Kamares Gorge
The gorge of Kamares, known as Kamaraiko Gorge, is the largest canyon in the area of Kamares village of Pyrgiotissa province on the south side of Psiloritis. We meet its imposing exit in a steep turn a few meters west of the village, on the main road to Lochria.
It starts from the wild area around the Akolyta plateau and ends near Kamares at an altitude of 770 meters. The gorge is the main feeder of the Mageiros river, a tributary of the Geropotamos, as it collects water from the area of Akolita and then tranfers it to the valley of Grigoria. The gorge is forested with cypresses and oaks at high altitude and pines lower.
The gorge is technical, i.e. forms waterfalls and requires special technical equipment and training for its descent. It is one of the longest technical gorges of Crete, as it has a length of about 5 km and 36 descents, with the largest being 55 meters high. Access to the entrance is from the dirt road that starts from Lochria and leads to the area of Agathetes.
Photos: Costas Fotinakis ( 2009)
