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The route from the provincial road Kastoria–Nestorio to the Tsoukas waterfall, and its connection via the Tsoukas Monastery to Nestorio, is the most impressive and visually dense route in the eastern Gramos area.

The trek begins on the main asphalt road serving Nestorio, where a relevant sign is posted. Following the good signposting and a succession of clear paths and trails, we reach the base of the Tsoukas waterfall. Here nature has painted a magnificent, flowing canvas, with the flow and roar of the water as its main elements.

From here we climb up to the Tsoukas Monastery. The monastery’s old catholicon, dedicated to the Taxiarchs (Archangels), is tucked into the middle of the rock, while at the top rises the church of the Life-Giving Spring (Zoodochos Pigi).

From the Tsoukas Monastery we will follow a well-marked path that winds successively through meadows and ravines, passing through characteristic flysch landscapes. In the sparse rocky outcrops, depending on the season, we will find small reptiles and unusual wildflowers, while in the meadows we will encounter a great variety and abundance of orchids. After crossing the asphalt road towards the village of Stena, we will continue along smooth, lush green slopes up to the Pyrovolia location, from where we begin our descent towards Nestorio; we will pass close by the climbing field and the old water source of the settlement, and end up at the central square of the upper neighbourhood.

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The mule track between Nea Kotyli and Nestorio (which of course started from Palia Kotyli) followed a course parallel to today’s asphalt road as far as Soutko, and then dropped into the valley between Skafidi and Kontari, to reach the banks above the Aliakmonas and end at the Kotyli bridge. This route, 2 km shorter than the asphalt, has undergone various interventions, but remains passable and distinct.

Starting from the square of Nea Kotyli, we pass the hill of Profitis Ilias and continue on the right side of a conspicuous ridge, which bears a large number of ruined defensive structures from the Civil War. We arrive at the chapel of Agios Ioannis Prodromos (watering trough with good water).

Opposite, we enter an old lane, which passes south of peak 1295 and fades out at the Soutkos meadow. We cross through clusters of oaks and end up at the forest road serving the chapel of Agios Nikitas. After 350 m we meet and follow the axis of an old aqueduct for 2.1 km.

At a well shaft we leave the lane and enter a trail, which leads us to the Kontari position (kiosk with fine views of the Aliakmonas, and a connection to the River Party site via a good path).

We turn east, onto a broad path (stone-built fountain, dry), which leads us to a wooden bridge and immediately reaches the asphalt road and the Kotyli bridge. Via the local asphalt roads we ascend to the road centre of Nestorio.

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The path from Giannochori to the peak of Alevitsa is a short trail but a very satisfying experience. We walk on an abandoned dirt road which has the form of a wide trail today.

From the roadside section of Yannochori, we ascend a paved lane to the village’s large parish church. From here we will take an old dirt road, largely ruined for most of its length, that climbs up to Alevitsa. To shorten the first section, we will follow the old path, which — though clear and distinct — is barely discernible near the ravine’s axis. We will then join the old lane, built over the pre-war mule track that wound along the rocky ridge known today as the Yannochori Scale (Skala Yannochoriou).

We emerge into a large meadow where we meet a wider dirt road and follow it uphill. Up to this point the landscape is largely barren due to the nature of the rock, with magnificent views over the Aliakmonas valleys.

A little further up, at the end of the large meadow, we come across a more prominent dirt road

Following this dirt road we will reach another fork, and end up at the summit of Alevitsa, where there are World War II fortifications and a guard post.

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There are at least three hiking approaches to the Moutsalia lakes (Arenes Lakes) from Pefkofito. The most passable of these trails is well marked and leads us from Pefkofito to the “heart” of Gramos.

The clearest and most clearly marked route starts from the centre of Pefkofito, next to a large stone fountain, and ascends along a cement lane that passes opposite the village’s water tank. After a ravine, we emerge onto a large forest road (successive direction signs).

The road forks, climbs and ends deep in the forest: from here a faint but well-marked trail begins, leading to a forest road below the lakes.

We follow the lane to the lowest — and largest — lake.

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Lake Gistova is one of the three great alpine lakes of Greece. It lies in the eastern part of Gramos, above the village of Gramos (Gramosta) and close to the mountain’s highest peaks, Perifano and the summit “2520”.

The ascent to Gistova starts from the village of Gramos and follows a succession of livestock trails, aiming for the few reference points of a rolling and rather indistinct terrain. After the high plateau of Patoma, adorned with 4–5 small alpine lakes, we continue on a relatively distinct path towards the ridge.

To reach the lake’s basin, a short descent is required. From the surrounding slopes we have an unobstructed view towards the Albanian border, but also towards the northern mountains of Epirus, most prominently Smolikas and Gamila.

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The smooth basin of the village of Gramos is essentially a vast grazing ground. Running through the boundless meadows, the paths of people and animals converged higher up at the ridgelines and the great springs. Two of the most important water sources were at Fringa and Gistova — the great spring and the permanent lake. The old path from Gramosta towards Fringa was recently widened into a livestock road.

The route starts from the village and, with a few turns on the local road network, enters the long road towards Fringa. When this lane has not been cleared by the army’s machines — which happens a few days before the arrival of the flocks, usually in early June — it resembles a fine broad path. The lane ends at the main dirt road connecting Lefka with the Barouga pass.

We bear slightly left on this dirt road and, at the height of a tin shack, we enter the line of the old aqueduct, which leads to the spring (here, the careful observer will spot an old well shaft and remnants of the water-gathering infrastructure).

We continue on small paths towards the axis of the great ravine, cross it, and ascend through smooth meadows towards the main path to Gistova. We converge with it on the smooth meadows, above the plateau with the lakes.

We continue on this distinct path as far as Lake Gistova.

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Gramos has many mountain lakes, such as the Arenes lake. Gistova, however, is the lake at the highest altitude — at 2,350 metres — on the northernmost arm of the Gramos ridge, right on the borderline with Albania.

The ascent to Gistova via Fakou starts from the village of Gramos and follows a succession of livestock trails, heading for the sheepfold at Lefka. At the fork we follow the left branch and walk on the dirt road as far as the first visible ridge, where there is a neat tin shack (painted red).

At the shack we leave the road and ascend a small ridge on an indistinct path. Bearing left, we enter beautiful meadows with water and orchids. From the end of the meadow, we can pick the best among the various faint trail traces: we choose the line of the gentlest gradient, which skirts a steep slope and brings us to the middle of the three ravines of this zone.

Through the smooth ravine we reach near the “neck” of Gistova, where we converge with the path from 2520 and descend to the lake’s basin.

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The summit of 2520 (or Tsouka Petsik, in local parlance) is the highest peak of Gramos and the fourth highest in Greece. Its pyramid stands in the very centre of the great horseshoe of the eastern Gramos peaks and can be approached by at least four routes. The route described here starts from the village of Gramos, climbs to the Lefka area, passes Lake Gistova and continues along the ridge to the summit of 2520.

The ascent starts from the village of Gramos (locally Gramosta) and follows a succession of livestock trails to the Lefka area, where the roads fork towards Barouga and Fakou. We will continue past a stone shrine and soon reach a high plateau with small alpine lakes. We continue on smooth slopes. To reach the lake’s basin, a short descent is required.

From Gistova, we will take the crest of the ridgeline, right along the Albanian border. After passing the unnamed summit of 2414 m, we reach the north ridge of 2520 and begin the ascent up the rocky crest.

This option involves a bit of easy scrambling (we follow the rather dense red marks; there is also an easier variation, following a more passable path on the western face of the summit).

On the summit of 2520 we will pass a series of Civil War fortifications, while near the trig point the remains of a small, once timber-roofed church of the Virgin Mary are visible (today it has been transferred to the Gkesos summit).

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