Geomythological tour of the Peloponnese!

 

A Geomythological Peloponnese with College Year in Athens

November 12th to 15th 2024

We made a rainy-weather trip to the geomythological hotspots of the Northeastern Peloponnese. 

These are easily reachable even on a one-night trip from Athens. But we went for three nights with the following overnight locations:

- Nafplion: Cornth Canal / Mycenae - the archeological site and small museum / Lerni - home of the Lernean Hydra 

- Kalavirta: Lake Stymphalia / Lake Doxa

- Kalavrita: Cave of the Lakes / Chelonospilia and nearby springs of the Ladon / Mount Chelmos /             Vouraikos Gorge (descent with the rack-and-pinion railway train).

A wikipedia definition of Geomythology (also called “legends of the earth," or "landscape mythology"):

"the study of oral and written traditions created by pre-scientific cultures to account for, often in poetic or mythological imagery, geological events and phenomena" 

Examples include the labours of Heracles - the slaying of the Lernean Hydra which alludes to the draining of the karstic spring-fed foods and malarial marshes of the area of Lerni near Mycenae.

In exploring the ancient's views of their world we can be guided to study modern landscapes as well. 

Here I share some photos.

THE SITES

The Cornth Canal

Ancient Mycenae

Lerni Spring (home of the Lernean Hydra)

Lake Stymphalia

Lake Doxa

Cave of the Lakes and the Upper Ladon Valley

Vouraikos Gorge

                                                                           THE BIRDING

Western Rock Nuthatch, Mycenae

Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Kalavrita

Middle-Spotted Woodpecker, Lake Stymphalia

Birding begun on the 12th, so it was only 4 days. Ok we did not bird, but I included what we observed even during this rather broad ranging road trip.