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Print

Karpenissi (October 2022)

Written by Thanasis Vavaroutas. Posted in English

Click for the map...

 

 

        Start thinking of an enjoyable three day trip on your motorcycle, and immediately the proud mountains of Evrytania and its rivers, a challenge for adventure, come to your mind. From the popular valley of the Karpenissiotis river to Proussos and from Velouhi mountain to the artificial lake of Kremasta, every season (and every "tribe" of visitor) has its own corners in Evrytania region.

        On your way to the city of Karpenissi you will cross serpentine paths in lush nature, and you will meet stone-built villages as well as monasteries with great history! What more could you ask for? Hearing the roar of your engine as your bike leans left and right at every turn feels the happiness of riding a motorcycle!

        So, one weekend in October, Maya and I packed the essentials, put them in the motorcycle panniers, loaded the bike and took off for the mountains! We departed from Patras and crossing the Charilaos Trikoupis bridge (Rio – Antirrio) we found ourselves on the road towards the city of  Messolonghi and then to the villages of  Panaetolio and Kainourgio, to find ourselves NW of Lake Trichonida. We continued on the lakeside road of Agrinio - Thermo and stopped for a coffee in a wonderful complex right next to the shore of the lake called Ktima Pithari (Lake Living). It is located between the villages of Pantanassa and Varia and it is worth enjoying your coffee next to the tranquility that the lake offers you!

        After getting our dose of caffeine, we got on the motorbike and continued to Thermo. We didn’t stop at Thermo since we had stopped a few kilometers before and took the road to Proussos. The day was sunny, and the temperature was close to 20°C. You don't usually find such gifts in October!!!

        We left behind us the wonderful view that Lake Trichonida offers you and pushed ourselves between the mountains of Etoloakarnania region and driving next to Drymonas National Park, shortly after the village of Spartias we entered the boundaries of the prefecture of Evrytania.

        After a few detours we arrived at the monastery-eagle's nest of Proussos. I can't remember how many times I have visited the monastery since I have done this route several times...

         The Proussos Monastery is one of the most important pilgrimage centers of Orthodoxy as it houses the miraculous icon of Panagia Proussiotissa which is the work of Evangelist Loukas. The monastery has been standing since the 9th century AD. majestically on the edges of a precipitous rock of the Evrytanic mountains. The Proussos Monastery is one of the most important pilgrimage centers of Orthodoxy and every day a multitude of people flock to worship and receive its blessing from all parts of Greece as well as believers from all over the world.

         After we worshiped, I then raised my drone to take some shots of this wonderful landscape that hosts the monastery. Maya made sure to collect photographic material from every corner of the monastery and when we felt we were ready, we buttoned up our jackets, put on our helmets and gloves and got on the motorcycle to continue our way to Karpenisi.

         Through a rich green scenery, we arrived at the city of Karpenissi shortly before noon. We headed to our accommodation we had booked to drop off our stuff and park the motorcycle. After we got comfortable and freshened up, we poured out into the streets towards the central square of the city.

        At an altitude of 960 meters, in the embrace of a sea of mountain peaks, in the heart of the roughest area of Roumeli, lies Karpenissi. The imposing mountains, the fir-covered peaks, the abundant running water, and an amazingly beautiful natural wealth offer an enchanting, picturesque landscape that make Karpenisi an ideal destination for both winter and summer holidays. According to UNESCO's global research, the area of Evrytania is one of the five areas of the world in purity, i.e. almost zero pollution.

         We enjoyed a coffee in one of the cafes in the central square and then a meal at the Panorama tavern for delicious grilled food! Strolling through the alleys of the city and later for a drink... This is how our day went in Karpenissi...

         The next morning the sun shone in a clear sky. We gathered our belongings, loaded them on the motorcycle and went down to the square for our morning coffee. When we felt ready, we got on the motorcycle and left Karpenissi behind us and followed the road E952 towards the village of Kalesmeno. After the location of Bagasaki on a ridge of Timphristos (Belouhi) mt. at 1,200 m, where the homonymous hotel-tavern Hani Bagasaki is located, a long descent begins. Incredible landscapes, successive high wild mountains, endless ravines, water everywhere. A few kilometers later we made our first stop at the inn next to the iron bridge of Megdova. The drive up there was in the green and made you look forward to what you are going to see next…

         At the Megdova inn, the owner made us a coffee, who alone tries to keep the place alive! We discussed the difficulties he has in maintaining the facility and his fields that are in the surrounding area, the provision of services offered by the inn (the operation of the tavern), but also the adversities he faces every winter.

         Closer by was the old metal, military-style, narrow bridge that looks unaffected by time and gives a different shade to the route. Megdovas (Tavropos) river, begins in the prefecture of Karditsa, is intercepted by the Tavropos dam and forms Lake Plastira. It continues running vertically through the whole of Evrytania region and together with Acheloos, Agrafiotis and Trikeriotis (rivers), it ends at the artificial lake of Kremasta. This very route of Megdovas river in Evrytania is the richest, the most beautiful part of its 78 km route, as it passes through its green landscapes.

         I took some shots with my drone, took several photos and after greeting the nice owner of the Inn, we continued our way to Nea Viniani, Kerasochori and Krenti villages, passing north through the Viniani-Marathia Wildlife Refuge. The route is beautiful and when the Kremasta Artificial Lake began to be seen with its beautiful blue waters it became even better. We arrived at the Manolis Bridge, which has stood tall in the passage of time for more than 400 years. It is noteworthy that the bridge of Manolis for about 60 years, i.e. since the lake was created, has been submerged in its waters every year due to the increase in the water level and emerges again when the water level drops from spring to summer.

         We took the road again and headed towards the Monastery of Tatarna. The road in some parts just before we reach the Monastery had some gravel parts without creating a problem in accessing the monastery. The Monastery is built on a downhill side of the Aedonorrachi with an exquisite view towards the artificial Lake of Kremasta and the mountains of Valtos. We did not enter to worship, but we sat for a while on the plateau outside the door of the monastery and a little later we left to walk towards the Tatarna bridge which is 55 kilometers from Karpenissi.

        Confronting the lake and the view it offered again, my mind began to travel to Norway, when I was going up to Nordkapp... The view of the lake seduces you!!! Sparkling, sapphire, with the diversity of its coastline, the fjords, the islets, so that you don't know what to first admire and where to cast your eyes.

         Lake Kremasta is the largest artificial lake in Greece and is located between the prefectures of Evrytania and Etoloakarnania. It is the cleanest lake in Europe and the fifth cleanest worldwide. It was created in 1965, following the construction of the Kremasta dam and the accumulation of the water volumes of the Acheloos, Agrafiotis, Tavropos and Trikeriotis rivers.

         We arrived at Tatarna Bridge and our eyes didn’t know where to focus to capture this beauty that the lake offered us.

         Tatarna Bridge is a modern bridge over the Kremasta artificial lake that connects the province of Valtos, Etoloakarnania, with the prefecture of Evrytania. In the same place, in the 17th century, there was the historic and famous old stone arch bridge (over the Acheloos River). The old bridge of Tatarna is buried by the water of the Kremasta dam, just below the current bridge and at a depth of about 100 meters. The construction of today's pioneering bridge began in 1965 and was completed in 1970.

         There wasn't much traffic in the middle of the day so after leaving the bike in a safe place, I flew my drone to capture this beauty. And where I was taking my shots, a policeman started approaching us and a little later a patrol car, who politely asked me to take off the drone because there was an investigation in progress and the frequency that the drone emitted might affect the equipments used in the investigation . As you can understand...we packed up and left!

         We continued our route entering Etoloakarnania now, towards Kastraki village passing by the Artificial Lake of Kastraki. The sight had ceased to be so spectacular, but surely Lake Kastraki set a different tone on our route. A few kilometers later, the Stratos Artificial Lake took its place in the landscape we were crossing. The Acheloos river gives so many benefits to the area and the dams that were built from time to time in different parts of the river, were sources of energy production and irrigated thousands of acres.

         After Stratos village we entered the Ionia Highway and crossing the last 80 kilometers to our home in comfort and safety.

         A short excursion ended by leaving beautiful images in our minds of the heavenly landscapes we encountered in Evrytania and Etoloakarnania regions!!!

 

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