The Zagori In NW Greece

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Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

The Zagori In NW Greece

Post by Harold Gough »

A week in the region in June showed it to be beautiflul, unspoiled and full of photographic interest. It wa slightly late in the year for flowers at lower altitudes but the meadows and roadsides on the mountains had large populations.

Orchids were found in many places, crickets were everywhere, and familiar and unfamiliar butterfies and dragonflies were plentiful. Look for my posts in the Nature gallery.

The central feature of the area is the Vikos Gorge, over a mile deep.This is it viewed (facing west) from Beloi, a 45 minute walk from the 'car park' across photographer-delaying meadows. I used a Lumix m4.3 7-14mm zoom:

Image

I'm not to happy with blue skies in digital images but I took panaoramic shots on fine grain film too.

Further contributions will apear here as 'replies'.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

Here is part of the main attraction near our southern base. At Meteora that is a series of monasteries built on the tops of huge pillars of rock, with precipices all around. Many are much higher up on rocks than these but here you get the whole flavour of the area in one shot, largely ignoring the rules of composition to do so:

Image

The horizontally stratified rocks (usually much more finely so than here) were a strong feature of the landscape wherever we went.

After we had toured this complex we headed north, away from the town and into high meadow country, where we saw many orchids and other flowers.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

The edges of the roads were not as precipitious as we expected.

Even very minor, remote roads were very drivable.

However, some roads were distinctly bumpier than others. Then we found out why*:


Image

With the help of "Fill Light" in Topaz Detail2:

Image

The Spur-Thighed Tortoise Testudo graeca. (Note the "T" on the shell).

* Just kidding! :wink:

Most days we saw one on a road. We also saw snakes. The local tourist shops try to sell you a walking stick to lift the snakes out of your path. What you really need is running shoes as they retreat from human contact very rapidly, such that I never got a photo.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

I decided not to take my very large lenses with me. This turned out to be a good decision as we saw no birds larger than a Hooded Crow.

Anyway, I found that I was able to do bird photography in comfort and some style. We stopped in a village restaurant for a drink and saw that swallows were nesting under the roof* covering the outdooor eating area. I took some shots (with my 90mm Elmarit?) and then went to see the local panoramic viewing point.

We then returned for lunch and chose a table within 10m of the nest and with a good view of it. I had my Zuiko 70-300mm AF lens on my E-P2. It was then a matter of shooting when the birds returned to the nest every few minutes. I used ambient light.

They were still building the nest and were bringing back dry plant material for the final stages. We noticed that the female was doing the building and was rather choosey about which bits she would use, discarding others with much loud scolding of the male.

Him:

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Her:

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The pair enjoying "a domestic":

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* The full name, never used these days, is the Barn Swallow. Unlike House Martins, which nest outside under the eves, the Swallow likes to be much further under cover.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

flyer2o12
Posts: 223
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:06 pm
Location: Ireland
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Post by flyer2o12 »

Woah!! That top photo is incredible!! I'd love to visit there sometime. Are there trails to walk down along the base of the valley?

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

flyer2o12 wrote:Woah!! That top photo is incredible!! I'd love to visit there sometime. Are there trails to walk down along the base of the valley?
Not only down to but also along. Many say it is the greatest walk in Greece. The full route is 14km /8 miles but there is a 4km alternative. You need hiking boots but it is "otherwise straightforward" and takes 6-7 hours. The walls rise to 915m/3,000 feet. It goes through part of the Vikos-Aoos National Park.

This account suggests that the walk may be a little more challenging;

http://www.gorges-to-visit.com/VikosGorge.html

http://www.greeka.com/epirus/zagoria/za ... -gorge.htm

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

A sad footnote. Yesterday my Travel Agent told me that the package he sold us last year is no longer available due to some kind of buy-out of the local company in Greece and there is not a comparable alternative.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Lothar-Gutjahr
Posts: 237
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 4:13 pm
Location: Greece Perachora/Loutaki

Post by Lothar-Gutjahr »

Hi Harold,

i am sorry for you, this are real sade news and i can feel how disapointing this must be for you.

On the other side i want to thank you, for posting this beautifull place i actually mist, hence never heard about, while living in Greece from 1999 til 2008. Yeah "S. . .t happens" one could say.

Greetings from Southeast-Bavaria

Lothar

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

Well, Lothar, I had one very enjoyable visit. This truly is an unspoiled part of Greece. I suspect I will return by other means at some time.

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

Harold Gough
Posts: 5786
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:17 am
Location: Reading, Berkshire, England

Post by Harold Gough »

Here are some habitat shots of Mullein Verbascum sp. eriophorum?at high altitude:

Image

Image

In my garden there is a silver-leafed cultivar (V. phlomoides?) of similar size to the Greek ones i.e. chest high. Images of this have been posted here and will have images of other cultivars added:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 796#130796

Harold
My images are a medium for sharing some of my experiences: they are not me.

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