Northern Cyprus: May 2015: Part 2

Our villa (not without its issues but I won't dwell on those) had a good sized swimming pool and, whilst the others had a bit of poolside R & R, I took myself off for a wander into the hills. Spectacular views all the way and, perversely though it may seem, there's something very enjoyable about walking in the steaming heat. Maybe it's because it's not something I can do in the UK: maybe it's because I've got a screw loose. Whatever the reason, it suits me and there's always something interesting to see.

Amazing, isn't it? You spend hours waiting for a Cyprus Pied Wheatear to come along and two turn up.

A 

There were several of these 'nests' at the top of pine trees on my way up the track. Some were much smaller than this one but all had the same general shape. I haven't come across anything like this in the UK and a Google search when I got back to base revealed them to the colonial nest of the caterpillars of the Pine Processionary Moth. Called Processionary because the caterpillars process head to tail in a long column when they leave the nest. They are destructive little devils and leave their next at night to munch their way through the needles on the branches. They are a definite pest and, or so my reading tells me, have infested forests in the eastern part of Canada. The nests were too high up the trees for me to explore them further which is probably just as well as the hairs on the caterpillars are quite poisonous. Poisoners as in 'can kill a small dog' poisonous.

I think the botanical name for this one is "spikey thing". Simple, star-shaped and very attractive. 

The track I was following degenerated into a path following a dry stream bed through a ravine. A delightful place, silent except for the sound of birds and the air redolent with the smell of rosemary and others scents that I couldn't put a name to. For me, this is one of the most pleasurable aspects of walking in a hot country.

Looking up towards the royal apartments of St Hilarion Castle.

And looking back towards the sea, over Kyrenia.

Another view of St Hilarion Castle, with less zoom on the lens. It gives a better idea of how impressive its location is.