The Petrified Forest of Evros and the Volcano.

Until recently I only knew about the famous Petrified Forest of Lesvos. After my visit to Evros region i learned that there is also the Petrified forest of Evros, near Lefkimi and Tehero villages, 20 km away from the known silk productive Soufli village, in the very North East of Greece, near the border with Turkey.

We stayed on the homonymous hostel next to the Petrified Forest, whose owner was very informed about the history of it and took some time to present it with great enthusiasm. In the courtyard of the guesthouse were also some findings from the petrified forest, even of palms and other exotic trees, since there was a rainforest at this region 50 million years ago!

Someone can reach at the petrified forest via a footpath of about a kilometer walk. Unfortunately, you can access only with a specific driver - guide and preferably in the spring or summer months. For this reason at the next village Tehero, one can admire some findings logs scattered in the square and an approximately 20-meter oak trunk, located just outside the village.

The geologists argue that the exhistance of the Petrified forest indicates the exhistance of a nearby volcano, whose lava upon detonation covered the logs and left this result.

The opinions of experts as to the existence of a volcano in the region are divided: some say that the volcano was in the Lekofi village and others that when Samothrace was united with Thrace, the eruption of the volcano on Mount Saos had an impact to Lefkimmis forest.

I'm sure that after all the above you will no longer have the same impression you had for Evros. For sure now it seems a more exotic place for me.