Mesonas Gorge
Mesonas gorge is located on the northern slopes of the range of Thripti, near the village Kavoussi and the settlement Avgos. It is a short but very wild and imposing gorge, 4km long, that needs technical canyoneering equipment for crossing it along its bed, as it forms steep waterfalls. The canyon connects the Plateau of Thripti to the plain of Kavoussi. Its exit is very close to the archaeological site of Azorias. From there and below the same stream forms the technical gorge of Havgas, then crosses the fertile plain of Kavoussi and finally empties on the beach of Tholos.
From the position Tsamadi, near the village Thripti, starts a hiking trail that runs high above the gorge bed. The trail comes along the concrete channel used for transfering spring water to Kavoussi. The views to the canyon, the surrounding mountains and the bay of Mirabello are indescribable. The path descends to ancient Azorias and from there it is worth approaching Kavousi through the ancient paved path that runs parallel to the Gorge of Havgas, or through the dirt road that passes through the Monumental Olive Tree of Azorias.
For those who are involved in canyoning and want to cross it along the river bed, it is good to know that in general it does not have much water and in fact its flow stops in the middle or end of spring, always depending on the season rains. The gorge at the beginning starts very smoothly, with the hiking part, exceeding the parts with the steep descents. The entire gorge is crossed relatively smoothly except for the last part, where its form changes abruptly, it narrows a lot and high waterfalls are created, with the highest rapel at 30m. A small group of canyoneers needs about 3 hours to descend its 9 rapels.
