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Ano Voula

(A bit South of Athens centre)



31st May 2015

AH3 Run 1918

Hare: Fair Cop
   
Photos: Fair Cop

Web page: Mad Dog




GPS:
37° 51' 47.62" N,
23° 47' 45.02" E

......

Google elevation: 350 metres

Trail length: ? km

 

The Trail

 




Location of the Pan cave:  37.868371° N, 23.791797° E     ( 37° 52'  6.1356" N, 23° 47' 30.4692" E )

 

 

The Run

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pan Cave

(See info. about cave at bottom of page)

 

 

 

 

 

The Taverna

 

 

The directions to the hash - for the record



Sunday 31st May 2015 – 11am

Hare:  Fair Cop

Venue: Ano Voula

On Inn:  tbc

 

featuring (especially for Karol), CAVES   

(NOTE - SEE INFORMATION & PHOTO SECTION ON THE CAVE BELOW)

http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=19268

 

Nice and high up so not too hot, surprisingly flat, and a quality On-Inn to be confirmed.

 

Coming from the airport:

 

Take the road signposted for Vari . After passing the street full of grill restaurants, turn right at the traffic lights signed for Athens-Glyfada.

Follow this road until it joins Vouliagmenis Avenue, turn right.  After 1.5Km, turn right at “Bed & Bath” / “Suzuki”, and immediately right toward “Panorama”

 

From the centre and South:

 

Head out down Vouliagmenis, looking for the left turn to Panorama.

There’s ΙΣΜΑΗΛΟΣ Α.Ε. Mercedes Garage, and Early Learning Centre, and then the left turn to Panorama. Immediately after turning, head right to Panorama.

 

Continue:

 

Head straight up this road 0.6km to a junction, and take the right fork, then immediately Left.

 

0.5km further the road swings right through a junction. The road has trees on the right.

 

Another 0.5km and turn right at the first gap in the trees, and head up the slope on YMITTOU.

 

This road takes you above the houses, around a hairpin, past the cemetery finally (3.25km) to a clearing  at the base of a PYLON where we meet

 

For Sat Navvies

 

37°51'47.62"N, 23°47'45.02"E

 

Google Placemark attached

IF LOST - YOU ARE LOST - either go home or call the hare: 6932 096555

On-On

Info on runs also available on our website...
http://www.athenshash.com/Main_HTML/hareline.htm




The Cave

http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=19268

Site Name: Cave of Nympholyptou

Alternative Name: Cave of Archedemos, Cave of Pan

Country: Greece County: Attica/Central Greece Type: Cave or Rock Shelter
Nearest Town: Vari Nearest Village: Voula

Latitude: 37.868371N  Longitude: 23.791797E

OR    37.868371° N, 23.791797° E     ( 37° 52'  6.1356" N, 23° 47' 30.4692" E )

Cave or rock shelter in Attica/Central Greece.
The cave of Nympholyptou was dedicated to Nymphs, Rhea (Mother Earth) and, Pan. Caves were considered the womb of Gaia.

According to Hellenic myth, when Zeus overthrew his father Cronos, he let his mother Rhea to go where she pleased. She, with the Korybantes went to Kybela mountain of Phrygia in Asia Minor. Since then, Rhea was named Kybele and she is usually represented sitting on a throne. The Nymphs, the daughters of Gaia, were the guardians of springs, forests and mountains. There used to be a spring in the cave, but with the destruction of the forest, it has dried up. Certain Nymphs would give divinatory powers to those who had a pure heart and clean conscience. Those who however did not have good intentions would go insane. The sculptor Archedemos came from Thera in 550 BCE and settled in the cave. He carved out from the stalactite material a bass relief of himself, a seated statue of Rhea-Kybele, an altar and some inscriptions dedicated to Pan (All), minor god of Nature, protector of the shepherds. Archedemos became possessed by the Nymphs “Nympholyptos” and made the cave a temple "Nymphaio", a place to worship the Nymphs and Pan. Archedemos is depicted next to his boat, holding a gnomon and a hammer, the tools of his work. The life size sculpture of the goddess was damaged by early Christian zealots. The cave is situated on Mount Hymettos between Voula and Vari. To reach the cave one has to pass the cemetery of Ano Voula, at half kilometre leave the car on the right side of the dirt road and walk about 600 Meters. The entrance to the cave is at ground level, literally under our feet, and that is why it is difficult to locate. The entrance is covered with an iron grill to keep away the vandals. Few visitors adhere to “take nothing but pictures” as a result the cave today is in a dreary condition, the stalactites are all taken, only the big ones that can not be broken are left. My last information is, to visit the site a permit is required from the Archaeological Department. The cavern is separated in two sections. The first cavity is blackened from the fires the shepherds burned during the winter. I label this cavity-room Christian because in a corner we find present day icons of the Christian saints. In order to descend to the second cavity, one has to use the ancient steps that lead down hill. These steps were carved out by Archedemos. The decapitated statue of the goddess silently dominates the Nymphaio in a mystical way as if she wants us to stop profaning the Mother Earth. The cave has been excavated by the American Archaeological School in 1902. The findings, such as earthen oil lamps, and the inscriptions are on display in Archaeological Museum of Athens. Lord Byron has visited the cave. According to the information provided by Aelian and Olympiodoros, the family of the great philosopher Plato, took him to the cave of Nympholyptou in order to acquire the favour of the Nymphs.

Many ancient beliefs and traditions were incorporated into the Christian and folk culture. The curative spring water became the holy water, the offerings for the minor gods and goddesses were replaced by the Christian saints and the Nymphs became the fairies.