Madari Ridge Loop

Madari is the ridge that sits above Kyperounta like a long stone wall, and walking along its crest feels a bit like walking on the roof of the Pitsilia region. The official part of this loop is the Doxa soi o Theos – Madari Fire Lookout trail: it starts at the Doxa soi o Theos saddle, about 2 km from Kyperounta at roughly 1,338 m, and follows the ridge east for 3.8 km towards Adelfoi, which at 1,613 m is one of the highest points in this part of the Troodos.

The reason people come is the view. Between about 1,400 and 1,600 m there is almost nothing to block it, so on a clear day you look down over vineyard terraces and red-roofed villages on one side and out across the central plain towards Nicosia on the other. The fire lookout on the crest is still a working tower, keeping watch over the forest, and it doubles as the best landmark of the day. Along the way the official boards point out plants found only in Cyprus, such as golden oak, and you may see Cyprus warblers and wheatears, or a Bonelli's eagle overhead.

Officially the ridge section takes about two hours and is rated 3, the hardest grade on the Forestry Department scale, mostly because of the climbs and the loose stony ground near the top. My loop is longer: 12.2 km with 557 m of ascent, because it continues past the lookout, links into the neighbouring forest paths and comes back to the same saddle instead of retracing the ridge. There is a fountain with drinking water at the Doxa soi o Theos start, which is also where the loop ends.