A wetland of great ecological value
Between Mount Oiti and Mount Othrys flows the Sperchios River. Its journey begins on Mount Tymfristos, at an altitude of 2,300 m. After 82 km it flows into the Maliakos Gulf, following a course that is said to have remained the same since antiquity. Along the river, beautiful riparian forests thrive, while its estuary forms a huge delta (1,517 sq. km.), exceptionally important for wildlife.
The rushing river, the famous Alamana where the homonymous battle of the Turkish occupation took place, carries large quantities of sediments creating deposits in the Maliakos Gulf, causing its shrinking. Over time, the landscape changed and the famous Straits of Thermopylae disappeared. That is where the other great battle of the region took place, against the Persians, in the 5th century BC. In general, the Spercheios River, due to its location, has served as a natural border and dividing line over time.
Beyond the forests, which are worth visiting, another reason why you should go to the Sperchios River is for the bird population. Its special ecosystem is one of the richest in Greece and has been included in the Natura 2000 network and the Important Bird Areas (IBA). It hosts rare and endangered species. It is also a very important place for the migration and overwintering of aquatic and wading birds, whose numbers are estimated to reach 20,000. Equally important is the fish population of the river, including endemic species found nowhere else, such as Ellinopygosteos, Briana of Sperchios and Tsironaki of Sperchios.
The main riverbed is easily accessible from the villages along the road to Makrakomi and Karpenisi. You can walk on its banks in some parts (see Kompotades and the forest in Amouri). The Delta is also accessible via dirt roads crossing cultivated fields. For the best experience, visit in spring or late autumn, bring your binoculars, and uncover the secrets of this remarkable wetland.
The rushing river, the famous Alamana where the homonymous battle of the Turkish occupation took place, carries large quantities of sediments creating deposits in the Maliakos Gulf, causing its shrinking. Over time, the landscape changed and the famous Straits of Thermopylae disappeared. That is where the other great battle of the region took place, against the Persians, in the 5th century BC. In general, the Spercheios River, due to its location, has served as a natural border and dividing line over time.
Beyond the forests, which are worth visiting, another reason why you should go to the Sperchios River is for the bird population. Its special ecosystem is one of the richest in Greece and has been included in the Natura 2000 network and the Important Bird Areas (IBA). It hosts rare and endangered species. It is also a very important place for the migration and overwintering of aquatic and wading birds, whose numbers are estimated to reach 20,000. Equally important is the fish population of the river, including endemic species found nowhere else, such as Ellinopygosteos, Briana of Sperchios and Tsironaki of Sperchios.
The main riverbed is easily accessible from the villages along the road to Makrakomi and Karpenisi. You can walk on its banks in some parts (see Kompotades and the forest in Amouri). The Delta is also accessible via dirt roads crossing cultivated fields. For the best experience, visit in spring or late autumn, bring your binoculars, and uncover the secrets of this remarkable wetland.
