A brave team of Strollers tackled the threat of rain on Sunday 15 December appropriately equipped, and hiked round Larnaca’s Salt Lake. The rewards were plenty: the flamingos, the ducks, some sunshine, and not a drop of rain. Lunch was a well deserved fish and seafood meal, accompanied by white wine. Compliments to George for the photos. Join us on 21 Dec. for the final activity of 2019 https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/kornos-21-dec/
Alert! The area of Kamares is vulnerable to flooding, and has been affected by the continuous rain of the past few days. Consequently the starting point for the hike round the Larnaca Salt Lake of 15 December is moved. Driving instructions follow: Get to the main junction between Leoforos Lemesou/ Limassol Avenue and Leoforos Athalassas. Zero your odometer at this junction. Drive along the Nicosia-Limassol motorway, heading towards Larnaca. At the 34.6 km reading, you reach a major roundabout. Ignore the exit to the right, which leads to the airport. Ignore the exit to the left, which leads to Dhekelia and Agia Napa. Zero your odometer and continue straight, towards Larnaca city. You pass several traffic lights (at the 1.4, 3.1, 4.8 km readings), going straight. At the 4.8 km reading you pass a church on your left. The next traffic lights come at the 5.4 km reading, where you see the Larnaca Fire Station on your left. Go straight here. At the next traffic lights turn right into 1st April street. Drive along and choose the left bend at the Y-junction (the right bend looks a side road). This road reaches a roundabout; take the 2nd exit at the roundabout (a sign indicates the trail) and park your car on the side.
Only the calendar would tell it was winter on Saturday 7 December, when a very large gathering of Strollers, many dressed in short sleeves, walked along the eastern coast of Limassol and climbed up to the archaeological site of Amathus. Participants were rewarded by a gourmet fish lunch. Compliments to Koula for leading this activity and to Stathis, Nicoletta, Antonis and Panayiotis for the photos. Join us on 15 Dec. to visit the flamingoes https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/larnaca-salt-lake-15-dec/
There were thrills galore on the outing to Kykkos on Sunday 1 December; the hikers reached a stream, in surroundings worthy of the National Geographic; discovered a rare specimen of Cyprus truffle mushrooms; had humorous moments and views of the wonderful palette of autumn colours; and were rewarded for the strenuous climbing by a rich lunch at Old Cinema. Compliments to George for leading this event and to Nana, Katie, Antonis and Stathis for the photos. Join us on 7 Dec. in Limassol https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/limassol-agios-tychonas-seafront-7-dec/
A very large and youthful group of Strollers, incl. several new members, ignored the oddity of the name and hiked on Kourtellorotsos on Saturday 23 November, in splendid weather. Let the photos do the talking, with compliments to Maria, Antonis, Panayiotis and Stathis. Join us on 1 Dec. at Kykkos https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/kykkos-xistarouda-1-dec/
Bagful of wild mushrooms from you know who
The large group of Strollers on Sunday 17 November along the Platania – Kyperounda trail were offered a rare reward: the sighting of a terebinth tree attacked by wasps, and the defense mechanism the plant had developed, in what looked like an attractive pericarpium, in its effort to enclose the attackers. Viewed differently, one further example of what is sensational to the eye is often deceptively empty of worth. Can you think of another club which attracts such breadth of knowledge and offers such blend of hiking with socialising and stretching of the mind and imagination? Compliments to Vakis for this botanical illumination and to Panayiotis and Stathis for their photos. Join us on 23 Nov to discover Kourtellorotsos https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/panagia-araka-kourtellorotsos-23-nov/
not beauty
terebinth defense
Celebrating the 30th anniversary from the fall of the Berlin Wall on Saturday 9 November, a very large group of Strollers, from diverse nationalities, hiked in Platres, under a rather hot sun. Exchanges over lunch varied from a comparison with divided Nicosia; to places threatened by the rising sea level, where building a wall seems to be a measure for good; to the brave steps taken by the Nobel Peace prize winner 2019, Prime Minister of Ethiopia Mr. Abiy Ahmed, who brought peace with neighbouring Eritrea, as so touchingly recounted by Selam. Compliments to Dimos, Panayiotis and Stathis for the photos. Join us on 17 Nov. at Platania https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/platania-kyperounda-17-nov/
It’s hard to imagine an easier and more enjoyable way to cover 13 kilometres, than the route along the dirt road from Platania towards Agios Nicolaos, on Sunday 3 November.
The large group of Strollers once again spanned several nationalities and age groups, who could all enjoy this very accommodating hike. The forest, the partly cloudy skies and the flowing conversations made the moderate uphill and downhill sections even smoother, allowing us to fully enjoy the natural features of this area, where autumn makes a clear statement: we could hear the stream burbling in the river bed below, the strawberry trees were heavy with their ripe red berries, and the high plane trees – Platanus – were preparing to shed their yellow-orange-brown leaves.
As always, we made regular brief stops to reunite the first Strollers with the last and keep the group together. After the walk it was only a few minutes’ drive to a nearby taverna for a shared meal and impressions of the day, in good spirit. Compliments to Dina for creating this summary and to Panayiotis and Stathis for the photos. Join us on 9 Nov. at Platres https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/platres-mesa-potamos-9-nov/
The excursion of Saturday 26 October was smartly described, over lunch, by one member as varied, just like life: with its ups (uphill) and its downs (downhill); at parts on narrow (trail), other parts on wide (dirt road); in sunshine and then under the clouds; over long views and then in dense forest. Overall, a wonderful experience in the company of cheerful Strollers. Compliments to Dimos, Nicoletta, Maria and Stathis for the photos. Join us on 3 Nov. at Platania https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/platania-agios-nicolaos-3-nov/
There was a large turnout, including several first time Strollers on Tremithos on Sunday 20 October. Participants hiked defiant of the weather, which brought a long desired rain all over the island, following a very hot summer. A rewarding lunch followed in a cheerful fashion, since we had all changed into dry clothes. Compliments to Stathis for the photos. Join us on 26 Oct. on Stavroulia https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/prodromos-zoumi-stavroulia-26-oct/
The Cyprus Strollers 