With the pending arrival of spring what better than a day out in nature? And next weekend offers two outdoor adventures to bond with nature, get some exercise and socialise.
On Saturday the Cyprus Trail Runners will hold its monthly beach time trail. Join them at Meneou Tourist Kiosk in Larnaca on Saturday, March 5 at 9am to run either five or eight kilometers.
The routes are out-and-back along a course that involves running on sandy beaches, stony beaches, over mounds of seaweed, and along tracks and pathways. The turnaround points will be marked so you know when to run in the other direction. When you return to the kiosk you will be told how long it took you so that when the event runs again on the first Saturday of next month, you can try and beat your own time.
To run in the Beach Trail Time Trial you won’t have to pay a participation fee, but the organisers will need you to wear one of their race bibs, which cost €2. You can then wear the race bib every time you run.
If you have run with the group before, you will know that they are also the adventurous type, always up for exploring different parts of the island, and if you have not then they will “help you get lost in the outdoors.”
If your Saturdays are normally tied-up with supermarket shopping and other chores then maybe Sunday is a better option.
The Cyprus Strollers, the hiking club will be walking the fields between Kornos village and Delikipos village.
Along the route hikers will visit the remote church of Ayios Georgios and – as this is a walk set at the start of spring – you may be able to catch the first colours of the new season and listen to the birds chirping.
The hike is circular, almost entirely on level ground – apart from one uphill section of about 400 metres – and follows dirt roads connecting the various plots of land. It will start 500 metres after the Delikipos picnic site, on the road from Kornos to Delikipos at 10.45am. This is also the spot where the nine kilometre hike will end after approximately three hours, and you can enjoy a picnic – that is if the weather holds up.
You can either meet the group at the hike’s starting point or at the Handicraft Centre on Athalassa Avenue in Nicosia for a car trip at 9.45am.
Beach Trail Time Trial
Race against the clock with the Cyprus Trail Runners. March 5. Meneou Tourist Kiosk. 9am. Tel: 96 -513539. www.cyprustrailrunners.com
Cyprus Strollers
Take a hike with the club in the fields between the villages of Kornos and Delikipos. March 6. Meeting point at the Handicraft Centre, Athalassa Avenue, Nicosia at 9.45am. Free but must register if you are staying for lunch by email on [email protected]. Tel: 97-613720
