Trail Walks

We met early, at 7 a.m., at the Vourkos bend. It felt like the crack of dawn, especially since it was the day after the big celebration of the Virgin Mary, on August 16th, 2020. In other pre-COVID years, most of us wouldn’t even have gone to bed yet, still swept up in the music and revelry of the village festival. But this year, right on time, around fifty of us, locals and friends, gathered for the walk.

The invitation read: “A Walk through Malliontas”, the perfect excuse to lace up our boots and finally explore this lush green valley we’ve all sped through countless times on the road to and from Eresos. But how often have we actually walked it? Hardly ever. So, this was a chance not to be missed.

The walk was inspired by the restoration of the old watermill in Malliontas, now known as the Kathachanas Mill. Our local association has taken on the task of bringing it back to life, and this was a great opportunity to see the project up close. Two people leading the effort guided us: Giota Plomaritou, our association’s president, who shared the story behind the initiative, and Ioanna Vallina, the supervising architect from the National Technical University of Athens.

After a light breakfast of almond sweets and hachlouda (a local delicacy), and with walking sticks fashioned from wild arnatiko wood, we split into two groups to explore the area.

The first group, led by Fotis Vasiloglou, took a scenic route through gardens and vegetable plots, ending at a beautiful old threshing floor. Along the way, Fotis shared local history and stories that we soaked up like cold spring water straight from Malliontas. The second group, formed by those with stronger lungs, followed Andreas Pitsas, president of the “Malliontas” association, on a longer climb to the small chapel of Saint Constantine.

We wrapped up our walk in the best possible way: with homemade ouzo and meze, offered in the warm courtyard of Panagiotis Vogiatzis, known to everyone as “Botis”, the only year-round resident of Malliontas. And with that, we were already dreaming of the next adventure.

Yiannis Michail Mantas – 2020

Cultural Events

Water: The Source of Life

Water. It has been painted, praised, worshipped, and celebrated for millennia—as a timeless symbol of life. Life on Earth began in water, and for ages it thrived in its depths before reaching land. Since then, all living creatures have built their habitats and cultures around it, depending on water for survival and growth.

On April 13, 2019, our local Association hosted the cultural event “Water: The Source of Life,” which drew a large and enthusiastic audience.

The evening opened with a keynote speech by Panos Valavanis, Professor of Classical Archaeology at the University of Athens. He began with a powerful question:

“Why do we study the past, and how can a monument from a long-gone era still move and inspire us today?”

His answer was thoughtful: exploring the past connects us to the roots of human civilization. It deepens our understanding of ourselves and helps us reconsider the values and direction of modern society. And a monument, he noted, has value simply because it exists—because it has endured.

Ancient Watermills

The second speaker was Dr. Lambrini Chioti, archaeologist and expert in monument preservation, with degrees from the National Technical University of Athens and the University of Athens. Her talk focused on the history and significance of ancient watermills.

She explained that watermills have been in use since at least the 1^st century BCE. Their invention marked a major turning point in milling technology, as they were the first machines to replace human or animal labor with the natural power of water—dramatically increasing productivity.

Dr. Chioti outlined the two main types of ancient watermills:

1. Roman (vertical) mills, which used a vertical waterwheel powered by flowing water, and
2. Eastern (horizontal) mills, where the wheel was mounted horizontally.

The Malliontas mill complex includes at least twelve horizontal-wheel watermills, all actively used during the 19th century: a fascinating example of how traditional engineering shaped local life.

The Watermills of Malliontas

Giorgos Vasilas brought to life the Malliontas of 1548, a lively, thriving settlement. At the time, it was home to 70 households and an impressive 27 watermills, which served not only Mesotopos but also the surrounding villages. Most residents paid for their flour in kind, and at night, the area came alive with the laughter and songs of people waiting their turn to grind their grain, many of whom spent the night at the mills.

During the German occupation, twelve of the mills operated around the clock, playing a crucial role in feeding the local population. But during the years of the Greek Civil War, the mills were accused of aiding the partisans. Orders were given not only to shut them down but to strip them of their roofs, marking the end of Malliontas’ centuries-old milling tradition. By then, the diesel-powered mill of Kostakis Voudouris in Mesotopos had already begun serving the community’s needs.

Exposed to the elements and left untended, the once-vital watermills quickly fell into ruin.

Mesotopos and Water

Later in the evening, the audience watched a short video excerpt from an interview with Loukás Kondós, former mayor of Mesotopos. He recalled the enormous challenge of bringing clean water to the village in 1975, a project that ultimately succeeded in channeling water from the spring of Agios Konstantinos.

Following the video, Fotis Vasiloglou gave a detailed account of the village’s water infrastructure over the years. At the start of the 20th century, Mesotopos had a population of around 350 Christian and 40 Muslim families. Their water came from 12 stone fountains (ntasmades) and 13 public wells.

In 1955, under mayor Nikos Gogis, the village tapped the Paliouras spring, built a reservoir at Plakia, and installed its first piped water system. Public fountains were built in each neighborhood, but water flowed for just one hour a day. Long lines were common, and shortages were frequent.

Things changed in 1974 when the Community Council, led by Loukás Kondós, set out to solve the water crisis once and for all. Water was brought in from the Agios Konstantinos spring, located 8 kilometers away—2 of those across particularly rough terrain. On June 24, 1977, fresh water finally reached Mesotopos.

Since then, the system has been modernized, and with rising demand, a new well was drilled. Today, during the summer months, Mesotopos uses between 200 and 250 cubic meters of water per day.

Our Association proudly celebrated the arrival of fresh water to the village—a milestone in Mesotopos’ modern history. In the years that followed, we played a leading role in extending the water supply to Tavari as well.

In the summer of 2011, we held a special event to honor the Agios Konstantinos water project, with the original pioneers in attendance. Digging through mountains and ravines to bring water to the village was nothing short of a modern epic—a lasting testament to the vision, determination, teamwork, and skill of the people of Mesotopos.

Vision, Action, and a Promise for the Future

At the event, Giota Plomaritou, President of the Association, officially announced that the restoration of the Kathachanas Mill had secured funding through the LEADER program.

She spoke of the Association’s deep sense of responsibility—not only to carry out the project with transparency, sound financial management, and adherence to every regulation, but more importantly, to turn the watermill into a symbol of what’s possible. A beacon for the future.

The real challenge, she said, lies in inspiring younger generations—through educational, cultural, and environmental programs that bridge the past and the future using modern tools and technologies.

The watermill must become a living space for culture—a place where creativity spans generations. With activities for all ages. With a focus on the unique identity of the Malliontas valley. By linking it to the wider network of mills. By gaining support from every local institution. By forming partnerships with museums across Western Lesvos, like the Natural History Museum. And, above all, by channeling the collective spirit and strength of the people of Mesotopos—working together in unity and generosity.

She closed with heartfelt wishes for strength and success.

Angela Kontou, Issue 253, “Mesotopitika Nea” March–April 2019