The Xeros River In Winter
Just For The Chat Group
I took an extra picture at the dam because somebody on our facebook chat group wanted to know what the dam looked like after the rain. They had taken several pictures from this spot over the years, so I am happy to oblige.
Anyway, today I drove across the dam, and turned left, then left again at the junction past the new petrol station. I wanted to see if I could get to Foinikas. I didn't fancy the direct route though, because I had no idea what state the road would be in, and there are some steep drops along the way. So I was going to tackle it from the bridge at Old Choletria.
Old Choletria
This is the bridge that spans the Xeros. Behind me is Nata, and in front is Old Choletria. I think the building by the bridge is a cattery. And they appear to have an old water mill behind them.
A Rare Sight
The river is rarely this full. Normally it is a sea of pebbles.
Upstream
The turning I wanted to take was on the left, just after the river.
The Road Ahead...
First of all I should apologise for the poor quality of this photo. I took it from the inside of the car. As you can see, the road I was on had become a river, and it didn't get any better. I drove round the corner but it just got deeper and deeper, so I decided to cut my losses and reverse back out. There are no pictures of this, because when situations get a bit hectic I tend to concentrate on the job in hand rather than stop to take photos. So you will just have to take my word for it.
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Sinti Monastery
It's time for another guest blog, and this time Max has taken a break from his minerals to show us somewhere a bit more spiritual. Over to you Max... Sinti Monastery is a very important ancient monument and not far away from Paphos, in the beautiful Xeros River Valley. I thought I would take a round trip. In order that people can visit the place all year round (even after a good Winter's rain) in a normal car I took the longer route over the hills where the roads nowadays are all properly surfaced. On the way back you can either take the same road (Winter) or use the short cut along the Xeros river bed which is only 8 km until the next village Nata.
Who is Vandalising Foinikas?
The Asprokremmos is filling up fast, so we decided to see if we could still drive to Foinikas, the abandoned historical village which lies on its banks. We succeeded, and took some lovely photographs, but also had a nasty surprise...
The Xeros River Flows!
The River Xeros flows into the Asprokremmos Reservoir, and when that is full, it flows right out again. So where does it go once it leaves? We decided to find out...
Xeros River Ruins
It looks like the sun is here to stay now, and Cyprus is quickly turning brown. The Asprokremmos is no longer overflowing, and soon, the rivers will no doubt start to run dry again. Before that happens we decided to go for a drive up Xeros Valley, and explore some ruins by the river. If you fancy a paddle, don't wait too long...
Foinikas Views
We just can't keep away from Foinikas. Somebody posted some pics of the abandoned village on our Paphos Chat facebook group, and people were asking how to get there. We bumped an old blog showing the route, but decided that a film was also needed. While we were out shooting it, we decided to take some more shots, but this time we went for some outstanding views...Related Pages
MapThe Xeros River in Winter
The Asprokremmos Reservoir is beginning to fill up! At the last count, it was close to 40% full. But where is all the water coming from? The Xeros River is normally close to dry, but now it has become a raging torrent. So let's take a look...
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Paphos Chat has been created for people who like our site and want to chat using Facebook. You can also easily upload photos of any size here. A lot of people are members of the Facebook chat group and the main forum. It's entirely up to you.
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eBookCyprus Road Trip 01: the Kathikas - Panagia Loop
Let me take you on a journey around the region of Paphos, Cyprus. Starting at Paphos itself, we travel to Akoursos, then Kathikas, Kritou Terra and Simou. We continue past Lasa and Kannaviou, before taking in the delights of Panagia. Getting a bit more adventurous, we visit the abandoned villages of Statos and Agios Fotios, before passing through Choulou, Letymbou and Polemi, and rejoining the main Paphos - Polis road.
The route is suitable for all types of vehicle, and requires no off-roading. The guide contains about 130 photographs including shots of all the road signs you need to pay attention to, as well as some of the highlights you may experience along the way.
There are also several maps which will help you keep your bearings.
You can do this journey in a day, or you can break it up into chunks. You can also do it in reverse, to get some completely different views. It is entirely up to you.
