Walking in Cyprus. Nike Werstroh

many mountain roads are quiet. The driving habits in Cyprus may seem a bit more chaotic than in the UK, but locals know their roads and cars and they can recognise tourists on the road so driving is as safe as anywhere can ever be. A hire car is one of the best and easiest ways to get around the island.

      A view over Ayia Eirini (Walk 20)

Accommodation

      Choice of accommodation is always a personal one, taking into account your budget and preferences. There are plenty of hotels and self-catering options to choose from in coastal areas, and there is a range of options both in the Troodos and further north around Kyrenia.

      As a walker you might opt to tackle several day trips in the same area, or you might consider splitting your holiday between different bases. If you decide to stay in one base, for example in a coastal town, you can still enjoy different areas on the island as many places are easily reached in a day trip. When choosing accommodation you might want to bear in mind that many towns have interesting sights that you can explore after your walk.

      There are also some campsites on the island; a list of Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) licensed campsites can be found at www.visitcyprus.com.

      For accommodation resources, see Appendix B.

Tourist information

      The tourist information offices in Limassol, Polis, Platres, Paphos, Larnaca airport, and Agia Napa provide really useful information about trails and historical sites. Booklets about the most popular nature trails and the E4 long-distance trail (which was extended onto Cyprus in 2005) are also available from the Troodos Visitor Centre; some of them can be downloaded from the Department of Forests website: www.moa.gov.cy/moa/fd/fd.nsf (select the English-language option, if required, and then ‘Informative Leaflets’). Check the opening times of the Troodos Visitor Centre as it varies.

      It is best to ask for information about transport at the local bus terminals and Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) offices.

      In Northern Cyprus there are tourist information offices in Kyrenia, Nicosia, Famagusta and Ercan airport. There is also a kiosk with maps and leaflets at the Ledra Street border crossing in Nicosia. Booklets of some of the trails, with basic maps and historical sites, are available in English.

      You can also find useful information on the following websites:

       www.visitcyprus.com

       www.mytroodos.com

       www.aboutcyprus.org.cy

      and for Northern Cyprus

       www.visitnorthcyprus.com

       www.welcometonorthcyprus.org

       www.turkishcyprus.com

      The vertical sea cliffs near Pissouri (Walk 28)

Language

      Greek and Turkish are the two official languages in Cyprus, and English is widely spoken. Signs are usually in Greek, and English is in use in the south; however spelling with the Latin alphabet is not consistent. Names of places, villages, nature trails and historical sites are spelled in many different ways. Signs are in Turkish in the north but they might include the old Greek name as well. See ‘Using this guide’ for details of the way in which place names are presented in this guide.

When to go and what to take

      Cyprus might seem like a year-round destination, but the best times for walking are the spring and autumn months. The summer months – from May to September – are generally too hot for walking, although some of the trails in the cooler Troodos mountains might be considered. In autumn, although the land may be parched after the summer heat, there is scope for enjoying a much wider range of walks. Most rainfall occurs during winter, when snow can cover the Troodos. Perhaps the best time to discover the trails of Cyprus is the spring months, when wildflowers carpet the meadows and the temperature is warm but not too hot.

      When preparing for a walk described in this book, pack what you would normally take for a day walk. Carry a waterproof jacket as showers can surprise you even in the spring (especially in the Kyrenia mountains). Take a jumper with you; Troodos is traditionally cooler than the coast. Comfortable hiking boots, sun cream and sun hat are all essential, and always carry ample water for your day.

Maps and waymarking

      Walking maps are not available for Cyprus. There are some tourist maps, which you can pick up at the airports or in the tourist offices, but they don’t outline the trails. There are publications of some of the popular trails of Northern Cyprus, including sketch maps, which are available from tourist offices. You can also pick up leaflets of the popular nature trails from tourist information offices in the south. Road maps for both parts of the island are available from tourist offices and airports.

      The diverse trails in South Cyprus range from rugged coastline to forest walks, a stroll between vineyards to walking in the mountains of Troodos. Nature trails are marked on the island, but these are not unified and many different signs are in use. At the beginning of the nature trails there is usually a map board with some information about the length and terrain and sometimes about the vegetation. Plants, flowers and trees are labelled along the trail so you can learn to recognise them. Benches are placed at some of the best viewpoints.

      Map board

      Some of the trails described in this book are based on nature trails. The Department of Forests has a booklet of the island’s nature trails (see ‘Tourist information’, above), but some villages have created their own trails nearby and those are not listed by the CTO (Cyprus Tourism Organisation). Some of these routes start by the roadside and might end at a picnic site or another roadside; in such cases it is necessary to arrange a pick-up or plan to retrace your steps. These routes are usually not too long and walking back on the same path you may enjoy slightly different views. Paths used by walkers but not designated as nature trails often have occasional painted arrows and cairns.

      The European Long Distance Path is marked with ‘E4’. The E4 runs through Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, mainland Greece and Crete. The section in Cyprus was added in 2005 and it connects Paphos and Larnaca airports. It often follows tarmac roads but it aims to explore the diverse scenery of Cyprus. Some of the nature trails are part of the E4 and a few walks in this book follow some scenic sections of the E4.

      Besparmak long-distance trail sign; marker pyramid in North Cyprus; iron arrow in South Cyprus; direction marker in South Cyprus

      The landscape of Northern Cyprus is dominated by the Kyrenia mountains. An official long-distance trail, the 255km-long Besparmak Trail in Northern Cyprus, is marked with a green ‘B’ sign. It starts at Cape Kormakitis/Kormacit and ends at the tip of the Karpaz/Karpass Peninsula. Many of the walks described in this book follow the green B signs.

      Other trails are usually marked with green and white signs. However, on some trails