One of the most beautiful valleys of Cyprus is the valley of Marathasa, which owes its existence, its creation and its formation to the Setrachos river.
The Setrachos river has its sources in the north slopes of Troodos and does not only rely on rain since it has dozens of natural sources, this is how it still irrigates the fields of Marathasa in the summer.
Its waters give life to the villages of Pedoulas, Moutoullas, Kalopanagiotis and Oikos. It then crosses the village of Lefka which is occupied by the Turks and it ends up in the sea of Xerou.
Two dams have been created in the village. One of them is the dam of Kalopanagiotis and the other one is the one of Lefka.
During the Ottoman Empire and on, the water of the river was the reason for conflict between the Turkish residents of Lefka and the residents of Marathasa. The Turks, being occupiers, forbid the Greek residents of the villages in the valley from using the Setrachos’ river waters to irrigate their fields. The residents, having no other means of survival trespassed this prohibition resulting to the death of many people.
A lot later when the English arrived on the island, they yielded justice and allowed the villages to benefit from the river. Even then the conflicts did not stop. Each village relied on some ancient unwritten law concerning the fair division of water, and wanted it for its own settlers, so as to result to something that was not very different to that during the Ottoman Empire. The conflicts only ended in 1903, after the decision of the Supreme Court of Cyprus. This decision vindicated the settlers of Marathasa.
A great development followed in all the villages of the Marathasa valley due to the use of the village. Dozens of water mills were built on its shores. The residents prospered and the villages grew biggers.
The river is still today the main means of income for all 4 villages of the valley. A few years ago there were enough restaurants and eating centres on the coastline of the river to serve the thousands of visitors that passed by while going to the Kykkos monastery.
After the widening of the road from Nicosia to Troodos to Kykkos, the visitors “forgot” the beautiful journey through the river’s valley, so as to result to the abandonment of many of these, that still remain dilapidated on the shores of Setrachos.
The journey along the coastline of the river can offer amazing experiences and endless beauties to the visitors, and this is why they are worth being crossed.
