Update on developments 5-9/3
Last week, with the help of friends, we proceeded to clean and permanently mark the entrance trail to Vardousia.
Although snow is scarce for the season, the Vardousia complex is beautiful, with white stumps on the peaks, early blooming in the pastures, and wild cherry blossoms scattered throughout the fir forest, breathtaking!
Deliberately then there was a brief pause in the passability improvements going further east into the Mornos Valley. A temporary break until a sufficient number of participants could be gathered to volunteer, as work remains midway through the 12km day route linking Sykia west of Giona with the villages of Upper and Lower Mousounitsa north-east of Vardousia, so the degree of difficulty has risen and hands are needed. Anyone interested in helping should contact us immediately ¨__¨.
However, watching with concern the scarce snow cover for the season, we were given the opportunity early on to move into the sub-alpine zone, opening and marking the trail that continues from the stable at the end of the dirt road below Sinani to the beginning of the long ridge leading to Milia and by extension to the Grammeni beech and Saradiana. A truly spectacular and passable route, with a great expansion that nature has given us by facilitating the passage Vardousia - Oxya.
Under investigation is the forgotten traverse path at Megalo Zastano, which used to connect Stavros with the stable under Sinani in order to avoid the dirt road altogether.
The section acts as a fork in the trail, giving yet another crossing option in the geographical unity of Roumeli.
In addition to the newly opened branch that is soon to be signposted to lead to the shelters, Meteorizia, the Suffles col, Artotina and Grammeni Oxya, the ridge of Milia is added to the composition of the Pindus Trail a little further north as it has been a key hiking crossing axis from Vardousia to Grammeni Oxya for decades.
Having received several visits over the years, it is included as a shortcut branch in the line to Oxya, Sarandiana, Kokkalia and Karpenisi, just as described in the Pindos crossing guide ``Trekking in Greece`` by fellow traveller Tim Salmon and other crossing initiates.
Therefore ideally it would be ideal to get discreet markings at the contested points of the ridge for better clarity and greater safety making it a feasible scenario in the first year for a day crossing from the shelters of Vardousia to the shelter of Oxya.
Back to work, in the days that passed, we technically worked on revitalizing part of the E4 international trail, connecting Ath. Diakos (Upper Mousounitsa) to the chapel of Prophet Elijah and the Cross below the shelters. A very old, traditional path that served the local population in their daily travels. As a key access route to the highlands, it was jury-rigged with specific upgrade additions to the Pindus Trail design and signage, just as decades ago it was chosen for the E4 route, which is cared for by the occasion and the benefit is twofold.
The clearing & marking work progressed from the chapel of Prof. Elijah to Athanasios Diakos over a length of 1.2 km completing an important part of the route.
*In the development where the E4 and P.T. follow a common route, maintenance of the existing signage (E4) and addition of permanent route markings (P.T.) with reflectivity for better performance in the early morning and evening hours was carried out.
The path, which, among other things, climbs uphill to the shelters of the Vardousia, has been subject to detours in the past, which make hiking difficult and pose a risk due to slippery conditions. In fact, just below Zirelia (lacquer at the reservoir) even the E4 has followed the road and left the old semi-monotonic route, which is none other than the one you will find by following the red-yellow road markings of the Pindus Trail.
The pictures bear witness to the development, and the effort will continue in a few days aiming to improve the section, which will give the best possible access from Athanasios Diakos Square to the junction at Stavros.
