Photo: unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ellie Βarmpagiannis · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Aoos Springs Lake is an artificial lake on the Aoos river, in the Ioannina regional unit near Metsovo in the Pindus mountains, built between 1981 and 1991 to use part of the water of the springs of the Aoos for hydroelectric power. At its high altitude it is the most mountainous large lake in Greece. It lies between Pindus National Park and Vikos–Aoös National Park, is part of the Natura 2000 network and is classed as a landscape of particular natural beauty.
History
The Politses plateau, on which the lake lies, was an important passage from Epirus to Macedonia in antiquity and a military base under the Ottomans. Since the dam was finished, small ponds, streams, meadows, inlets and islets have formed along the winding shore.
Nature
Black and Bosnian pines cover the eastern shore and beech the land to the west, with rare orchids along the streams and wild daffodils in the meadows. Bears, wolves, foxes and deer live in the surrounding forests, with black storks, kingfishers and woodcocks among the birds. The water holds alpine and Macedonian crested newts, trout and eels.
Gallery
Photo: Ellie Βarmpagiannis · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rémih · CC BY-SA 3.0
Visit
Swimming
No reliable information
Tips
The lake is about 20 km north-west of Metsovo, some 20 minutes’ drive on a paved mountain road past the ski centre, and about 245 km from Thessaloniki by the Egnatia motorway. There are no major tourist facilities on the shore. Summer brings the most visitors, wildflowers bloom in spring, and in winter the lake is surrounded by snow.
The loop around the lake is good for walking and cycling, and a hard walk to Flenga peak (2,150 m) is about 20 km with 900 m of climbing. Keep your distance from flocks, as the large shepherd dogs are protective, and do not leave food out in bear country. Vovousa, with its single-arch stone bridge and clear Aoos water for a swim, is a common stop on the way.
Nearby lakes
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Sources & data
- Greece's 2022 Water Framework Directive reporting to the EEA: lake (LW) and transitional (TW) water bodies, field cArea, European Environment Agency (WISE WFD), reported by Greece, 2022
- OpenStreetMap: Τεχνητή Λίμνη Πηγών Αώου (relation 2326593), OpenStreetMap contributors
- Wikidata: Lake Aoos (Q12880038), Wikimedia Foundation
- Greek Wikipedia: Λίμνη Αώου, Wikimedia Foundation
- Artificial lake of Aoos' springs, Location Scout
- Vovousa: hidden gem of the Zagori villages, Travelgo
- Aoos Springs Lake in the heart of the Pindus range, Travel.gr
- Aoos Springs Lake, Greece, The Blog of Dimi