Starting point and end of the Path Atalanta is the Troodos Square. The starting kiosk is located in the northwest of the square behind the old building of the post. You can leave your vehicle in the parking lot of the Plaza.
The trail got its name from the heroine Atalanta mythology, famous hunter and runner, protected the goddess Artemis.
The route follows the course around Chionistra, below the Artemis Trail and goes through dense thickets of black pine and Troodos invisible. There you will see one of the biggest invisible trees aged 800 years! On the way you will meet information signs for plants, shrubs and trees of the mountain, and features rocks of the Troodos Ophiolite Complex.
The route does not present significant ups and downs. You just need to be careful because in some places there are stones that protrude into the path. The route offers excellent views of regions and villages of Lemesos, Pafos and Nicosia.
Located 3km from the starting point there is a fountain where you drink iced drinking water and wooden benches to rest. The path after 9km reaches the main Troodos - Prodromos. To continue, you can cross the main road and walk about 200m to the forest road Residential Chromium to Agios Nikolaos Property. There you will find a wooden sign with the direction of the path. The trail continues path almost parallel to the main road leading to Troodos Square. Alternatively, you can follow the main road to go back to the square. H route is located at Troodos National Forest Park are area NATURA 2000.
VEGETATION AND FLORA
The entire route is in the zone of black pine (Pinus nigra subsp. Pallasiana) which is the dominant forest tree. The forests are largely natural. The dense understorey encountered lower here because there is no golden oak, the strawberry even Xystaria not thrive in these altitudes. Common items are outside the black pine, the Invisible or Troodos Juniper (Juniperus foetidissima), the Agriomilia (Sorbus aria), the barberry (Berberis cretica) and Agriokydonia (Cotoneaster nummularia). If you are careful you will see many native plants such as the Troodos euphorbias (Euphorbia cassia subsp. Rigoi), the Anthemis the plutonic (Anthemis ploutonia), the Spatzia Troodos (Salvia willeana), the chain of Troodos (Alyssum troodi), the consequences of Troodos (Nepeta troodi) etc. Also in some parts of the route the endemic cedar planted (Cedrus brevifolia).
You will see for yourself that the flora of the Troodos is very rich and unique. It is noteworthy that at least one in two plants found on this route is endemic to Cyprus or the Troodos or end not found anywhere else in Cyprus only here.
GEOLOGY
The rock will see dominating the surrounding area is charzvourgitis in which appear small dunite bodies. These rocks are penetrated by younger gabbro and pegmatite veins pyroxenites. The charzvourgitis belongs to the rocks of the mantle sequence. These rocks are considered the refractory residue remaining after the partial melting of the upper mantle and the creation of basaltic magma composition from which came the other rocks of the ophiolite complex.
Very good performances charzvourgiti small dunite bodies appear around the top of Mount Olympus. It is indeed impressive, not so much aesthetic as scientific point of view, the fact that walking in the Troodos top is like walking on rocks of the Upper Mantle, which began to form at depths of about 60 km below the ocean bottom Tethys before about 92 million years. This really is unique and in a few places in the world you can meet.
Dunite bodies are found sporadically in the charzvourgiti and have different sizes and shapes. The majority of larger bodies have elongated shapes and some of them are economically exploitable concentrations chromite. Around 5km from the start of geotrails, you will find the gallery entrance mining chromium which are of particular interest and is down from 1982.
SERVICES
Troodos Square there are shops, restaurants, public restrooms and hotels that will offer you all the comforts you need. Near the square, and the Environmental Information Center, open daily for public information.
Starting point: Troodos Square
Length: 14 km
Considerable time: 4-5 hours
Degree of difficulty: 2
Form: round
ADDRESS: Olympus Troodos