MOUNT ZIRIA

Ziria—known in antiquity as Mount Cyllene of Arcadia—was said to be the birthplace of Hermes, the restless child-god. Barely a few days old, mischievous Hermes slipped away to steal the cattle of his older brother, Apollo. Furious, Apollo sent Silenus and his satyr trackers in pursuit, their search leading straight to Hermes’ hidden cave.
But while they followed his trail, Hermes was busy inventing something that would change humanity forever. With a tortoise shell and a few strings, he fashioned the very first lyre—the first stringed instrument in history. To appease Apollo’s anger, Hermes offered him the lyre, and thus Apollo, already the god of light, became the god of music as well. From that moment on, music began its descent from the peaks of Ziria, flowing into the lives of mortals, entwined with the emotions of the human soul.
The name Ziria itself comes from the Slavic word zir, meaning “acorn,” while Cyllene is tied to the many natural hollows scattered across the landscape. Rising to 2,374 m at its highest point, Megali Ziria—also known as Psili Korifi or Summit Point—is the second tallest mountain in the Peloponnese after Taygetus. Its slopes are broad and smooth, broken by plateaus where two seasonal lakes form: Lake Dasiou and Lake Megalianni.
The mountain’s limestone heart has carved out caves and sinkholes, but its surface is alive with forests that have endured despite centuries of human presence. Lower down, oak forests mingle with kermes oak and strawberry trees. Higher up, above 800 meters, dense Kefalonian firs dominate, and in the dramatic Flabouritsa Gorge, black pines rise tall. Beyond the tree line, alpine meadows burst with rare and endemic flowers—over 1,000 plant species in all, some found nowhere else but here.
Ziria’s skies belong to birds: more than 100 species soar above, including the golden eagle. On the ground, life is rarer but no less precious—otters slipping through streams, elusive dormice hiding in the forests, even wolves, whose return was confirmed in 2022, reclaiming their place in the Peloponnese.

Starting from Ano Trikala, the first kilometers follow an uphill asphalt road leading to the Ziria plateau, smoothly covering a 500-meter elevation gain. Here the dirt begins—and so does the adventure! A rocky dirt track of moderate difficulty winds through dense fir forest, climbing near Hermes’ cave. With that, the toughest ascent is already behind us.
Riding along the eastern slopes of Ziria, the view opens toward Little Ziria and the dramatic Flabouritsa Gorge. Turning westward, the track crosses alpine meadows, rolling over a series of steady climbs and descents—pleasant as long as the mud is absent. And because no mountain ride comes without surprises, a sheepfold and its guardian dogs lie ahead. They rarely pose a real problem, but if needed, the fold can be bypassed via the gentle slopes to the south.
Soon we crest a smooth mountain pass—perfect for a break—with breathtaking views of eastern Chelmos (Dourdouvana, Madero, Nisi, and the jagged Htenia peaks). From here, a steep, narrow descent demands caution: a rocky dirt road carved with ruts and water-gullies, dropping into the idyllic Farmakila plateau. This is the mountain at its very best: sheer cliffs, forest, solitude, beauty.
The final climb gains 400 meters of elevation through dense fir forest. Though long, the gradient is steady and the terrain forgiving. Beyond this point, it’s pure joy and flow: descending through eroded dirt tracks and easy singlepaths to the famous Lake Dasiou, then rolling down a wide downhill dirt road until the first houses of Ano Trikala come into view.