Mount Chelmos (Aroania Massif)
Mount Chelmos, also called Aroania, is a mountain massif in the northern Peloponnese. Its highest point, Psili Koryfi, is 2,355 metres high. The massif lies between Mount Erymanthos to the west and Mount Ziria, also called Kyllini, to the east. The town of Kalavryta is the main base for visiting it. People come to hike to the summit, to walk down to the Styx waterfall, which is about 200 metres high, and to ski on its northern slopes in winter. The massif is part of the Chelmos–Vouraikos National Park and of a UNESCO Global Geopark. It also has fir forests, old plane trees around river springs, and a large cave with lakes inside.
Geography
Chelmos is the middle one of three large mountains in the northern Peloponnese. Mount Erymanthos lies about 30 km to the west, and Mount Ziria about 15 km to the east. The highest point is Psili Koryfi, at 2,355 metres. Neraidorachi, a rocky peak near the ski centre, is another high point of the massif.
Water leaves the massif in two directions. The Krios, Krathis and Vouraikos rivers flow north to the Gulf of Corinth. The Vouraikos runs through a gorge between Chelmos and Mount Panachaiko. The Aroanios river starts from springs at the foot of the massif and flows south-west. The whole massif lies inside the Chelmos–Vouraikos UNESCO Global Geopark, recognised in 2015. Its geosites, places chosen for their geology, include the Styx Waters, the Cave of the Lakes and the Vouraikos Gorge.
Nature & Outdoors
The Styx waterfall falls about 200 metres down the cliffs of the upper massif and feeds the Krathis river. A steep path leads down to its base through pine and fir forest. The water flow is larger in spring and smaller in summer. Lower down the valley of the Krathis lies Lake Tsivlou, a mountain lake at about 750 metres that formed in 1913, when a landslide blocked the river. Pine and fir forests cover the slopes from about 800 to 1,800 metres. Above them the ground is grass and bare rock. More than 1,000 plant species grow on the massif, and more than 100 of them are found only in Greece.
At the foot of the massif, the village of Planitero stands among very old plane trees, where the Aroanios river begins. Marked paths lead through the forest, and local tavernas serve trout. On the western slopes, near the village of Kastria, the Cave of the Lakes has thirteen terraced lakes. A tunnel and raised walkways lead visitors through it.
Activities
The usual hike to Psili Koryfi starts at the ski centre above Kalavryta. The round trip is about 13 km and takes most of a day. The path crosses fir forest and then open rock. It passes Neraidorachi and the building of the Aristarchos telescope, a research telescope of the National Observatory of Athens. From the summit you see wide views over the nearby mountains.
Marked sections of the E4 European long-distance path cross the area, including a walk from Kalavryta up to the ski centre. In winter the ski centre works the northern slopes. It has several lifts and about 12 km of pistes, mostly easy and medium. Snow cover changes from year to year.
History & Culture
Ancient Greeks believed that the Styx waters belonged to the underworld. The gods swore their most serious oaths on them. In a later story, the sea goddess Thetis dipped her baby son Achilles in these waters to protect him. She held him by the heel, so the heel stayed weak.
The Cave of the Lakes is linked with another story, about the daughters of King Proitos. They are said to have run to a cave on this mountain when a madness came over them.
Practical information
Getting there
The massif is in the northern Peloponnese. Kalavryta is the main base, and buses from Athens go there. From Kalavryta, a mountain road of about 15 km leads to the ski centre, where the summit hike starts. A car or taxi is needed for this road and for the Styx waterfall trail. Kastria, the village of the Cave of the Lakes, is about 17 km from Kalavryta.
When to go
Early May is good for wildflowers, and June for butterflies. Summer suits long hikes to the summit, when the ground is free of snow. In summer the Styx waterfall can shrink to a trickle, so spring shows it at its fullest. In winter snow covers the higher ground, and skiing is the main activity. Check snow and road conditions before you go.
Good to know
The path to the Styx waterfall is steep and rocky, and the walk back is all uphill, so first-time walkers may want a local guide. The summit route has little shade above the forest, and some path markings are faded. The Cave of the Lakes in the village of Kastria is usually closed on Tuesdays, so check current opening days.
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