They lie scattered on Greek mountains, enveloped in myth about strange creatures and stories created by locals in the past. These blue gems decorate the green and sometimes white backdrop of alpine meadows, enhancing the beauty of Greek mountains. They are to be found on hard-to-reach mountain peaks mostly on the Pindus range, on the mountains of Epirus and W. Macedonia. They provide the perfect setting for relaxing and they are a source of beauty and wellbeing to nature-lovers as well as valuable objects for research to scientists. Their name brings to mind fairytales and their existence is a precious gift of Mother Nature!
These mountain lakes are the well-known dragon lakes (drakolimnes) which are remnants of the Ice Age according to scientists, or the dwelling places of dragons incessantly fighting each other according to tradition. They are areas with a singular and sensitive ecological balance. High temperatures, scant nutrients, wide variations in sunlight during the summer and the winter months have turned these alpine lakes into truly unique ecosystems. Their waters are home to the Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris), a very interesting urodele amphibian, and a strong swimmer which also walks out of water. It is approximately 10-12 cm long with an impressive orange-red colour in the lower part of its body, and a dragon-like appearance!
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