Hike in the Five Finger Mountains

Today we plan to hike through the Five Finger Mountains (Besparmak). The mountain that gives it its name looks like a fist or a propped hand.

At first it doesn't look good at all. The Turkish army is currently conducting a military exercise, which would mean that we are not allowed to enter the area. Normality in Northern Cyprus occupied by Turkey. But we're lucky: it's just a running exercise and not a shooting exercise.

We hike on barely recognizable paths through beautiful pine forests, surrounded by the spicy scent of pine and cistus. A bit of history along the way: Southern Cypriots hid from the Turkish army in the stone-enclosed hole for several days without food or water until they were able to escape to the south. We are very excited to find out more about the background and the consequences of the division of the island that can still be felt today in Nicosia.

Towards the end we explore the ruins of an Armenian monastery. We find remains of floor mosaics and an overgrown monastery garden with citrus trees. The mattresses in the buildings are probably not left behind by monks, but by instinct-driven teenagers.