{"id":998,"date":"2010-04-28T16:16:43","date_gmt":"2010-04-28T13:16:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klqewmpxo.cyon.link\/?page_id=998"},"modified":"2024-11-25T18:44:43","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T16:44:43","slug":"spaziergang-zur-schlucht-von-spilia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azalas.de\/en\/to-the-gorge-of-spilia\/","title":{"rendered":"To the small gorge of Spilia"},"content":{"rendered":"

C<\/big>lose to the settlement of \u00c1gios Dim\u00edtris lies a river valley along which one can walk to a small idyllic gorge. The riverbed is dry for most of the year; water only flows here after very heavy rainfall. Such intermittent rivers are called torrente.<\/p>\n

\"Oleander,
\nThe most characteristic plant of the torrente is the oleander (Nerium oleander)<\/em>, which in May and June marks the courses of the rivers with its magnificent intense pink colour (the pictures with blooming oleander were taken in June).<\/small><\/p>\n

\"river
\nAfter a heavy rainfall, the valley looks like this. The water may run for a few hours or days.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Oleander,
\nThe highly poisonous oleander is doubtless one of the most beautiful plants of the Mediterranean region.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Oleander,
\nThe large, fragrant flowers are pollinated mainly by large moths.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Oleander,
\nMany saplings grow in the river bed.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"river
\nAlong the valley grow also quite a few other tree and shrub species.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"plane
\nPlane trees (Platanus orientalis)<\/em> need more water than oleander and are more common in the higher, more humid areas.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Greek
\nAnother characteristic plant of the torrente is sage (Salvia fruticosa)<\/em>, the leaves of which can be used to make a delicious tea in winter that is excellent for relieving sore throats.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Greater
\nOne of my favourite grass species is the Greater quaking grass, Briza maxima<\/em>.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Gorge
\nFinally one reaches a small gorge.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Gorge
\nThe gorge is very narrow with 10 metre high rock faces.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Gorge
\nIt ends at a steep rocky drop.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Gorge
\nA little water still flows here, forming a small pond which dries up in summer.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Gorge
\nIn several places, water runs down the rock walls.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"maidenhair
\nOn the wet rock grows the maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris)<\/em>, the only species of an ancient fern family that has survived in Europe as a relict of the Tertiary period.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Gorge
\nAbove the gorge lies a small shepherd’s farm called Spili\u00e1<\/em> (= cave). The name refers to some hollowed-out half-caves above the gorge.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Spilia,
\nOne of the natural half-caves has been closed by a wall and was used by the shepherds for the cheesemaking.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"Gorge
\nHere the gorge is so narrow that the shepherd boys used to jump over to the other side.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"near
\nIn the area north of the gorge, the spiny broom (Calicotome villosa)<\/em> grows in some places so densely that it is almost impenetrable.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"near
\nThese fields were once cultivated with wheat and barley; today they are more or less overgrown with phrygana or maquis.<\/small><\/p>\n

\"old
\nHalfway back to \u00c1gios Dim\u00edtris we pass another old stone house that served as home for a family of farmers or shepherds until around the middle of the last century.<\/small><\/p>\n

back:<\/p>\n