Journeys

ISLAND

Lost on Aphrodite’s island

Most visitors to Cyprus stay on the coast, but away from the neon and the nightclubs is a world of mountain trails, dramatic gorges and sleepy wine-growing villages. By Sue Bryant

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idecided i wouLd Lose myseLf in cyprus. why not? The spring sunshine was

blazing and the fields were scarlet and blue with poppies and cornflowers. The roads

were empty. driving through the western foothills of the Troodos mountains, the spine of

peaks that runs across the west of the island, is pretty hit-and-miss in terms of navigation

in any case, as a crossroads may point in several directions to any one village, and

maps of the island tend not to agree with one another. so i turned inland from the main

Limassol-Paphos road and headed hopefully for the hills.

Windows wound down to let the intoxicating scent of wild herbs breeze through the

car, I climbed up through wine country, regimented rows of vineyards ripening in the

Eastern Mediterranean sun, other fields green with almond and apple orchards, herds of

goats sheltering from the sun under the branches of ancient olive trees.

i stopped at Alassa, near the Kouris dam, one of many reservoirs that keeps the island

watered. Birds of prey wheeled overhead on the afternoon thermals. A sole fisherman,

the only other human in sight, sat patiently by the water’s edge. Insects hummed in the

sun. it was hard to imagine that this is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the

Mediterranean, receiving some two million visitors a year. Where was everybody? Not

that I was complaining.

Almost reluctantly, I headed on upwards through the village of Monagri, a cluster

of whitewashed houses with terracotta roofs arranged around a squat church. A couple

of wineries here sell locally produced reds and Commanderia, the amber dessert wine

that’s been made on the island for 4,000 years. The streets were almost deserted save

a couple of old ladies in black, sitting outside their houses. We exchanged a ‘Kalispera’

(good afternoon) but they didn’t speak english and my Greek is limited to tourist phrases.

Up here in the hills, it’s a different world from the hustle and bustle of the coast, where

Cypriots, already proficient in English and German, are turning their hands to Russian to

communicate with the newest influx of sun- and pleasure-seekers.

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Onwards and upwards to Omodhos, the winegrowing capital of the Troodos,

where I spent the night. Coach tours come to Omodhos laden with day trippers from

the coast, here to admire the monastery, shop for souvenirs and taste the wines. But if

you arrive late afternoon and stay in one of the agrotourism establishments – Stou Kir

Yianni (www.omodhosvillagecottage.com) is my favourite, just three suites in an old

stone house – the atmosphere gradually mellows. Finally, after sunset, the town reverts

to the locals.

The next day, vaguely following the map, I headed high into the Troodos, through

cool pine forests, the busy resorts of the coast shimmering in a blue heat haze, miles

below. I hiked the Caledonia Trail, one of several well-marked footpaths maintained by

the Cyprus Tourism Organisation. It’s an easy, two-mile woodland descent along the

course of the chilly Kyros Potamos river, scrambling over mossy rocks and occasionally,

balancing on stepping stones to cross the river itself. The reward at the end is a plunge

into the deep pool under the Caledonia Falls, where the river gathers pace and tumbles

over a jutting rock face. Further down the hill, the Psilo Dentron tavern serves freshly

grilled mountain trout. This being Cyprus, famed for its hospitality and love of food,

there’s usually a taverna to be found at the end of any walking trail.

SEEKING THE AUTHENTIC CYPRUS The island is full of surprises once you leave the busy coast, which although known for

its luxury hotels and spas, is another world from the quieter, more authentic Cyprus

I was seeking. I love the protected Akamas Peninsula on the island’s far western

tip, according to legend, the one-time hunting ground of Adonis and location of the

woodland glade in which he first spotted Aphrodite bathing in a rock pool (sadly, a

rather uninspiring tourist attraction nowadays). But love-struck gods and goddesses

aside, Akamas reveals great natural beauty. With a friend, I walked the Avakas Gorge,

initially wandering under pine, cypress and carob trees before the trail narrows into a

deep, sheer-sided gorge, strewn with giant boulders that have toppled off the tops of

the cliffs during the island’s various earthquakes. On the broad sweep of Lara Beach,

leatherback and green sea turtles come to lay their eggs and in summer, you can help

the volunteer conservationists who keep a patient vigil over the hatching eggs, putting

protective cages over the sandy nests and removing exposed eggs to a hatchery. On

bright nights, hundreds of newly hatched baby turtles scurry down the beach, guided by

the moon, to the sea. ▶

On Lara Beach, turtles come to lay their eggs and in summer, you can help the volunteer conservationists guard the nests

ABOVE Stay in an old stone village house; orchards in the hills

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A much tougher hike, and one few visitors know about, is the ancient Camel Trail, an

intriguing path leading from the former copper mines of the western Troodos to Paphos

on the coast and named after the camels that used to bear the heavy loads. The walkable

section starts in Kaminaria village and leads over rocks and through dense pine forest to

Vretsia village. Along the trail are three graceful medieval stone bridges, Elaia, Kefelos

and Roudias, built by the Venetians in the 15th and 16th centuries. The bridges are

purely ornamental now but make great picnic spots, in the serene surroundings of the

deep forest.

Again, there are numerous agrotourism houses to stay in around this area. The whole

agrotourism concept is supported by the government, which gives grants to restore

old stone houses for tourism and help preserve village life; like many Mediterranean

destinations, Cyprus struggles to maintain its village communities as young people

leave for the bright lights of the coast. There are more than 50 houses in the official

agrotourism scheme and many more private ventures. Village life follows the same lazy

pace wherever you go. Enjoy meze and organic wine in the local village taverna for

dinner, shoot the breeze with the owner over a raki or two and fall asleep listening to the

wind in the trees. We were woken every morning by a cacophony of donkeys braying and

roosters crowing; rural life may be peaceful but it’s not necessarily quiet.

MOUNTAIN MONASTERIESNo visit to Cyprus is complete without visiting one of the mountain monasteries, which

are spectacularly wealthy and produce their own wines and liqueurs. Kykkos, northwest

of Troodos, is the richest of all and owns a precious icon painted by the apostle, Luke,

which pilgrims line up to admire. But it’s the monastery itself that’s breathtaking, simply

dripping with gold, beautiful paintings and lavish frescoes.

Near here, down a track signposted from the Kykkos to Stravos road, is Cedar Valley,

an unusual phenomenon in that it’s the only spot on the island populated by indigenous

Cyprus cedars, related to the graceful cedars of Lebanon, and a wonderfully cooling

place to walk, the wind singing gently in the tall trees and all manner of bird life,

including jays, who showed a healthy interest in our picnic. It’s a longish hike, 13km

along the marked trail, but worth it. From the Trypylos fire lookout point at the top,

1,362 metres above sea level, you can see the peaks of the Troodos in the background

and beyond the treetops in the opposite direction, the foothills stretching away in the

distance. Again, not a soul in sight. I can’t think of a lovelier place to get lost.

ISLAND

TOP LEFT Discover the old Venetian bridges ABOVE AND LEFT In spring, the island is carpeted with wild flowers

WAY TO GO

Several companies offer a chance to admire Cyprus away from the busy tourist resorts. Ride in Cyprus organises day or overnight horse treks from the Paphos area, including a week-long exploration of the Camel Trail; tel. +357 99777624, www.rideincyprus.com.

Nearby, the small Paradisos Hills Hotel in sleepy Lysos offers Cypriot cooking classes, using herbs and vegetables from its own organic garden. Tel. +357 26 322 287; www.paradisoshillshotel.com.

Wheelie Cyprus offers guided walking and mountain bike holidays for all levels, based in a pretty stone house with swimming pool and home-cooked food overlooking Chrysochous bay in the north west of the island. Tel. +357 99350898; www.wheeliecyprus.com.

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