psiloritis geopark

Geosites

PSILORITIS’ GEOTOPES

The monuments of the Earth and the geosites of Psiloritis are widespread throughout the area. They comprise unique rock formations, fossil sites, spectacular landforms, caves and many other karstic structures, faults and folds in the rocks, which are important sources of water for the natural environment, constituting elements of interaction between human, rocks and landscape. All together they constitute the history of the Earth and man on Psiloritis.

Many of these geosites are close enough to each other that they are able to reconstitute a small part of the mountain’s history. Others have similar geological and physical characteristics, where one complements the other, and together they constitute an overall view of Psiloritis. For all the above reasons, but also for reasons of displaying them to better effect, several geosites have been grouped together in individual sub-areas.

These sub-areas are the “Talea Ori section: a 250 million-year journey in the past” at the Kouloukonas mountain, the “Psiloritis Karstic Landscape” up in the Psiloritis peaks, the “From Mountain to Plain” at the eastern and southern borders of the mountain, the “Amari cliffs” in the Amari valley and the “Speleopark” which comprises all the important caves of Psiloritis Natural Park. Finally, some special or isolated geotopes, which for several reasons have not been included in the sub-areas, occur as individual sites.

This subdivision of the most important geosites of Psiloritis Natural Park will be followed in the subsequent presentation. Most geosites are easily accessible through the existing road network, some only through hiking trails, whereas some others have been included in a network of walking routes.

Information panels already exist at several sites while several others are scheduled to be set up by the Natural Park or the Local Authorities.

A. Talea Ori section: a 250 million years journey in the past 

B. Psiloritis karstic lansdcapes 

C. From Mountain to the Plain 

D.  Amari cliffs

E. Speleopark

F. Individual geotopes