Route “Dipotama – Old Castle Bridge”

We follow the same route to the waterfall of Agia Varvara and after three kilometers we arrive at the confluence of the Tsoukali and Arkudorema streams.
The ruins of the houses that we see at this point (altitude 640 meters) are the remains of a now abandoned settlement of the community of Dipotamos.

Guided by the signs, we take the road to the settlement of Trachoni. We cross Arkudorema and after a few hundred meters we reach the first single-arched bridge, which is considered to be the largest of its kind in Eastern Macedonia. It is located among alder and willow trees that closely follow the course of the stream.
We continue our route between oaks, oysters, cherries and chestnuts. The dirt road is particularly winding and uphill, difficult for conventional cars even in summer.

Behind the peak of the mountain we are climbing, the Trahoni is perched. The houses that remain standing are now few, but they testify that the settlement has seen better days in the past. In 1940 Trahoni had 540 inhabitants! From the exit of the village begins a path with an eastern direction that leads to one of the many bridges in the area. The forest road after seven more kilometers and heading southeast brings us to a distance of three hundred meters from the monumental waterfall of Trachoni (also known as the waterfall of Livaditis).

To reach the waterfall, we will need to hike a gentle path choked in beeches, maples, privets and lindens. The sight we see when we reach the end of the route richly compensates us. The water falling with momentum from a height of forty meters causes feelings of awe similar to those generated in us by any imposing natural phenomenon. The configuration of the space offers us the possibility to admire the waterfall from a position and distance that could be described as ideal. During the winter months the waters of the waterfall freeze creating a huge crystal sculpture! It is indeed one of the most beautiful landscapes of Drama!

Since we have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, we choose our return to be adventurous again… We descend the hill of Trachoni from a fork in the road that goes off to the right and cross the Arkudorema through a concrete passage that is somewhat more east than the one we passed in our coming After about two kilometers we reach the cattle breeding unit of Augitidis. We can, if we wish, make a stop here to see the animals, of which the most impressive are of course the “semi-wild” wild boars. Chat and coffee. The pleasure of heart-to-heart communication Three hundred meters after the farm of Augitidis we stop again. We get out of the car and walk along the path. We arrive at a kiosk of the Forestry Department of Drama with a great view to the depth of the Arkudoremos valley. We advance another seven hundred meters. The route is smoothly downhill and relaxing, next to amazing rock formations, true sculptural creations of Nature.

In about fifteen minutes we reach a passage that seems to be carved in the rock and a little lower one of the most beautiful bridges in the area is revealed to our eyes. It is the bridge of the Old Prison. Monotoxo, like all the rest, stands out from the others for its robustness and the perfection of its construction.

Below it flows the Arkudorema, forming small lakes between the smooth rocks.
And this bridge used to connect the settlements of Trachoni and Dipotamon.
We return to the car and continue on our way, until we reach again the point where Arkudorema and Tsoukali meet… Paranesti is waiting for us at the end of our known route.