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ОглавлениеTHE WEST AND THE AKAMAS PENINSULA
Coastal view from Moutti tis Sotiras (Walk 1)
The westernmost and least-inhabited part of the island, the Akamas Peninsula, is home to some of the best-known walking trails on Cyprus. Part of the Akamas Peninsula was once used by the British army as a firing range, but today it is a peaceful area for wildlife and for many of Cyprus’ endemic plants. The rugged coastline is washed by turquoise water and it is not difficult to see why Aphrodite and her lover Adonis might have chosen to meet in this part of the island.
The area offers a variety of walks, from the dramatic Avakas Gorge to Paphos Forest where some of the intact medieval (Venetian) bridges can be found, as well as a walk between vineyards near Panagia village. Paphos/Baf is a great base for those who want to explore the trails in the west of the island. From self-catering accommodation to luxury hotels and resorts, tourists are spoiled for choice. For people who are fascinated by ancient history, there are plenty of ruins to discover. Paphos is known for its rich archaeological sites; the Paphos Archaeological Park, near the harbour, is famous for the mosaic floors of its Roman villas. The Tombs of the Kings – where aristocrats were buried in grand tombs carved out of rocks from around 4BC – is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
When the walking and sightseeing are over, there are plenty of restaurants at Paphos harbour where a range of Cypriot dishes can be enjoyed.
WALK 1
Aphrodite Trail, Akamas Peninsula
| Start/Finish | Bath of Aphrodite (N35.05610, E32.34589) |
| Distance | 7.5km (4½ miles) |
| Ascent/Descent | 500m/500m |
| Grade | 2 |
| Time | 3hr |
| Refreshments | Restaurant and bar at start point |
| Access | Road signs are easy to follow from Paphos and Polis. Regular buses from Polis. Parking available. |
This is one of the most popular and well-known nature trails on the Akamas Peninsula. Coachloads of tourists visit the Bath of Aphrodite, but not all of them follow the goddess’ footsteps all the way along this scenic circular trail. It is a moderately easy walk with gentle but stony uphill sections populated by juniper trees, with a steep descent giving excellent views to the Akamas Peninsula.
During the walk you can learn to recognise some of the plants of Cyprus, as many trees and flowers are labelled. The route is signposted with iron arrows and there are benches at the best viewpoints along the way.
There is a car park and a restaurant just outside of the Botanical Garden. Go through the gate – closing it behind you as the sign requests – and then walk on the paved path which leads to the Bath of Aphrodite.
The Bath of Aphrodite is a small pool of water where a sign confirms that ‘the Goddess of love and beauty used to bathe in the small pool of this natural grotto’. The pool area is usually very busy with people posing in front of the dripping water.
From the Bath, continue on the path marked ‘Nature Trail’. When this paved path ends, exit through a gate then a few metres later turn left where a sign says ‘Aphrodite and Adonis Trail’. The two trails run together for the first 2.5km, starting from the information board. According to legend, this trail was used by Aphrodite to walk back to her tower after bathing in the pool.
APHRODITE
There are two legends that link Aphrodite’s name to Cyprus; her birth and the time spent with her lover, Adonis. According to legend, the goddess of love and beauty rose from the sea near Paphos after Cronos cut off Uranus’ genitals and threw them into the water. Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus but had many lovers, the most famous of which was Adonis. Myrrha – who was to be Adonis’ mother – was cursed by Aphrodite to fall in love with her own father, King Cinyras of Cyprus. When Cinryas found out that he’d been tricked, the pregnant Myrrha was banished. She changed into a myrrh tree and the baby was born from that tree. Aphrodite took baby Adonis to Persephone (goddess of the underworld), but she returned when Adonis was a grown, handsome man. Aphrodite and Persephone both wanted to keep Adonis. Zeus dictated that Adonis would spend one third of the year with Aphrodite, one third of the year with Persephone and could decide for himself with whom he would spend the rest of the year. He chose to spend it with Aphrodite.
Start walking slightly uphill on a stony path with occasional glimpses of the sea. Keep on the winding, well-trodden path, ignoring a narrow path on the right and noting the labelled trees and shrubs. As the path turns away from the sea the horizon fills with white limestones and pine-dotted hillsides.
Around the 1km mark the path levels out a bit and runs between thorny gorses. A few hundred metres later it crawls uphill again, and you find yourself walking on giant limestones before reaching a steeper section with some big stone steps. You are soon rewarded with views to the sea, and the path straightens again before climbing uphill for a short section after the 2km mark.
The path gives an excellent view of Chrysochou Bay
Ahead is the peak of Moutti tis Sotiras in the distance, but keep on the track gently turning away from the mountain. About 50min into the walk you arrive at a junction with a giant oak tree, a fountain and the ruins of Pyrgos tis Rigainas (Tower of the Queen). The trail divides here; the Aphrodite Trail continues to the right and the Adonis Trail to the left. Both are clearly marked.
Turn right on the Aphrodite Trail and follow the wide dirt road, occasionally marked with an ‘E4’, then turn right onto an iron arrow-marked path. Follow this marked path running parallel to a dirt road for a while. When you emerge at a wide dirt road, continue uphill with glimpses of the surrounding hills and sea. Look for the ruins of the tower down below.
At the end of the dirt road the path splits. To the left is a 5min walk to Moutti tis Sotiras’ rocky peak, where a magnificent panorama of the Akamas Peninsula can be enjoyed. Take this, soak up the views and then retrace your steps to the junction with the iron arrow and continue to the left.
Soon the narrow path runs downhill with views to the sea and with towering rocks on the left. Iron arrows occasionally indicate the clearly visible path. Zigzag steeply downhill between wild thyme and thorny bushes for about 40min, and when you reach the dirt road turn right, towards ‘Aphrodite Bath’. This road also has E4 signs.
Walk for about 20min on the dirt road with views to the rugged coastline and the hillside. Soon after you spot the caravans in the campsite, turn right where the sign shows ‘Aphrodite Bath’ and walk back to the pool and then to the car park.
WALK 2
Adonis Trail, Akamas Peninsula
| Start/Finish | Bath of Aphrodite (N35.05610, E32.34589) |
| Distance | 7.5km (4½ miles) |
| Ascent/Descent | 400m/400m |
| Grade | 1 |
| Time | 2hr 30min |
| Refreshments | Restaurant and bar at start point |
| Access | Road signs are easy to follow from Paphos and Polis. Regular buses from Polis. Parking available. |
The second best-known nature trail on the Akamas Peninsula runs along with the Aphrodite Trail for the first 2.5km – until the Pyrgos tis Rigainas.
A short section of the trail follows a forest track and then it runs on juniper and pine-covered hillsides, dotted with white limestones with remarkable views to the surrounding hills and the sea around the peninsula. During the second part of the walk you pass striking rock walls in a dry streambed, and the descent at the end gives grand views to Chrysochou Bay. Spring is probably the best time to enjoy this trail, when the hillside is carpeted with colourful wildflowers.
From the car park, go through the gate and follow the paved path to the Bath of Aphrodite, where a sign confirms that ‘the Goddess of love and beauty used to bathe in the small pool of this natural grotto’.
A path marked ‘Nature Trail’ continues from the pool. Shortly the paved path ends; exit through a gate and a few metres later keep left as the ‘Aphrodite and Adonis Trail’ sign indicates. (For the first 2.5km the two trails runs together.) Follow the stony path uphill with occasional glimpses of the sea. Ignore a narrow path on the right and keep to the well-trodden path. Soon this bends away from the sea and the view is dominated by white limestones and pine-dotted hillsides.
The path levels out around the 1km mark, but a few hundreds metres later it crawls uphill again and you walk on giant limestones before reaching a steeper section with steps. There are some views to the sea and the path first levels out and then climbs uphill for a while after the 2km mark. Ahead in the distance is the peak of Moutti tis Sotiras, but the path bends away from it and about 50mins after starting the walk you arrive at a junction with a giant oak tree, a fountain and the ruins of Pyrgos tis Rigainas (Tower of the Queen). The trail splits here; the Adonis Trail continues to the left and Aphrodite Trail to the right.
ADONIS
Adonis – the god of beauty and desire – was born to Myrrha and King Cinyras of Cyprus. Aphrodite and Persephone both wanted to have him, and when Zeus announced that he could spend one third of the year with Aphrodite, the second third with Persephone and he could choose who to spend the rest of the year with, he chose Aphrodite. Adonis died after being attacked by a wild boar, believed to have been sent by one of the jealous gods. He died in Aphrodite’s arms and anemones grow where his blood is said to have fallen.
Take the path on the left, marked ‘Adonis Nature Trail’ and ‘E4’. The well-trodden path gently crawls uphill between bushes and juniper trees. About 20min later it crosses an overgrown track and shortly joins a forest track with a green arrow. A few metres later an E4 sign can be spotted, marking the direction of the Adonis trail. Follow the forest track downhill and leave it to the left where the green arrow and a battered E4 sign indicate. Approximately 1hr 20min into the walk you’ll arrive at the forest junction of Kefalovrisia.
The forest track leading to Kefalovrisia
Turn left on the path marked ‘Adonis Trail’. Walk alongside a dry streambed with rocks towering above on the left; in front, like a well-designed postcard, a green meadow stretches out with the blue sea in the background. The rough path, with a water pipe in the middle, runs steeply downhill and when it becomes smoother you can enjoy the views without the worry of tripping over stones. Occasional green arrows and E4 signs mark the way.
The path widens and levels out, and soon the Adonis Trail leaves the wide track to the right. (There is no arrow to mark this fork, but a little green nature trail label keeps you on the right path.) You soon reach a viewpoint, from where you go steeply downhill. Ignore two consecutive dirt roads joining from the left. Shortly after the second of these, leave the track slightly to the left on the bend as the green arrow indicates. Before long there is another steep descent and you can spot the car park and restaurant near the Bath of Aphrodite, where the walk began. The path runs alongside a fence before it reaches the road; turn left on the tarmac road and walk back to the car park, which is 5–10min away.
WALK 3A
Smigies Nature Trail
| Start/Finish | Smigies picnic site (N35.02352, E32.33367) |
| Distance | 6.5km (4 miles) |
| Ascent/Descent | 180m/180m |
| Grade | 1 |
| Time | 2hr |
| Refreshments | None |
| Access | Follow the Elia Tavrou road into and through Neo Chorio village. The tarmac road turns into dirt track and leads to Smigies picnic site, where there is space to park. |
Two nature trails – which could easily be tackled one after another – start from the popular Smigies picnic site. As on many nature trails, plants and flowers are labelled along the way, but the waymarks are not always consistent.
This route follows a footpath which occasionally meets and runs along a dirt road for a while. In the spring, rock roses and wildflowers colour the hillside of Pissouromoutti. It might not be a challenging walk but remarkable views welcome you on Pissouromoutti. Most of the walk is exposed without much shade.
Start at the Smigies picnic site by the information board showing a map of the circular walk and take the stony path that winds uphill behind the board. The landscape is dominated by Pissouromoutti’s rocky top on the left. There is no shade on the hillside and it can get very hot on a sunny day.
About 15min after leaving the picnic site you arrive at a viewpoint, from where there is a clear view towards the sea. (If you observe the rugged coastline carefully, you may spot some sea coves.) On the right at the top of the rocky hill is the Piana fire lookout station building. Continue on the path and soon reach a dirt road; keep left, as the green arrow indicates, and follow this slightly downhill (the right fork goes up to the fire lookout station).
Continue on the track – lined with pines and with sea views on the left – to the next intersection, where you follow the nature trail sign straight on. Soon you arrive at another intersection, where the path on the right-hand side is the short version of the nature trail and returns to Smigies picnic site. Follow the ‘Long Way 5km’ sign on the wider track, straight on. Here the path runs on level ground with excellent views. Ignore the adjoining dirt road on the right and keep straight on as the track bends slightly left. Very soon, at the next junction, go right as the green arrow indicates.
Follow the dirt track slightly downhill by the dry streambed. Juniper and pine trees are the main vegetation on both sides of the road. Pass the ruins of a house and then go downhill. After the 3km mark, follow the green arrow to the left. Approximately an hour after leaving Smigies picnic site, notice the smelting tower of a former magnesium mine on your right. Walk up to the tower and a little further on you will find the shafts of the mine.
A number of magnesium mines in the Akamas region were abandoned at beginning of the 20th century. Today the remains of kilns indicate the former mining activity.
Smelting tower by the former magnesium mine
