Walking the dog at Agiannaki Beach, Kyparissia Bay in the Peloponnese

Tamsorella and Dizzy

Agiannaki is a beautiful stretch of beach along the Kyparissia bay, deep and wide with golden brown fine sand stretching away as far as the eye can see. On this sand the huge loggerhead turtles return every year to nest. You can still see the old nesting sites ringed with canes,  placed with care by the young volunteers of the Kyparissia  Turtle Conservation  project.  The aim is to preserve and protect  this incredible beach and nesting site  from tourists and developers  to keep these ancient creatures and their tiny progeny  away from the disorientating lights  of civilisation. The beach project has been so exponentially successful over the years that there are thousands of newborn turtles  reaching the sea and returning to the beach to nest years later. Good news for the turtles and good news for those of us who want to keep the beautiful and natural beach terrain of the bay unspoilt.

Surf at Agiannaki Beach

The views in Winter are awe inspiring.  On one side huge salty breakers roll in,  powerful perfect arcs tipped with creamy foaming tumbling surf; roaring and crashing  as it rumbles  down and races greedily to shore, effervescent bubbles hissing and whooshing as they break on shingle and sand.  The horizon stretches endlessly onward, a deep dark blue fading through  gunmetal  grey to an opalescent pearl as the sea meets the sky and the clouds begin to  break their cargo of rain.

View from the beach

On the other side of the beach is a lush expanse of grassy plain fringed with spreading cedar and cypress trees, deep green, Misty  and aromatic. The looming  grey-green mountains reach up behind, their snow covered tops swirled in mysterious fog. I  walked with the dog who frisked and jumped about  carefully avoiding the foamy advances of the surf and chasing sea birds from their driftwood perches. These moments are precious ….

Sun through the mountains