Our walk of Sunday 30 November 2014 takes place at the Troodos forest area. Troodos is the highest mountain of the island, with its highest peak (Hionistra) at 1950 metres altitude. Troodos is covered by a variety of pine trees, junipers, cedars and fir trees, and also presents the majestic golden oak, an endemic species to Cyprus, as well as a rich variety of bushes and wild flowers. Troodos is also a rare geological phenomenon. The walk starts at 11:30 am. Xenophon is leading this walk, which will go ahead even in light rain; if you need to, call 97613720.

The Persephone trail is a linear trail, which means we return along the same path. The walk will take close to 2 ½ hours and is classified easy to medium for difficulty. We walk a gentle downhill on the way out, and uphill on the way back. The total distance is 7 km. The walk reaches a location named Makria Kontarka, which offers an impressive panoramic view. The starting point for this walk is the main car park on Troodos square (Plateia Troodous).

At the end of the walk we shall sit down for lunch at a nearby taverna. Instructions will be announced at the start of the walk. We shall drive to the taverna in a convoy.

You have the choice of meeting the group at the walk start, if you are very familiar with the place, or meet at the designated meeting point in Nicosia, from which we shall drive in a convoy. 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 10:00 am. Please ensure you observe start times, for the benefit of the group.

How to get 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. Up on Troodos, follow the directions towards the central Troodos square, and park your car at its car park, on your left. There is no charge for parking. We meet here.

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. Immediately after you observe the very large church of tis Theou Sophias on your right. Just past the church (1.0 km reading) take the first turning to the right. 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 (point E on the map) to the church of tis Theou Sophias (point B), via points D, then C, then A: http://tinyurl.com/ndnr6uo

About the geology of Cyprus: The more widely accepted theory describing the geological formation of Cyprus refers to the subduction and plate collision of two separate tectonic domains, the northern Alpine orogenic belt, and the southern Eastern Mediterranean basin. The process is believed to have taken place in the Mesozoic Tethyan Ocean period (roughly, 90 million years ago). Key evidence in favour of this theory is the juxtaposed series of fragments of oceanic and continental crust, with oceanic crustal fragments preserved as ophiolite sequences, seen in various localities.

About the geology of Troodos: Cyprus was created at a convergent ocean-continent boundary. Troodos was created when the African plate subducted under the Eurasian plate, partial melt took place and magma rose from deep inside the Earth (a volcanic eruption). Troodos is an ophiolite formed above a subduction zone. The crustal sequence of Troodos consists of plutonic complex, sheeted dyke complex and pillow lavas. Troodos is rich in several minerals, including copper, umbers, ochres, chromite and the lethal asbestos deposits. Copper is the predominant mineral and has been mined and exported since ancient times. Its chemical name in Latin (Cuprum) is said to be related to the name of the island (Cuprus).

The Troodos Ophiolite Stratigraphy and subdivisions, from lower to top, are as follows.

The Troodos ophiolite consists of 3 subdivided units: the structurally deepest but topographically highest Plutonic Complex;the overlying and surrounding Sheeted Dyke Complex;the stratigraphically highest Pillow Lava Series, which forms a discontinuous ring around the Troodos massif. On top of the ophiolite, we find the Umbers unit. Described in a 2-sequence division, the Troodos ophiolite is made up of the lower Mantle sequence and the upper Crustal sequence.

See table for a schematic representation. Note that stratigraphy shows layers from sea-level downwards, into the earth; the diagram must be reversed, to depict the order in which one may find the layers on Troodos massif, given the way in which Troodos was formed.

Table: Generalised schematic stratigraphy of the Troodos ophiolite

About Persephone: Persephone, in Greek mythology, was the daughter of Zeus and goddess Demetra. Demetra was the goddess of agriculture. The poet Homer describes her abduction into the underworld when Hades, ruling god of the deceased, fell in love with her. Demetra was saddened by Persephone’s abduction and stopped blessing the crops,so that widespread famine ensued. Zeus therefore intervened, commanding Hades to release Persephone to her mother. After negotiation, Persephone was allowed to spend part of the year on Earth and part in the underworld. This helps explain seasonal change, from the season of land fertility to the season of poor agricultural produce. Persephone was worshipped at the Elefsinian Mysteries, a festival bestowing on its followers a better fate after death.

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.