Holiday memories...The Butterfly Valley, Rhodes

On  previous holidays to Rhodes we have noticed the signs to the Butterfly Valley at Petaloudes. We  have considered a visit but then thought that it was possible it just might be a place where you only got the odd glimpse of a butterfly. Also the butterflies are only in their adult state from June to September in the valley, so we thought we may be a little late in the season................how very wrong we were!

This year curiosity got the better of us and we decided to pay a visit.  It was a beautiful drive through the middle of the island and we parked the car and set off to the entrance.

There was a small gift shop and ahead was beautiful woodland and the sound of running water...on Rhodes, which is a hot, baked country, this is most incongruous.






The walk thorough the valley was steep and worked its way up hill but around every corner were the most glorious views.

This waterfall shot water over the steep rocks to the pool below

We climbed up through the valley until the river levelled out.

We began to notice a few butterflies but as we walked further into the woodland it dawned on us that the strange patterns on the tree trunks were not lichens growing .........but butterflies....

................thousands and thousands of them, if you click on the photo above you can enlarge it and see this most extraordinary sight. Every tree along the river was completely covered by butterflies and the red colour in their wings emerged as they fluttered from tree to tree.

Along the river bed we also spotted freshwater crabs scuttling about.

We continued our walk through this beautiful valley, it gave such good respite to the hot mid day sun. We even ate our picnic on a wooden bench amongst the butterflies which regularly landed on us. At the final stretch we emerged back out to the road where we found a tiny old monastery                                            
                                                           

From here we had a superb view back across the valley towards the sea. There was a small shop and we were able to buy an ice cream and we sat and ate it whilst we enjoyed the view.

After a rest we started the walk back down the valley to where we had left our car.

We passed back through the dappled,

shaded trees which dripped with the

butterflies,even the leaves were heavy

with them. (Click on photo on the left.)

We passed more waterfalls as we made our way back. We even watched a lizard peeping out of the rocks trying to catch a butterfly for dinner. Unbelievably he did not succeed whilst we were watching, the butterflies were too quick for him!

It was an incredible and very unique visit. This was mother nature at her very best. We took home some wonderful memories from our Rhodes holiday this year. As always though it is good to get home, especially when it means our Billy can come home!

 Thanks for sharing my holiday memories with me and I hope you have enjoyed these few postings.
The weather now at home is turning very autumnal, yes I will  mention the "a" word now. The trees are really changing into their autumn colours. When I walked home from work yesterday I noticed some swirling, fallen,crunchy leaves on the pavements and the horse chestnuts look ready to discharge their conkers very soon. I think Rhodes really was  my last blaze of summer. Here's to a new season even though officially it starts on 23rd September this year. Time to start closing the curtains earlier, plant up those bulbs and snuggle down in the evenings. I really do enjoy the changing of our seasons.

Bye for now,
Jane x