Walking in Cyprus. Nike Werstroh

bend as the green arrow indicates. Before long there is another steep descent and you can spot the car park and restaurant near the Bath of Aphrodite, where the walk began. The path runs alongside a fence before it reaches the road; turn left on the tarmac road and walk back to the car park, which is 5–10min away.

WALK 3A

      Smigies Nature Trail

Start/Finish	Smigies picnic site (N35.02352, E32.33367)
Distance	6.5km (4 miles)
Ascent/Descent	180m/180m
Grade	1
Time	2hr
Refreshments	None
Access	Follow the Elia Tavrou road into and through Neo Chorio village. The tarmac road turns into dirt track and leads to Smigies picnic site, where there is space to park.

      Two nature trails – which could easily be tackled one after another – start from the popular Smigies picnic site. As on many nature trails, plants and flowers are labelled along the way, but the waymarks are not always consistent.

      This route follows a footpath which occasionally meets and runs along a dirt road for a while. In the spring, rock roses and wildflowers colour the hillside of Pissouromoutti. It might not be a challenging walk but remarkable views welcome you on Pissouromoutti. Most of the walk is exposed without much shade.

      Start at the Smigies picnic site by the information board showing a map of the circular walk and take the stony path that winds uphill behind the board. The landscape is dominated by Pissouromoutti’s rocky top on the left. There is no shade on the hillside and it can get very hot on a sunny day.

      About 15min after leaving the picnic site you arrive at a viewpoint, from where there is a clear view towards the sea. (If you observe the rugged coastline carefully, you may spot some sea coves.) On the right at the top of the rocky hill is the Piana fire lookout station building. Continue on the path and soon reach a dirt road; keep left, as the green arrow indicates, and follow this slightly downhill (the right fork goes up to the fire lookout station).

      Continue on the track – lined with pines and with sea views on the left – to the next intersection, where you follow the nature trail sign straight on. Soon you arrive at another intersection, where the path on the right-hand side is the short version of the nature trail and returns to Smigies picnic site. Follow the ‘Long Way 5km’ sign on the wider track, straight on. Here the path runs on level ground with excellent views. Ignore the adjoining dirt road on the right and keep straight on as the track bends slightly left. Very soon, at the next junction, go right as the green arrow indicates.

      Follow the dirt track slightly downhill by the dry streambed. Juniper and pine trees are the main vegetation on both sides of the road. Pass the ruins of a house and then go downhill. After the 3km mark, follow the green arrow to the left. Approximately an hour after leaving Smigies picnic site, notice the smelting tower of a former magnesium mine on your right. Walk up to the tower and a little further on you will find the shafts of the mine.

      A number of magnesium mines in the Akamas region were abandoned at beginning of the 20th century. Today the remains of kilns indicate the former mining activity.

      Smelting tower by the former magnesium mine