With the participation of more than 10 volunteersthe restoration of the old trail connecting the two villages of Demati and Petra in East Zagori,has been completed, following five days of intensive volunteer work, collaboration and shared life in the village.
The initiative was co-organised by , The High Mountains Co-op and the Trace Your Eco, with the valuable support of the local community. Special thanks go to Christos Ziavras, President of the Demati community, for his continuous presence and support, as well as for his invaluable knowledge of the area and its old trails, which played a key role in restoring the route. Over the course of five days, volunteers worked to clear the trail, improve its accessibility and waymark the route, bringing back into use an old path that once served as a vital connection between the two villages.
The trail starts at Demati village square and winds through the forested landscape of East Zagori before reaching the area of Agia Paraskevi in Petra, beneath the distinctive steep rock formations that dominate the surrounding landscape.
These rocks are among Petra’s most distinctive natural landmarks and also serve as a climbing area. On the largest rock, which rises approximately 55 metres high, stands the small chapel of Agia Triada, while traces of earlier settlement and fortifications can still be found in the wider area.
For many years, this route was one of the paths connecting Demati and Petra, at a time when trails were the main arteries of movement and communication between mountain communities. Its restoration today brings this connection between the two villages back to life, while also creating a new opportunity to discover the natural, historical and cultural landscape of the area.
The initiative also highlighted the importance of community-based tourism, an approach in which visitors do not simply pass through a place, but meet its people, participate, contribute and build genuine relationships with the local community. It is a model that can help strengthen the vitality and cohesion of mountain communities.
The trail is open again. And the effort continues.