Xeros Valley Scenery
The Xeros Valley is full of interesting places to explore. From Foinikas at the Asprokremmos Reservoir up to Vretsia and Roudia Bridge at the top end where it meets Paphos Forest. We recently took our drone for a spin to get some birds-eye views of the upper reaches of the valley. We think you will agree that it is a beautiful part of Cyprus.
Vretsia From Above
We begin today's tale high above Vretsia. This article was originally going to feature just the village, but we've already written a number of features on it, and we also drove down to Roudia Bridge, so I have expanded the scope of the blog to include the surrounding area too.
New Sights
When you drive through Vretsia, you actually miss most of the village. You will be unaware of this until you launch a drone and have a look around. I have travelled along this road many times and until now hadn't registered any of the buildings in the top right of this picture.
The Top Area
All these buildings too have gone beneath my radar up until now. Later in the year, when the vegetation has died down, I shall have to do some more exploring. At the moment it is too overgrown.
Distant Ayios Ioannis
You can see a lot in this picture. In the foreground the ruins of Vretsia lie before you. The mosque is hidden by some trees. Beyond that the land dips down into Xeros Valley itself. And beyond that, a firebreak winds up the hillside through the forest, and ends at the village of Ayios Ioannis. This is another former Turkish Cypriot Village. Indeed if you go there you will see signposts to Vretsia, though I wouldn't follow them unless you are in a 4x4 and are game for a laugh. To the right of the firebreak is a vulture reserve and an Archaeological Dig Site. Before you think of exploring either of those, don't. They are fenced off and you can get into trouble poking your nose around where it doesn't belong.
As Above, So Below
While I was flying my drone, Alex was capturing some of the essence of the village from the ground.
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Related Blogs:
Abandoned Villages - Vretsia
Cyprus has more than it's fair share of abandoned villages. The troubles caused the displacement of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.The environment itself has caused other villages to be abandoned for reasons of safety. Whatever the reason, the abandonment caused emotional pain and suffering to the affected people. So is it right to right a series of blog articles on them? I thought about this for a while, but decided that yes it was. Cyprus is a land built on antiquities, and these villages are just the latest example. I had no problem blogging about a Necropolis after all. However, some of these villages, and especially Ventris, do still get visits from the displaced families. So if you do decide to visit these places on the strength of these articles, please bear that in mind, and treat them with respect. The urban exploring motto "take only pictures, leave only footprints..." nicely sums it up.
Vretsia Tavern
We recently did a blog on the abandoned village Vretsia. Until recently, a tavern still operated there. Unfortunately, last summer it appears to have burnt down. It is now a very eerie place to visit...Related Pages
MapXeros Valley Scenery
The Xeros Valley is full of interesting places to explore. From Foinikas at the Asprokremmos Reservoir up to Vretsia and Roudia Bridge at the top end where it meets Paphos Forest. We recently took our drone for a spin to get some birds-eye views of the upper reaches of the valley. We think you will agree that it is a beautiful part of Cyprus.
Good Pages To Visit
FB PagePaphos Life on Facebook
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FB PageOur Facebook Chat Group
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.
ListBlog Locations
Planning a day out? Then use our map of blog locations as a handy guide. Some of the places we visit our closer to each other than you might think, so take a look and start planning your next adventure...
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.
