Ag. Apostoloi – Refuge Krevatia – Rema Papa (“Papa Stream”): A lush, circular route in northern Olympus, with an intense wet element, which delights all the senses and brings the walker closer to nature and their own nature.

We walked on the lesser-known northern side of Olympus, specifically along Papa stream. We were accompanied by its vigilant guardians, those who maintain the trails and spend endless hours caring for them with great dedication and effort. On the circular route that starts from Ag. Apostoloi and runs along the bed of the Papa stream, rocky outcrops, riparian vegetation, and dense pine forest alternate harmoniously like a classical symphony, with the roar of the rushing stream as the crescendo.

For American naturalist John Muir, “There is nothing more eloquent and expressive in nature than a mountain stream.” Perhaps he, like us, was inspired by a landscape such as this one here in northern Olympus.

What makes a mountain range imposing and distinctive is its intense hydrographic network, i.e., the way in which watersheds create ridges and valleys in the relief, separating the natural drainage basins. Over tens of thousands of years, these hydrographic elements have formed impressive geological formations, such as peaks and gorges, which stir and excite the imagination.

The northern side of Olympus is split by two large ravines, Xerolaki and Papa stream. The highest water supply is observed in spring, when the snow melts on the highest slopes and peaks. Papa stream is fed by many branches, the main one being the karstic spring of Palavos, seasonal and permanent flows, which converge at Papa Aloni and again at Agia Triada. In a magical way, the gurgling waters disappear there, feeding the underground aquifer of the Pierian plain, and are released again at the bottom of the sea. And because nature knows no disappearance but only transformation, all this momentum of the stream takes shape on its way to the sea and becomes wealth for man. Vines, kiwis, chestnuts, cotton, and tobacco provide a decent income for many families in the residential area that has been created, due to its geomorphology, in the fertile plain from Kontariotissa to Litochoro.

The name

But who is this priest to whom so many strategic locations in the area refer, such as Papa Rema, Papa Aloni, and Papa Rachi? According to local accounts, this particular clergyman was an informer for the Klephts who were active in the area during the Ottoman occupation. However, the Klephts arrested him and, to punish him, forced him to mow grass naked under the hot summer sun. Unable to endure the summer heat any longer, the priest fled to the stream in search of a little coolness, and then to the ridge to rest. This is how these place names came about, but no one ever found out what became of the informer. The Greek Mountaineering Association of Vrontou (EOS of Vrontou) also uses the name “Agia Triada Stream” for Papa Stream.

Monastery of Agia Triada

Four kilometers from Vrontou, on the northern edge of Papa stream embankment and in a prominent position, stands the small church of Agia Triada (“Holy Trinity”). A cruciform church, it was built at the end of the 16th century and functioned as a Byzantine monastery. It served as the monastery’s Catholicon until the end of the 18th century, and its interior still features unique hagiographies. In 1961, on the monastery’s feast day, pilgrims from all over the Pieria plain came by any means available to celebrate and honor the Holy Trinity in this special church. And then the unexpected tragedy occurred. A fire from lit candles burned down most of the monastery, and it has remained closed ever since.

The history of the trail

The official and first mapping of this circular route was carried out by the competent body for mapping and marking trails in the forest ecosystems of the region, the Pieria Forestry Directorate, in 1999. And because, as is well known, in our country, progress is not possible without deviation from the norm, the former managers of the Krevata refuge, in collaboration with EOS of Vrontou, have since voluntarily undertaken the maintenance and marking of this route as well as the wider network of Ag. Apostoloi – Itamos – Papa Rema – Ag. Triada. The route is marked with red and white paint, and the signs are made of wood and painted in red and white.

This particular route, like the other narrow paths through the dense and robust pine forest that grows on the banks of Papa stream, was once nothing more than livestock trails, commonly known as goat paths. Nomadic herders from the Pierian plain would walk for hours with their flocks towards the sunny, sloping meadows on the northern side in search of food, as the economic conditions of the time did not allow for the purchase of animal feed. However, the number of animals increased, and with them the number of herders, the grazing capacity of the rocky pastures was limited, while the need for food and water increased. Thus, more paths were opened towards the Karoutia and Kryoneria springs and towards Papa stream. The need for wood also increased, and consequently the woodcutters and lumberjacks of Palaia (Old) Vrontou were forced to venture deeper into the gorge.

And so, the difficulties they overcame have now given us, less hardened and somewhat spoiled people, to wander the paths, to satisfy whatever vanity we may have or to forget whatever wears us down in our own struggle of modern daily life.

Route description

We are now in the welcoming courtyard of the EOS of Vrontou offices, at 320 m, where there are benches for resting and a refreshment bar for refreshments, which is open on weekends or opens upon contact with the association. Once we have stocked up and equipped ourselves with the necessary items, we decide to exert ourselves physically in order to refresh ourselves mentally, and we set off on the long but enjoyable journey that awaits us.

We walk downhill on the cement road and cross the wide, smooth bed of Papa stream. To our left, we can enjoy clear, shallow pools with crystal-clear water adorned with riparian vegetation dominated by alders, willows, and plane trees. Ahead of us, we come across an organized recreation area, which we cross to find the path under tree-like holm oaks. This short section leads us to the forest road, where we see the imposing gate of the Monastery of the Holy Trinity on the left. We continue straight ahead without entering the monastery grounds. The signs lead us back to the uphill, now rocky, path. The two different paths indicated by the dense markings meet again a little higher up. We now face a relatively short climb of an hour and a half to the Krevatia refuge, in a landscape of uniform character, i.e., a steady uphill slope and rocky terrain, but without any particular difficulty. We walk on a steep rise in the terrain, the Dramala ridge, along which we find two benches and a triangulation point. This ridge is the most massive northern slope of the Papa stream. We pass three small plateaus-meadows in succession, which climbers call “platomata.” Oaks, pines, holm oaks, and cedars accompany us, relieving us of our fatigue, while the view from the rocky meadows towards the lush walls of the stream, the fertile valley, and the Pierian coast is only the beginning of the excitement that follows. A playful point on the route, known to all walkers in the area, is the shape of the first plateau, which, when viewed from above, resembles a large heart. We reach a bend in the dirt road Ag. Apostoloi – Krevatia refuge and bypass it to continue on the same path. The next plateau overlooks the gorge, while we continue uphill to the Krevatia plateau, where we can now see the refuge. Towards the stream, you can see the ridge of Tsirknia, the wooded saddle of Elatos, and the peak of Katartia. Follow the road for a few meters and you will reach the refuge. The dirt road that leads there is 8.5 km long, starts from Ag. Apostoloi, and is accessible by car. However, be sure to contact the refuge first for information about its condition, as it is damaged by heavy winter rainfall.

There are many routes that pass through the refuge. We can reach the village of Petra by following the path at the base of the refuge that descends northeast. A long and very demanding climb that passes by the refuge and offers great thrills is the one that continues higher, reaches the summit of Barbalas and then follows the ridge, finally leading us to the plateau of the Muses. We choose our route according to the ambition and physical condition of the group members and after organizing ourselves accordingly.

We remain faithful to our choice and our plan and head towards the Papa stream. The sign, located at the corner of the shelter, directs us to the left, outer edge of the plateau ridge until we find the downhill path that leads to the stream bed. From here on, the terrain becomes more demanding, requiring steady footing and careful movements. We pass small scree slopes, larger rocks, and narrow passages between fallen tree trunks, which, with the necessary caution, pose no risk. Small ascents and descents and maneuvers on the slopes of the gorge give our legs a rest from the climb, and unexpected openings in the pine canopy give us a view of this narrow and rich natural water collector as well as the almost vertical edge of Profitis (Prophet) Ilias, which takes our breath away. The roar of the stream, which grows louder and louder, confirms that we are on the right track. The path continues to be clear and the markings dense and elegant.

This route crosses the stream, and if you visit in summer or fall, crossing it will not be difficult at all. However, with the melting of the snow and the stream being fed by underground and surface water from the upper layers in early spring, our attempt to cross to the opposite bank without safety equipment becomes dangerous.

We continue on the opposite bank. Soon we find a fork with clear signs pointing to another characteristic edge of the slope, Papa Aloni. We choose the left, downhill branch of the intersection, which will eventually lead us to our starting point. So, we leave another pending issue for our next visit, the route that will lead us to the distinctive “shoulder” called Mesonisi. There, a huge rock has the majestic shape of the famous noblewoman Dedinikaina and is located at the base of the climbing ridge of Profitis Ilias.

After passing the fork, we walk over imposing boulders with running water. The path narrows further and the landscape becomes even more otherworldly. We reach a slightly higher point, from where we can enjoy the view of the ridge and the summit of Barbalas. The next surprise on our route is the Palavos stream, perhaps the main tributary of the Papa stream. It is worth stopping there for a moment to feel its “madness,” which is due to its irregular flow and large seasonal fluctuations in water supply, factors that justify its name. Rich vegetation of beeches, alders, and hornbeams spreads out generously until another “window” to the northern peaks of Skourta and Mikri Toumba appears before us. We now move under the steep slope of Tsoutsoulianos and leave behind us other branches of the path towards the stream, with distinctive place names. Before reaching Spilies, we come across the seasonal Kremastos waterfall, hidden between imposing rocks and huge black pine trunks. Spilies is an extensive rock shelter, almost 15 m long, which offers ideal shelter in case of forced or voluntary overnight stays, as well as a nesting place for bats and birds.

Soon, we find ourselves at Pigadouli, at an altitude of 580 m. From here, we can take a detour and visit the lesser-known Blue Lake. We descend towards the riverbed, which leads us, after about ten minutes, to the crystal-clear waters of an impressive pool. From there, we move along the riverbed and against the flow of the water for almost a kilometer, when the Blue Lake appears in front of us. Access to this point is only possible during the summer months and under no circumstances after heavy rainfall. It can also be a separate route starting from Ag. Apostoloi and heading towards Spilies. The duration of this route to the Blue Lake is approximately four hours in total. We return following the same route until we find the main path Ag. Apostoloi – Spilies.

Our route to Agioi Apostoloi continues on a shady path with arbutus, beech, and pine trees until we see a dirt road ahead of us and finally our starting point.
The route to Agioi Apostoloi is 1.5 km long.

Route details

The route Ag. Apostoloi – Krevatia refuge – Papa Rema – Ag. Apostoloi is 12,945 m long with a total elevation difference of 780 m. The trail is clear, clean, and well marked along its entire length with red-yellow markings up to the Krivatia refuge, yellow-blue up to the stream and the fork, and yellow-red up to Ag. Apostoloi.

The Krevatia refuge is the highest point of the route, which, despite its length, is also suitable for novice hikers who are in good physical condition and have a basic familiarity with walking on uneven terrain. The ideal season for this circular route, which includes crossing a stream, is the summer months and early autumn. Proper planning and caution are required in case of heavy rainfall, even during the summer months. Estimated duration: 5 hours.

The Greek Mountaineering Association of Vrontou

The association’s offices are located at the foot of northeastern Olympus, in Agioi Apostoloi, at an altitude of 390 m, just 3 km west of the village of Vrontou in Pieria. The location takes its name from the chapel of Agioi Apostoloi, which no longer exists today.

The association was founded in 1993 with the primary aim of bringing together local mountain lovers and introducing more and more young members to nature worship, hiking, and mountaineering. Today, it is a well-organised association that organises a variety of interesting activities both in the wider area of Olympus and in the other mountains of northern Greece and Epirus. The voluntary contribution of its members in opening up old trails, maintaining them, and marking them is impressive and decisive. As a result, the trails in this area stand out due to the selfless care shown by the members and friends of the association for the region.

At the beginning of each summer, the association organizes a mountain running race with two routes, 20 and 6 km long, with the aim of promoting the northwestern side of Mount Olympus. The 20 km route is one of the most difficult mountain half-marathons in northern Greece, and the voluntary efforts of the locals and the families of the mountaineers are truly inspiring.

The mountaineer Vasilis Mamouris

In this small endeavor of ours—to present one of the many aspects of the northern, lesser-known side of Mount Olympus—we cannot fail to mention the work of mountaineer and physical education teacher Vasilis Mamouris. With unwavering passion and zeal, he contributed decisively to the creation of the Mountain Guides Department at the Vocational Training Institute of Katerini, where he taught, while his contribution, in collaboration with the Vrontos Association, to the opening, marking, and maintenance of trails is also significant. His book Olympus 20 Years – Publications 1998-2018 presents his publications in mountaineering magazines and his routes through texts, photographs, and sketches/maps. As manager of the Krevatia refuge for four years, he undertook, together with Yiannis Mavridis, also manager of the refuge, to solve the water supply problem by constructing a water collection system with a 50 cubic meter tank, diverting water from the Karoutia spring, which is still in use today.

His passion for the geological heights of the earth is such that when he returns from them, he begins the ascent again through his other passion, orography. The geographical/hydrographic maps he designs depict every peak, hollow, and fold of the mountain with great reverence and high aesthetics, demonstrating his very personal relationship with Mount Olympus. His pencil and paper sketches, whose detail would impress even the best cartographer, testify, as he himself says, that he is once again among the steep ridges and peaks.

If you observe people who love nature, and especially mountains, you will see a flame inside them, something that makes them explosive and perpetually restless. There is a sparkle of naturalness in their eyes, as if they are seeing everything for the first time. We saw this in the eyes of Giorgos Spanos, treasurer of the Mountaineering Association of Vrontou, and Vasilis Mamouris, who, as if they did not even know the meaning of arrogance, exude humility and authentic kindness, virtues that are so lacking today. And because there is nothing worse than the arrogance of virtue, they avoid exposure and hide very well in the klephtic hideouts and the now numerous paths of the wild northern side of Olympus. Thus, only those who want to find them can find them.