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Vouraïko´s Gorge is a very scenic gorge that runs between
the towns of Diakoftó to Kalávrita. The gorge is a river gorge that cut
its way through the soft limestone that makes up a large part of the Peloponnisian mountains.
Gorges like this are common throughout Greece. However, this one is very impressive.
It is a deep river gorge (i.e. high walls) with a very steep drop. The canyon its self hosts flowers
(when I was there it did at least) and other vegetation. The looks refreshing as well. This gorge has one
additional feature that many of the other gorges do not.
In the late 1800 there was mining in the hills surrounding the gorge and an Italian firm put in
a narrow gauge train to bring ore down to the coast to be processed and
or transported away. The mining operation is long gone, however the train tracks are
still there and a diesel train brings people up and down the gorge. It
is quite a spectacle and worth a detour for a day. As you ride the train, who's tracks were placed on cuts into the mountain, you look
down into the impressive gorge at 30 to 40 foot sheer drops. Or you can look out at how the track
makes its way craftily up the canyon. The gorge reminded me a lot of
Samara Gorge on
Crete. Which is to be expected since they are both
gorges cut into limestone.
The train has two stops, Zahloro´u and Kalávrita.
There Zahloro´u is hidden in trees and apparently there is a nice
walk up to a monastery that has a nice cave by it. However, Misguided by
my guidebook on the location of the monastery, I went to the end at Kalávrita,
which is a nice little town. Kalávrita also has a sad claim to fame,
during world war II the Nazi's killed the entire population of the town.
The last page of this gallery is dedicated to Kalávrita.
I hope you enjoy the photos. Any comments, please E-mail me,
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Click on the title or thumbnail to view the larger picture.
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All photos by John L. Polos
Copyright August 15, 1997
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