The wonderful waterfall and other walks in Cyprus

Kalidonia Waterfall, Cyprus. Photo by Angela Lansbury. 

 In Cyprus I spent five days with an annual walking holiday group, at a hotel Rodon in the Troodos mountains. There, each day, we were offered a choice of a short 2-4 hour walk and a longer 5 hour walk.

1 The Hardest Walk

The first day was the worst, the hardest walk. The path snaked around the mountainside, up and down. Then up again, then down again. Very tiring. 

At many points there were steps up, almost knee high. You had to keep your balance, because the width of the path changed. 

There were no barriers. You might have a wall of rocks on one side, bushes or trees on the other side, but in many places a sheer drop or very steep incline. The ground underfoot was gravel, small stones, or large rocks. It would be easy to slip, lose your footing. 

The trick to staying sane was not to look at the drop to the side. Instead, concentrate on the step ahead to be sure of keeping your footing.

The so-called flat walk at Troodos starts like this. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

2 The So-called Level Walk

The second walk was near the Troodos crossroads with the cafes and shops. Just a short drive uphill you come to the area which is a ski slope in winter. In summer you have a walking trail. It starts level and wide with fallen leaves through trees. However, a short way along, it narrowed again. I decided not to go on. 

Why? What was I thinking? The first day I had continued too far. There comes a point where you don't know whether to chase after others, or to turn back, knowing they won't come back. You could be stuck, with nobody to hear or help, nobody returning that way on a loop walk. If you twisted your ankle, it could be an hour before they finished their walk, half an hour before they realized you were missing, half an hour before a search party reached you. Or, worst case scenario, fell, nobody would know where you had gone. t

I decided to turn back early, rather than be forced onto a long series of nerve-wracking sections. I went back to the starting point which had a seat, where I could eat lunch - early. I was able to talk to other walkers as they parked their cars and started their walk, or returned. 

I read the notice about the walk, at my leisure. It warned, 'Caution, danger of slipping'! 

3 The Wonderful Waterfall - Kalidonia waterfall

Here is the picture again.

Day three we had planned the afternoon wine tasting visit and all had to take a shorter walk together. So my husband walked on the same walk as I did and helped me all the way up the side of the series of small waterfalls through the trees. We crossed tree roots, gravel, rocks, stepping stones. I had help all the way. That made a big difference.

Swimming In The Waterfall

At the top was the big waterfall and pool. Some local girls who did that walk regularly, had brought swimming costumes. To change into and out of a swimming costume, one girl would hold a large towel with her arms outstretched to keep the other person from view.

Apparently the water was very cold. Swimming in the waterfall was not for me. But it was fun to see others do it.

4 The Slow Road Walk Down From The Waterfall

The alternative route downhill is longer and a proper road. Apart from a couple of yards at the start, no need to walk anywhere near an edge. It may be a road for fire engines to deal with forest fires. 

That was the best walk of the week. Photo points all the way. I theory you could walk all the way up the road  as well as taking that route down. 

The path zig zagging between trees, over roots, between rocks, is much prettier. Up to you. 

Lunch At Waterfall base The Restaurant

At the base of the waterfall is a trout farm. Next door is a restaurant which serves fresh trout. Some of our group liked it so much that they went back a second time.

The restaurant gave us a complimentary slice of watermelon after the meal.

5 The Chapel Walk

Our fourth walk went from a chapel with interior paintings. I did not even attempt that walk. By now I was physically and mentally tired. Not just tired. I had aching lower legs. I didn't want to risk getting cramp, or falling and twisting my ankle. Instead, I stayed behind to look at the chapel at leisure.

Afterwards, I discussed the series of walks with other people. I said, 'We should have done the waterfall on day one. Started with the easier walk, to allow us to get adapted.' 

Walking Tips

 Keen Walkers

Some of the others are regular hikers. Some walk every weekend. They climb steps up their office or block of flats daily, like people planning a marathon. Even every day.

They have their phones with apps to find the way. They have guidebooks which have the walks mapped out. Even so, one pair got lost and came back an hour or two after the rest of the walkers.

Mike, whose son is an addicted walked, said to me, "There are two schools of thought. One is start with easier walks. They other is to start with the more serious walk. Hit them hard."

My husband was quite pleased that I had done two of the four walks. 

Health Reasons For Not Walking

Two or three of the women had not walked at all. One was suffering from hay fever and had trouble breathing. 

Walking Holidays For Non Walkers

Providing you don't mind tagging along on the holiday without walking, and so long as your spouse and the organizers don't mind, you can go along for the fresh mountain air, the companions every day at dinner.

Of the keen walkers, three were stronger walkers despite being in less good health, theoretically, a surprise to me. One had an eye covered by dark glass because of macular generation. 

Walking Stick Handles and Tips

On the first day I had the rubber tipped sticks. My husband loaned her and her companion his pointed tip sticks. After the first trip a seasoned walked told me I would be better off using the sticks which dig in. My husband retrieved the pointed sticks for me and gave the other couple my rubber-tipped sticks.

I had taken two walking sticks, the sort with rubber bases. An old person's walking stick for walking along pavements. But with curved handles. You need two the same length.

My husband took two sticks with pointed tips. 

An autistic boy, very jolly, in employment and a great conversationalist on his favourite subjects (like many people) was a regular walker at home. He loved walking. 

A girl trying to slim because, others said, her pills kept her overweight, was also a keen walker. Despite being a former, recovered paranoid schizophrenic, whose pills kept her from hearing voices, she braved the sheer drops cheerfully and kindly helped me.

Useful Websites

Rodon Hotel