Mountains, Cyprus

The Kyrenia Mountains known as the Five Finger Mountains, run for 120km parallel to the North Cyprus coastline. Their name comes from a colourful legend that tells how the Byzantine hero Dighenis laws forced to escape from the Arabs by leaping from Asia Minor onto North Cyprus. Where he landed, his five fingers left their impression on the five jagged peaks of Mount Besparmak. Five fingers mean "besparmak" in Turkish.

Hiking in North Cyprus. Nowadays, Mount Besparmak offers some serious hiking in Northern Cyprus, with great views and rugged terrain to explore, and hardly anyone else in sight. During the spring, the Northern Cyprus Kyrenia mountains explode into colour with a profusion of wild flowers, and a walk at this time of year fills the eyes with beauty and the nose with delightful scents. In autumn the cooler weather of the Kyrenia Mountains makes for better hiking temperatures. Walking during the summer months is hard work and not over-rewarding, since the scenery is baked brown by the North Cyprus summer sun.

Kyrenia Mountain Castles. The mountains have always been a line of defence for the island, and Crusader castles lie ready to be explored between Turkish army bases, which are strictly off limits. Apart from the well-known Kyrenia Castle, a drive through the mountains reveals the other castles in the Crusader network, such as Buffavento. The track leading to Buffavento Castle is rough and steep, but the intrepid explorer is rewarded with a great view over the surrounding countryside from the 3,084 feet high crag.

The third great castle in the Kyrenia mountain range is Kantara Castle, set high above the coastline and with magnificent views. With picnic and barbecue sites available at the nearby forest station, it's a great day out for the family to escape the heat of the North Cyprus towns in summer.
Kyrenia Mountain Castles and Monasteries

Monasteries seem to sprout from the mountains at every turn, such as the remains of the 10th century Coptic Sourp Magar monastery near Mount Besparmak. From the 15th century right up until 1974, Armenian pilgrims would stop off here en route to the Holy Land. The 12th century Byzantine monastery of Antifonitis near Esentepe is in a sad state, a great shame since its vandalised frescoes show just how magnificent it must have once appeared.