Discovering the Hidden Gems of Taygetus Mountain
In Southern Greece there is Mountain Taygetus, also known as "Prophet Elias" (Elijah), the highest summit in the Peloponnese with a height of 2,404 meters. The name is appearing in Homer's Odyssey and it was associated with the nymph Taygete. The slopes of the mountain seem to have been inhabited since Mycenean times at the very least. It was one of the natural defenses of ancient Sparta and has many places still unexplored to this day. As we entered the car to start our four hour long drive to the nearest parking area close to the mountain, I considered about all the exciting things that are enclosed in trying to reach the top of a mountain. It is truly remarkable to be connected with the wildlife, the nature, meeting new people, the thrill just before you start embarking into the unknown and of course the magnificent view from the top.
The magnificent phenomenon that we came to witness from the top, was the “pyramid” on the waters of the Messinian Gulf, during the sunrise. The route is of medium difficulty. We started our ascend from Taygetos refuge (1550m); it takes around three hours to reach the top (2405m) depending on the physical condition you have. During our stay at the mountain we had to decide between camping at the top of the mountain, or climbing in the night in order to experience the phenomenon throughout the sunrise.
We also had to pack all of our food and water supplies for the next 48 hours. Eventually, we chose tο camp at the top of the mountain despite the harsh weather conditions, in order to witness the majestic view of the milky way in the night. The trail that you have to follow to get to the top is the one with the red dots; the path is well signposted, despite the fact that some old (wooden) direction signs are missing, the trail is still definable. The path begins with large pine trees and after one hour on the track the landscape changes, with small bushes, bluegrass and rocky ground. We came across a large goat herd that had two sheepdogs with them, who were used to guard, manage and control the goats as they passed over the mountain to be fed. As a matter of fact, in Greece goats are typically bred as dairy or meat animals, with some breeds being shorn for wool.
The last part of the trail is really steep, with gravel; it took us around 45 minutes to reach the top from there. The top of the mountain had a small camping ground protected from the wind with large stones, so that became our camping spot. A couple that was already at the top with their dog, told us that the same phenomenon occurs at the sunset too, with the mountain casting its shadow in the mainland. (It was a truly unique experience.) We started preparing our meals, and talked till it was time to rest, as we had to wake up at 6:30am, in order to witness the “pyramid”, the reason we came all along.
The clock struck 06.30am, and other hikers started to arrive at the top for the purpose of the “pyramid”. We woke up, got dressed and waited patiently for the sun to rise behind us. The atmosphere was crystal clear, no clouds to surround us. After a few minutes the “pyramid” started to appear on the horizon, it was something truly majestic as they had described us. We just sat there for a few minutes, admiring the scenery.
We packed our tents and clothes and started our descend, thinking of all the memories we had made during our two days on mountain Taygetus and smiled. After that, we all discussed about the things we had planned for the future, and the memories yet to be made; and smiled even more.
Stelios