UPDATE: Hiking will be followed by a meze lunch, at our taverna of choice in the nearby village of Kyperounta. Participants registering for lunch will receive full details via e-mail the day before the event.

Our hike of Saturday 22 April 2023 takes place on Madari mountain and covers a good part of the Grand Circle. This hike is linear, rated 2+ (medium difficulty to difficult), 11.2 km long, and is expected to take up about 3 ½ hours. The hike involves sizeable elevation changes; we start at 1335 m (at Doxa si o Theos), walk down to 1150 m (at Moutti tis Horas), and then we climb to 1260 m (at Selladi Karamanli). We follow the same path back.

To compensate for the effort, the hike offers plenty of delights: dense forest of golden oak (endemic species), strawberry trees (antrouklia), pine trees, junipers, cedars and other conifers, rich variety of bushes and wild flowers; unforgettable views and so on.

Madari is located east of Troodos, in the Pitsilia area. The walk starts at 10:45 am. Xenophon is leading this walk, which will go ahead even in light rain; if you need to, call 97613720. The starting point for this walk is the Doxa si o Theos location, a few km drive up from Kyperounda village, on the road to Spilia village.

We shall follow the walk with a served lunch at our taverna of choice in Kyperounda village. To provide you with maximum safety vis-à-vis covid-19, and in order to have maximum traceability, we require every participant to register, irrespective of your participation at lunch or not. To facilitate arrangements, for your better service, you are required to e-mail Xenophon by end Thursday, indicating whether you will be joining us for lunch or not.

You have the choice of meeting the group at the walk start, or meet at the designated meeting point in Nicosia. In either case, you need to carry copy of this set of instructions.  Meeting in Nicosia offers two important advantages: we drive in full cars, leaving some cars behind; thus, we save in fuel and enjoy the trip in good company. The meeting point in Nicosia is the very large church named tis Theou Sophias (also referred to as Agia Sophia) in Strovolos, which offers ample parking space on its side street. The car trip starts at 9:45 am. Please ensure you observe start times, for the benefit of the group.

On this same day, The Cyprus Strollers is offering a new initiative, as follows. We expect a large turnout from members, committing to the Doxa si o Theos – Selladi Karamanli hike and lunch to follow. If there is a sufficient number of members who would like to hike The Grand Circle, the Club will accommodate this request, with Antonis as the Leader, and an earlier hike start at 9:15 am. Times are set to achieve coincidental walk finish for both walks, so that the combined two groups can sit for lunch together, for a meal in celebration mood. Members who wish to hike The Grand Circle must register via e-mail to Xenophon by end Wednesday. You will then expect to receive a return e-mail with further details, in which you will know if you are on the list for The Grand Circle starting at 9:15, or on the list for Doxa si o Theos – Selladi Karamanli starting at 10:45.

For The Grand Circle kindly note that we do not accept first-time participants, or participants who only rarely join us, and you should be in very good fitness. Duration of The Grand Circle is upwards of 5 hours. We clarify that both hikes have the same common starting and finish points. Participants for The Grand Circle ought to plan departure from Nicosia by 8:15 am and should not expect to meet Xenophon at the Nicosia meeting point.

How to get from Nicosia to the walk start:

From Nicosia take the A9 motorway towards Troodos. The A9 smoothly becomes the B9 highway towards Troodos, when the motorway ends, near Kokkinotrimithia. On the B9 you drive past the villages of Akaki, then Peristerona and then you reach the village of Astromeritis. At the Astromeritis traffic lights, where most cars turn left towards Troodos, zero your odometer and turn left. Drive along the main road. After 25 km you pass the village of Kakopetria. Continue to drive along the main road, in the direction of Troodos. At the 33 km reading (i.e. 8 km further from the entrance sign to Kakopetria), you reach a crossroads (no traffic lights), named Karvounas. Do not go straight, downhill. Do not turn right (this takes you to Troodos square). Turn left and drive to Kyperounda, the first village on your way. At the 36.5 km reading (i.e. approx. 3.5 km further from the Karvounas junction) you notice a road sign indicating a left turn, leading uphill to the village of Spilia. Turn left here; at the 38.3 km reading (i.e. approx. 1.8 km further from the left turn to Spilia) you observe the usual wooden sign on your right, marking the start of the hike at Doxa si o Theos. Park on the side of the road.

How to get from Limassol to the walk start:

Take the main road towards Trimiklini, then Saittas. Get to the principal junction at Saittas, where you have the options of going straight to Platres or left to Pera Pedi, or right to Amiantos. Zero your odometer and turn right. At the 10.9 km reading you reach the principal junction of Karvounas (note, no traffic lights). Do not go straight, downhill (this takes you to Kakopetria). Do not turn left (this takes you to Troodos square). Zero your odometer and turn right, signposted to Pitsilia region. Drive to Kyperounda, the first village on your way. At the 3.5 km reading you notice a road sign indicating a left turn, leading uphill to the village of Spilia. Turn left here; at the 5.3 km reading (i.e. approx. 1.8 km further from the left turn to Spilia) you observe the usual wooden sign on your right, marking the start of the hike at Doxa si o Theos. Park on the side of the road.  

How to get to the meeting point for the car trip:

From Nicosia get to the junction between Cineplex and Apolloneion Hospital. At the traffic lights where you have the Cineplex on your left hand side and Apolloneion Hospital on your right hand side, zero your odometer and turn left. At the 0.3 km reading you see Lidl supermarket on your right. At the 0.8 km reading you reach traffic lights. Turn left into Elaionon street. Immediately after you observe the very large church of tis Theou Sophias, with its green dome, on your right. Just past the church (1.0 km reading) take the first turning to the right into Kastellas street. This side street offers ample parking space. Park here.

Google Maps: Here is a map taking you from the junction between Cineplex and Apolloneion Hospital to the church of tis Theou Sophias http://tinyurl.com/ll9fefj  

Google Maps: Here is a map taking you from the Presidential Palace to the church of tis Theou Sophias: https://tinyurl.com/ybnc84q7    

Google Maps: Here is a map taking you from the church of Panagia tou Araka to the junction in Saranti https://tinyurl.com/yaurj4fu

About Pitsilia: The region east of Mount Olympos (Troodos) is known as the Pitsilia area and includes about 30 villages. Its tallest peaks are Madari (1612 metres) and Papoutsa (1554 metres). The picturesque villages nestle on the mountainside amid vineyards, or are hidden in valleys, maintaining much of their traditional charm. The surrounding hills and valleys are full of vines, as well as almond, hazelnut, walnut and other fruit trees. The area is also known for its traditional products such as aromatic rosewater, ‘hiromeri’ (smoked ham), ‘loukanika’ (smoked sausages) and ‘lountza’ (smoked pork loin).

Disclaimer: If you attend a Cyprus Strollers walk you do so entirely at your own risk. The Cyprus Strollers is a social club and neither the organizers nor the leader of the walk are responsible for the health and safety of those taking part. If you do not wish to receive further e-mails, reply to this message, stating so.