The Ezousa Valley is one of the most beautiful valleys of Cyprus. Due to its high ecological value it has been included in the European network of protected areas NATURA 2000 “A Place of Community Importance” under the EU Directive 92/43/EEC and as ‘Special Protection Area’ for birds under the EU Directive 2009/147/EC.

THE CLIFFS

The first thing one observes coming into the village is an enormous rock dominating the landscape. It is 70 m high and 250 m long, probably the single larger monolith on Cyprus. It belongs to the Mamonia geological complex and is designated as a category 3 protected landscape with the name Rock of Episkopi. Apart from the fact that it is one of the most interesting geological formations on Cyprus it is also environmentally important as far as the fauna and florat ithosts. Rare and protected species are found here.

In the cracks of the limestone rock grows a specialist flora of chasmophytic plants such as Verbascum levanticum, Umbilicus rupestris and Polypodium cambricum. The Verbascum levanticum has been found in only a few locations on Cyprus and is the most characteristic of the chasmophytic plants that grow here. It is also notable that the Rock is the only place in the Ezousa valley where such flora occurs.

 
At the base of the Rock a significant population of Bosea cypria is found. There are only three species of Bosea in the world, on Cyprus, the Canaries and the Himalayas. Another specie of plant listed in the Red Data Book of the Cyprus Flora, Crambe hispanica has been recorded recently here, increasing the environmental importance of the Rock and of the valley in general.

The Rock of Episkopi has great ornithological interest. The Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus) is a rare resident on Cyprus and is included in Annex Ι of the European Directive 2009/147/ΕC. In the Ezousa valley nest at least three pairs and one nest is found on the Rock. Here one can also see the endemic Cyprus Wheatear (Oenanthe cypriaca), a migratory species that breeds only in Cyprus and is included in Annex Ι of the European Directive 2009/147/ΕC. Likewise the world population of the Roller has decreased dramatically in the last few years. On the Episkopi rock one meets one of the largest populations of Jackdaws (Corvus monedula) on Cyprus.

TRAILS

In the area of Episkopi you can find four organized walking trails:

1) Kallepia-Episkopi Nature Trail  (click here to download the trail map)
2) Minthis Hill Nature Trail    (click here to download information of the Minthis Hills area)
3) Ezousa Valley Walking Trail   (click here to download the trail map)