Vetch - Vicia casa picture

by Helen (website owner)
(Cyprus)

As promised, here is a picture of vetch (vicia casa) taken near the Evretou dam near Polis in April 2011.

Red vetch are some of my favourites and they are often growing in "carpets" like this, covering the side of trails with an explosion of colour.

These pretty vetch were growing on a rocky trail just above the Evretou dam wall, but you can also see them all along the tracks near the dam, especially on the sides of hedgerows.

A walk around of the Evretou dam in spring is one of my favourites, as there is a vast array of natural wild flowers in the area. You can see various types of orchids, purple goatsbeard, wild sage, sword lillies, majestic asphodels and tall blue alkanet to name just a few.

The walk right around the dam takes about 3 hours and covers 10-14km. The reason the distance varies is that, depending on the amount of rain that has fallen over the winter months, you may have to walk further up the valley towards Sakrfos bridge to cross at the end of the dam as the water flows down from the hills.

Back in 2007 after 2 dry winters, it was easy to cross near the bottom of the Evretou dam, but after a wet winter, you have to walk at least 500m further into the valley and tthen take a more roundabout route to get to the other side.