almost melancholy. With that overwhelming beauty of the nakedness of high altitude. Where all that can withstand the mighty north wind is grass, spindly bushes and humble wildflowers. We gazed, enchanted, from those heights, one at Greece and the other at Skopje. Everywhere the land was the same, we could not tell where one country ended and the other began. And we wondered naively why there should be borders, why contrasts should divide peoples.

Then, we turned our eyes to the West, gazing at Pinovo. Gigantic in volume, a long mountain range with notches and folds, cliffs and crags. Yet in its highlands it seemed smooth and friendly, almost inviting us. But then there was not enough time for Pinovo. There is never enough time when you need it. That’s why in place of decision, of action, postponement survives. Pinovo, we said then, we would not forget it. It could just wait a while. The vagueness of the commitment satisfied us, it suited us. And of course, Pinovo, being remote and out of the usual roads and passages, was covered by oblivion, thick as the mists of the northern border. Until the day when the memory of Anna brought it to the fore… And then, miraculously, the procrastination of so many years gave way to a feverish energy, which had Pinovo as its only goal.

THE ALMOPIAN PLAIN AND EAGLE’S NEST

Just before the middle of September the weather forecast for northern Greece does not seem to be very favourable. In the north of Edessa and, more specifically, in the plain of Almopia, clouds with localized showers, sometimes light and sometimes heavy. We set aside our initial hesitations and decide not to let the instability of the weather stand in the way of our undertaking. There must be no further postponement.

With a permanent companion of a leaden sky we arrive in the capital of Almopia, Aridea. How this city has grown like this! On my now sparse visits I find it bigger and taller every time. Where is the small town of the early 1970s, the headquarters of the Proκαλύsias Company, which coordinated the activities of all the outposts on the border with Skopje. After 35 years very little of that time remains unchanged. Not only in Aridaia but also in the surrounding villages. And especially in Loutraki and Orma, which are already the spearhead of the tourist development of the whole region.

We head north, leaving Aridaia and crossing the plain of Almopia towards Aetochori. It is interesting to take a brief look at the course of the place through time.

The plain of Almopia is therefore the region of Macedonia, between the ancient lands of Pelagonia and Eordaia and between the rivers Ludia and Axios. The past of Almopia is lost in the depths of the centuries since, according to excavation research, it was densely populated from prehistoric times. According to mythology, it took its name from the giant Almopa, son of Poseidon. Its inhabitants, the Almopes, settled in the area as early as the Bronze Age, with the main settlements being Orma, Apsalos, Eyropos and South. In about the middle of the Iron Age Macedonian invaders forced the Almops to move and settle in Paggaio. In the early Byzantine years, Almopia was called Enotia. Later it was called by the Bulgarian invaders “Moglena“, meaning “land of fog”, a designation that is still justified today. When the Turks conquered the region in about 1435, it was called “Karazova“, after its black soil. Almopia was liberated by Greek troops in 1912. During World War I, deadly battles were fought in the area by the Greeks, Serbs and the British against the Bulgarians. After the Asia Minor Catastrophe, many refugees from Asia Minor, Thrace and Pontus settled here. The area was finally named Almopia in 1927.

As we move away from the volumes of the city’s buildings, the contours of the NW and NW horizon are revealed, a huge arc with the catalytic presence of the Vora mountain range. This massive natural fence stands like an ancient sentinel on the country’s borders. Its highest peak dominates to the west at 2,524 metres, followed further east by Pinovo at 2,154 and Jena at 2,182. The further north we move, the sharper the details of Pinovo become, a spectacular rocky funnel with abyssal crags. But which are still densely forested up to the high altitudes of the long ridge.

With a good asphalt road we climb up to the northern outskirts of Almopia, to the small Aetochori. There are few houses, most of them stone-built, with traditional architecture and tiled roofs. The large church of Agios Dimitrios, built in 1842, is tiled, at the lowest point of the village. In the rudimentary square the largest building is the Primary School of 1963, a reminder of the reign of Paul, which has long since ceased to function. Despite the image of abandonment, however, some tinkering-like noises can be heard from inside. We approach. Through the half-open door we enter the large schoolroom. Many windows, a large map of Greece on the wall, the familiar desks clustered in a corner, the wood stove in the center.

As we enter, a young man stops tinkering and greets us. He is Kyriakos Liouliakis, a nature lover, a mountaineer and with many years of service in the care and rehabilitation of injured animals and birds. At some point he finally left the life of Thessaloniki and settled permanently with his family in the north of Almopia, at the foot of Mount Pinovo.

–And what do you intend, Kyriakos, to do with the School?

–I will transform it into a traditional café and tavern. On the ground floor I will create a simple shelter for nature lovers and climbers.

We imagine after a while, the “Hidden School“. With the wood-burning stove, the desks for the patrons, and the blackboard, where the items on offer and prices would be written in chalk. And on winter evenings, here at 660 meters of the mountainous Almopia, one can, after the fine local tsipouro and wine, tilt one’s head sweetly and fall asleep. And in the morning he can return rested to his place or start his march up the mountain. Starting from the square, next to the school. With the recent and obvious signposting by the H.O.S. of Thessaloniki. This is the path we are preparing to take. Except that the weather in Almopia doesn’t seem to agree. From the heavy clouds occasionally sparse drops of rain escape now and then.

–I would not recommend you to start walking today, Kyriakos says. Better move to the end of the forest road by car and then, weather permitting, continue on foot. But don’t get discouraged on the high points. Pinovo’s weather is unpredictable up there and fog can be dangerous.

AT THE FOOT OF “KALOGEROS”

A rough road crosses the village for a while. It quickly improves and begins to climb gently uphill through an oak forest, with intermediate gorges and cedars. At 1.7 km you come across a raised iron bar and, 100 metres further on, on the left of the road, a small spring of cool water. A kilometre later the road forks to the right and after a few dozen metres it ends in a ridge. We admire the magnificent view to the top and the lush gorges of Jena, which we so enjoyed eight years ago. Perched on the slopes of the opposite Paikos is the large settlement of Archangelos. Lower down, the northern part begins to develop, the beginning of the extensive plain of Almopia. The geometric shapes from the varied crops make the plain look like a carpet of warm earthy colours.

We are almost at an altitude of 1000 meters and the first young beech trees have already appeared, soon forming a dense forest. The road becomes deeply waterlogged and becomes completely unsuitable for conventional cars. There’s a lonely apple tree by the roadside with small, delicious, completely organic sour apples.

The rain, sometimes gentle and sometimes heavy, never leaves us for a moment. We think hiking is good, but in these conditions it’s not bad in the car. But here we are, 7.8 km after Aetochori, the road ends. We find ourselves in a clearing with a mixed forest of pine and beech trees. Two runners continue. One of them is downhill and grassy, ending in a dead end. The second is uphill and enters the pine forest.

–Avoid it, Kyriakos had recommended, upwards it becomes impassable.

We leave the car, put on our raincoats and continue on foot. The altitude is 1440 meters. At first the road is grassy and smooth. But very quickly it reveals its true face with wild waterfalls and large rocks, making it inaccessible even by 4×4. After all, why would anyone still stay in a car in such a place? The beauty is outside, in the gentle approach to nature on foot. It is only in this slow pace of the old times that the senses of sight, smell and hearing are activated to the full, with the idyllic images of the forest, the smells of the wet earth, the sound of the streams and the birds.

It is indescribably beautiful to walk in the forest. Even the rain has become acceptable. We come across small rowan trees with yellow suckers, tasty and fresh. Now and then juicy ripe blackberries, individual mushrooms and also numerous colonies on logs. Beech trees are imposing with their presence in the forest. They are towering, more than 20 metres high. Some are perennials with massive trunks.

The first leaves appear in yellowish and orange, bright accents in the catalytic – still – dominance of green but also a reminder that autumn is not far off. We are reminded of it, after all, by the thick layer of dry leaves on the ground, left over from the previous winter.

30 minutes after our departure – at a leisurely pace – we arrive at a grassy clearing. After the grass begins a dense beech forest and higher up a spectacular rock complex. The road goes downhill for a while, passing by a hose with a water flow and lots of mud, then becomes uphill and rocky.

5 minutes later the forest ends and with it the uphill. A new reality appears before us. A grassy neck, strewn with large rocks and totally exposed to the north wind, which brings tears to our eyes. But the view is unique. From an altitude of 1580 meters we gaze to the W – SW at the huge funnel of the ridge of Pinovo, with its impressive crags, trenches and saris. Clinging to the cliffs are many dense stands of beech trees, at an altitude of almost 2,000 metres! Lower down, Paiko and the plain of Almopia with its scattered villages. Faintly in the background is the outline of Vermio. With a clear atmosphere our eyes would end up in the highlands of Olympus.

We stay several minutes against this horizon. When one is in fascinating places, one must give them the time they deserve. But the good stuff doesn’t stop there. We climb a wide path, which in a few minutes leads to a narrow alleyway. Through its opening, a completely different landscape is revealed. It is the “Valley of the Rocks”, a basin full of rocks, large and small, with a variety of formations. A few hundred metres further back rise the staggering crags of the “Black Rock” and, higher still, the ridge of Mount Pinovo in all its development. Thick grass and low cedar bushes cover every part of the valley. The rain has long since stopped, but everything is soaked and the soil on the narrow paths is muddy.

With slow steps we descend into the valley. Such is the peace of the place that it seems to urge us to move quietly and silently. However, the changeable weather and the late afternoon do not allow us any thoughts of a ridge, much less a summit. We are not sorry at all. Today, at least, the summit of Pinovo is not our “Ithaca” but all the intermediate stations of the “journey”. And it really is a very exciting journey.

For almost two hours we remain captivated, fascinated by the beauty of the valley. That stretches from the roots of the Black Rock, that wonder of nature, to the neck with the concrete pillar of the G.Y.S., at the foot of the “Kalogeros“. Here, at an altitude of 1850 meters, the north wind beats us mercilessly. Opposite, to the E – NE, our old acquaintance, the peak of Jena, beckons us friendly.

Many interesting things happen to us in the Valley of the Rocks. We first find two springs of water, running by hose to iron watering troughs for watering the animals. Among the low cedars we discover several mushrooms of the Macrolepiota procera species, which have provided so many delicious experiences in the past. In the meadows, near 1800 meters, we find two Agaricus campestris, large and in excellent condition. We take these too.

In some wet places, next to streams, a broad-leaved plant, resembling spinach, attracts our attention. We are not wrong. It is the famous “Nana“, the plant of high altitudes, whose leaves are a wonderful raw material for pies, salads, omelettes and so many other delicacies, which we have tasted from the cooking of Litsa Manakos, at the hotel of the same name in Kastania Kalambaka.

Near the lower watering trough, alongside the rocks, we find several bushes with rounded fleshy leaves, a little larger than those of the beech. Among them are formed clumps with numerous tiny, dark fruits. Try one. It’s ripe and sweet, we recognize it immediately. It’s “Myrtle“, that wild, unusual fruit, the raw material for wonderful jams.

We quench our thirst with the cold mountain water, fill our canteens and, free from the stress of time, enjoy the rare beauty and solitude of the place. Then we begin the pleasant return journey. The rain finds us again in the beech forest. It is constant and persistent, giving the forest the perfect autumnal setting.

We carefully place the mushrooms in the car and, satiated by beauty, we take the road to Aetochori. But the unexpected things were not over yet. A few kilometers down the road, and while I’m devoted to watering the road, Anna suddenly yells for me to stop. I brake abruptly in disbelief and, before I can speak, I see 60-70 metres away, in the middle of the road, a silhouette familiar from other times. It’s a deer, beautiful, tall, standing still and never taking its eyes off us. We hold on not to cry out for our fate. Which we have her completely on our side, as Anna has her powerful telephoto lens camera at the ready. With feverish movements she aims at the magnificent animal – not with a shotgun as some do – a few seconds of agonizing waiting intervene and then, the redemptive sound of the shutter ends the tension and uncertainty of the moments. Pinovo has given us the most precious trophy, the living image of the most gentle creature of the Greek forests.

–I bless you for your luck, Dimitris tells us a few hours later. All the years I’ve been climbing Pinovo, I’ve never once been worthy of meeting a deer.

Dimitris with his brother Methodios, have created for a 5 years now the “Black Rock“. It is a restaurant, one kilometer before Aetochori. Highly dominating with its impressive bulk is the Black Rock, but the view of the tavern is altogether unique. At an altitude of 600 meters the place is endowed with the most fascinating visual access to the forested gorges, the endless ridge of Pinovo and the chaotic crags. Paiko, Almopia Plain, Vermio are opposite us. The construction of the building is worthy of the location, with local stone and wood, a large fireplace, nice furnishings, simple and elegant decoration.

What can one say about the cuisine of “Black Rock”! The deliciousness and originality of the dishes, the quality of the raw materials, the overall picture of the dish on the table is impressive. Chef with great talent, with passion for his work, Dimitris, from the dawn of Friday until late at night on Sunday, puts himself, his inspirations and his passion, so that Black Rock continues to be a meeting point and a place of enjoyment for gourmets and gourmets.

Wonderful local tsipouro, excellent variety of appetizers and our mushrooms chopped and fried with parsley and lemon. At the end, beef shank. A real revelation! The Cabernet Chauvignon from the winemaker of Aridaia Tsiropoulos is also amazing. For dessert, Dimitris has caramelized apples with BAILYS and a fantastic “retseli” of local sycala.

As the night falls, we start thinking about the 30 kilometres or so that separate us from the accommodation we intend to stay in Orma.

–And why don’t you stay with us? Kyriakos suggests. The little house is old, 19th century, but I keep it neat and clean.

Hours of peace in Kyriakos’s home with his young son Elias and his wife, a French architect Estelle. In the old-fashioned cottage with its iron bed, wood-burning stove and boarded ceiling, sleep is peaceful and deep.

PINOVO, ON THE GREAT PATHS

At the beginning of the day, a few islands of blue sky can be seen between the clouds. They are small but enough to boost our optimism about the weather. Pinovo, however, is still grim in its heights. Lower down, the plain of Almopia is shrouded in its familiar haze. In the mountainous Aetochori, however, the atmosphere is clear. At the primary school in the square Kyriakos has been at work early. He is struggling to get the “Hidden School” up and running in October.

10:30′. From an elevation of 660 meters we start the marked trail next to the School in a northwest direction. Fields and small trees, cedars and sycamores with the first, lightly colored leaves of autumn. The signage is dense, leading us uphill through oak forest. We emerge onto a dirt road and come across a ruined outpost. We then pass a raised iron bar and reach a plateau, with large rocks and impressive views of the Kalogeros and Black Rock. One of the rocks is not solid at its base but forms a through tunnel about 9 metres long, 3 metres wide and with a maximum height of close to 2 metres. It is a perfectly safe shelter with simultaneous views, from the two openings, of the plain of Almopia and the mountain. It is 11:20′ and we have already reached 810m. For 5 minutes we walk parallel to a tall wire mesh fence. This fence has closed off a large woodland area below the road, which was to be used as a game reserve.

11:20′. We leave the dirt road for good and immediately feel the so pleasant, soft ground of the grassy path in the soles of our feet. A path that enters the sanctuary of a slope so densely wooded that at first it seems impenetrable. The ferns rival us in height and, sometimes, outstrip our heads. We wonder if there is a passage, a secret passage between them, or if they end in a dead end. The path, however, although narrow and suffocatingly surrounded by the mountain vegetation, still remains well-widened and clear, few branches blocking our passage. All around it grows, in an uneven density, a wide variety of trees, without human interference, as nature created them. The main ones that stand out among them are cedars, oaks and beeches, apple trees, maples and hornbeams. There is also a vine with dark cranberries, an irrefutable sign of ripeness and a surprising flavour.

A little further up we find a second skull and crossbones. Its fruits are huge, almost twice as big as the first one. Unfortunately for us they are still pale and unripe, their taste is astringent, absolutely forbidden for humans, but not for animals, especially bears. Which, after so many years in the mountains and in their habitats, still do not do us the honor of meeting until now. Except, of course, for that incredibly cute bear cub, which appeared unexpectedly only to disappear in three seconds years ago in Zagorochoria, specifically on the forest path from Fragades to Negades.

–After yesterday’s photo shoot of the deer, my hopes have been raised for the bears, Anna says with great faith and I am not far from sharing her optimism. After all, positive thinking, as is generally believed, has the mysterious property of attracting pleasant situations.

Our coexistence with the dense jungle lasts only a quarter of an hour, giving us this sense of almost complete isolation from the wider natural environment, the horizons of the place. At 11:40′ and at an altitude of 885 meters we enter a shady forest of tall beech trees. A stream with water and an excellent path with gentle slopes and successive turns. It was carved with great knowledge by the old cattle breeders of Almopia, who drove their cattle from the plain to the mountain pastures of Pinovo and Jena. We walk slowly, enjoyably, the time of the overall route is of formal interest to us, purely informative. This beautiful trail does not lend itself to mountaineering performance, with eyes on the stopwatch. Here the priority is to enjoy the natural environment, which we still have the privilege of admiring in our country. And these forested slopes of Pinovo are among the most beautiful we have ever encountered.

At 12:55′, and as the altitude is 1310 meters, we meet a good forest road for a moment, we head left (SW) and after about 100 meters, we find an iconostasis with a unique view. Immediately afterwards, always on a marked path, we re-enter the forest. A little later we feel the weather changing. The change manifests itself first with a cold breeze. It is accompanied by a noticeable decrease in the lightness of the atmosphere. Partly due to the density of the forest, but mainly due to the black clouds that have taken over the canopy of the sky. Old beech trees with huge trunks occasionally stand out among the others. One of them, particularly old, has formed a hollow in its trunk that manages to fit me. It is a most unusual thing for a beech tree.

13:40′we’re coming out of the woods. We are now at an altitude of 1470 meters. With our small dimensions and our leisurely pace we have covered an altitude difference of 810 meters in 3 hours and 10 minutes.

Once again the weather is becoming fearful, the first sparse drops of rain find us. The ridge has long disappeared behind heavy, unmoving clouds. It would not be pleasant to be up there in such conditions. And we’re certainly not sorry about the postponement. Our main goal today was this stunning hiking route from the Aetochori square to the roots of Black Rock. A trail that allowed us to penetrate the unseen interior of the forests of Pinovo and experience details of its unparalleled beauty.

IN THE HIGHLANDS AND ON THE SUMMIT

–Orvilos and Pinovo! They are the last two Greek mountains above 2,000 meters that I have not yet climbed, Kyriakos says. I am of course referring to the main peaks of the mountains, because the side peaks above 2,000 meters are countless.

Our friend’s message was clear: “When you set off for the top of Pinovo, I would like to be present“.

It is a great pleasure to walk in the company of Kyriakos Papageorgiou on the mountain. After 35 years of rich experience he has formed his own code of approach to the mountains. An approach, whose primary characteristic is nature-love and the secondary one is mountaineering. Kyriakos does not see the mountain peaks as an object to be conquered but as a means of liberation from the stress of everyday life, the unpleasant conditions of living in the city and even as an escape from the stresses and mental wear and tear of his legal profession. Walking side by side with Kyriakos one gets used to communicate with the mountain, learns to discover unseen paths, to smell secret passages, to face hardships and hardships with stoicism and in the end to achieve one’s goal and emerge victorious.

So we start with our dear friend and partner the ascent of Pinovo, with the final destination this time, nothing less than the summit. Our starting point is the clearing with the pine trees, at the end of the rough forest road of 7.8 km above Aetochori.

At exactly 10.30′ our harriers leave their first footprints on the wet forest floor from the recent rains. This same forest, which we were crossing just a week ago and already has two obvious changes to show us. The abundance and much greater variety of mushrooms is the first, while the second change is colourful. It concerns the foliage of the beech tree, which every day is increasingly renouncing the green colour that has hitherto dominated and giving in to the barrage of autumn colours of yellow, brown and orange. The weather, however, is once again enigmatic.

We have started our course very hungry. In just 25 minutes we reach the spectacular clearing with the rocks and the stunning view of the impressive funnel of Pinovo and the plain. Climbing up the neck reveals lower down the “Valley of the Rocks” with its blueberry bushes and the well with its icy water. We take a few breaths, refuel with fresh water and start the ascent in a N direction, following the yellow marks on the rocks. The path is narrow and easy to negotiate but strongly uphill and muddy in several places. Hundreds of limestone rocks, greenish from lichen, are scattered haphazardly on the steep slope. Unbearably continuous, this section is not easy, it is in fact the most demanding of the route so far – and of the later one as it will prove to be.

Following a general N course we reach at 12:00 (40 minutes from the well) the end of the uphill path, at an altitude of 1860 meters. Our orientation changes significantly, becoming W – SW at 250^o. The trail, now gently sloping, is a pleasant progression on the previous uphill. The ground is paved with innumerable small granite stones, originating from the overlying rocky slopes of the impressive Vishograd massif. At the foot of this massif, we can already clearly see the trail leading to the Pinovo range from the peaks of Jena.

–A border crossing, important in every respect, Kyriakos says. All it needs is, long daylight hours and good weather.

In less than fifteen minutes we reach an amazing hollow neck, very characteristic in the region, always at the foot of Visograd. Here, at an altitude of 1945 metres, we meet the junction with the Jena trail. It is a place of unparalleled charm, we treat ourselves to a short delightful stop. Sometimes we admire the dense clouds that speed up from the plain and envelop us, and sometimes the amazing images that are revealed through the mist and are constantly changing: rocks, gorges, cliffs and peaks.

Our course takes a heading W – NW at 295^o. The trail continues ever smooth and easy going, almost flat. Its length is long and so our enjoyment is prolonged.

–I believe it’s one of the most idyllic and friendly trails I’ve encountered so far, Kyriakos says enthusiastically. Usually at these altitudes, near or above 2,000 metres, the slopes are steep and the terrain not so smooth, you have to watch where you step. Here we can walk and enjoy the scenery at our leisure, with no risk of tripping.

With this so pleasant gait we arrive at 12:50′, 2 hours and 20 minutes after our departure, on a grassy neck, at the SW foothills of Visograd. We are at an altitude of 1975m next to our feet is the border line with Skopje and the concrete pyramid 97. A series of similar pyramids mark the border line on the uphill ridge of Visograd at 2,150 metres. Lower down in the NE, a Skopje outpost can be seen. Our view penetrates unobstructed, in great depth, to the north-northwest-west horizon, where the varied relief of the Skopje territory extends to lower altitudes.

Climbing slightly we reach a hill with a ruined building and rusty barbed wire at 2,060 metres. The terrain of the area is littered with remnants of trenches and trenches with battle positions from the years of the First World War, 1914-18.

We take a course S – SW 200^o slightly downhill. The path is wide, reminiscent of a carousel. It is probably the mountain trail used in 1915 by the Serbs to selflessly raise their mountain artillery to the highlands of Pinovo. From there they bombarded the German and Bulgarian positions by surprise and drove them into disorderly flight.

We encounter the first gun at an altitude of 2,070 meters. For safety reasons it is surrounded by barbed wire with the distinctive metallic red signs warning of a minefield. About 100 metres SW of the first, on a rocky knoll, we encounter the second gun. Kyriakos also finds a small shell, ugly but certainly harmless after being eroded by the weather and the century that has passed over it. He initially thinks of taking it with him as a souvenir, but regrets it and deposits it beside the path, in the historic place where it belongs.

In the meantime the fog does not want to leave us. Successive clouds continue to rise from the plain, while, strangely enough, the atmosphere in Skopje land is crystal clear, revealing five shepherds and dozens of horses grazing on the slopes. We begin to descend a gentle slope, covered with grass. Our general direction is SW 220^o, but the yellow paint markings have thinned out as the stones are sparse.

In the mist we manage to make out the outline of some low successive peaks. We climb their rocky slopes with ease and suddenly the atmosphere clears, we face the main peak opposite us. At 14:30′, 4 hours exactly from our departure, we are in front of the pillar of the summit of Pinovo, at an altitude of 2,154 metres. A gentle but chilly northerly wind is blowing, getting colder each time the sun hides behind the clouds. Stones, spiky cedars and grass mixed with occasional thorns. A variety of tiny mushrooms and some wildflowers. This is the flora of the summit, a smooth and friendly summit with plenty of places to rest and gaze at the horizon in Greece and Skopje.

–Now, then, all you have left is Orvilos, says Anna to Kyriakos.

Our friend smiles.

–Yes, next month I hope to meet you. And I’d be very happy if you’d join us.

–We will, my friend, do what we can about it.

EPILOGUE

13 years ago we were lucky enough to meet Nikos Mentis. He was then a Forester at the Forestry Department of Drama, with responsibility for the legendary Fraktos Virgin Forest. Nikos’s guided tour of the unparalleled nature, as well as the hospitality in the facilities of Fraktos was an unforgettable experience for us. Which was completed shortly afterwards with the writing by Niko of an article about Fraktos. With rare photographic material and with a language that could at the same time combine a style that was both eloquent, technocratic and poetic.

Many times since then we have met with Nikos in an environment, sometimes forest and sometimes urban. Recently we were informed that Nikos Mentis has returned to his native land of Almopia as the Forester of the Forestry Department of Aridaia. To whose territory also belongs Pinovo.

A short visit gave us the pleasure to meet again with Nikos in the environment that expresses him par excellence, the mountain! And more specifically in the west of Pinovo, above the settlement of Voreinos. Here, at the premises of the Forestry Department of Aridaia, we are drinking wine again with Nikos and a great company of people from the local community and the Forestry Department of Aridaia. We even have the rare good fortune to penetrate for a few hours into some of the most unknown, occult and fascinating routes of this magnificent mountain. Which we are eager to get to know in detail so that we can present them to you in our very next issue.

THANKS TO

– The Forester of Aridaia and good friend Nikos Mentis, for the wonderful maps, texts and all the help.

– Kyriakos Liouliakis for his participation in the article.

– The author Tasos Karatzoglou for the valuable information from his book.

– The amazing tavern MAYROS VRACHOS in Aetochori and personally Chef Dimitris.

– Methodios and Dimitris Emmanuel for the support on the article and all the help.

– Antonis Fountoukidis from the wonderful guesthouse NAIADES in Orma.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Tasos Karatzoglou, “ALMOPIA IN THE DISTANCE OF THE AGES”, first edition, Aridaia 2009.

Distances

Aridaia – Thessaloniki – Thessaloniki: 100 km

Aetochori – Aridaia: 20 km