The outing of Sunday 5 May took us along the Persephone nature trail in the Troodos mountains, starting just a few minutes’ walk from Troodos square. This particular trail ranks among the most popular routes for several good reasons: It’s short and sweet – only 4 km each way and not demanding; It winds its way through beautiful forest patches that offer welcome shade; It ends at a point that grants you quintessential Cyprus views across green forests, a large dam, the salt lake and Limassol Bay.

Apart from the perfect weather, the real bonus of the walk was the group’s configuration. Persephone attracted hikers of all ages, from elementary school to grandparents. And as is often the case, at least 10 nationalities were represented. Special guests included a number of four-legged furry friends, one of whom could not resist a full-body mud bath in a rainwater puddle, offering us surprise entertainment to add to the day’s memories.

The buffet lunch that followed began with a warm welcome from Irene, who was celebrating her name day on the day and gave us the opportunity to share the story of Persephone in Greek mythology, to catch up with friends, get to know new group members better, and make plans to meet again at the next Cyprus Strollers hikes.

Compliments to Dina for this summary and to Stathis for the photos. Join us next on Madari https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/madari-grand-circle-11-may/