Utterly Liberating Hike – Stavros Agiasmati 25 Feb.

Our bodies, minds and souls felt so liberated, on the hike to Stavros Agiasmati of Sunday 25 February. Perhaps because of the large turnout of regular Strollers, members we had not seen for some time and newcomers, from many backgrounds and nationalities. Or the sparkling colours of a precocious Spring. Maybe the sheer luck, to find the splendidly wall-painted byzantine church of Stavros open for our visit, contributed to our euphoria. These wonderful conditions brought out the best in us, evidenced in the cheerfulness of conversations, and playfulness at the lunch table. Compliments to Christos and Clara for the photos. Join us on 3 March at Asinou https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/adelphi-forest-panagia-asinou-hike-3-march/

Untamed Delikipos – 18 Feb.

Our Delikipos hike on Sunday 18 February was an extraordinary experience in many ways. To begin with, it was a hike in the original sense of the word: no designated trail, no marked out path. This was just man exploring nature as God created it. Thanks to our walk leader Ian, who reads his surroundings like a book and had mapped out the route expertly, we could all enjoy this more ‘au naturel’ hike without fear of getting lost.

En route, as we inhaled the fresh air saturated with the scent of wild thyme, it soon became clear that Spring was already here – much earlier than expected. Our snapping phone cameras captured various wild flowers that decorated our route, while frogs croaked in the small stream that we enjoyed crossing a few times as we rambled across this beautiful valley, known to benefit from healthy rainfall. For three hours and covering approximately 9km, it was easy to forget that we were still in February and only half an hour from Nicosia.

Once again, the group that gathered for this hike was a cosmopolitan mix of nature friends from around the world, including regular Strollers and visitors, from countries such as Argentina, Austria, Iceland, Sweden, Lebanon, Iran, China and of course the UK, Greece and Cyprus. All in all, another wonderful opportunity to exercise and socialize with the Cyprus Strollers. Compliments to Ian for leading the outing, to Dina for the summary and to Ramzi, Koula and Clara for the photos. Join us on 25 Feb. at Xyliatos https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/xyliatos-dam-stavros-agiasmati-linear-hike-25-feb/

Alert! Delikipos moves to 18 Feb.

The weather forecast at time of writing tells a sharp contrast between coming Saturday and Sunday. Saturday is forecast with rain, at 100% probability, whereas Sunday is forecast SUNNY, with ZERO rain. Consequently, in consultation with the Walk Leader, the hike at Delikipos is moved from Saturday 17 Feb. to SUNDAY 18 Feb. Times and other details remain as described in the Activities Description section. Everybody who has registered already, is kindly requested to reconfirm their availability for Sunday 18th. Thank you.

Rewarding Pedieos – 11 Feb.

The beauty and impressiveness of the Pedieos gorge was not eclipsed on Sunday 11 February by a rather dull, mostly cloudy weather. A large group of Strollers set off to enjoy the abundant waters of the Pedieos river, winding its way down from the Mahairas mountains. We delighted in the naturally hewn rocks of the gorge and the pretty Ragged Robin purple flowers. After an uphill path we reached the Afxentiou hide out and some minutes later the Mahairas Monastery where we rested and had our picnic. Strollers, as always, shared their sandwiches, fruit and treats, before setting off for the return to the start point. This was another demanding but worthwhile hike in the beautiful and already spring-like countryside of Cyprus. Compliments to Patrick for leading the outing and writing this summary, and to Clara for the photos. Join us on 17 Feb. at Delikipos https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/delikipos-hike-17-feb/

Tough Hike – Palekhori 3 Feb.

The Cyprus Strollers took the challenge of a tough hike on Saturday 3 February, on the mountains of Palekhori. The terrain varied from soil to rock, and much of the path was along ridges, alternating between uphill and downhill. These conditions brought out the best in participants! Our large group once more welcomed new members, and all delighted to see the almond tree flowers, crocus flowers and the panoramic views. Compliments to Stalo for leading this outing and to Clara, Christine and Stella for the photos. Join us on 11 Feb along Pedieos gorge https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/pedieos-gorge-mahairas-monastery-11-feb/

ants nest