From the main Paphos to Polis road take the steep country road signposted Akourdalia on the left soon after passing Loukrounou. You will ascend a lane which, in spring, shaded by oak trees and long grasses, might almost remind you of a English country lane. Now of course the grasses are burnt off and tall thistles have replaces the diverse array of spring flowers.

The illusion remains though, and you would be unfortunate indeed to meet anything but local and farm traffic on the approach to Kato Akourdalia whatever the season. This is a short stroll of 8 to 10 kilometers, depending on whether you do the full circuit, mainly on quiet country roads and bridleways.

It is best undertaken at this time of year though in early morning or in the evening when the sun is in a benevolent mood. Even at a leisurely pace it should be completed in less than three hours.

Park in entering Kato Akourdalia and walk through the village to the kafenion, where a signpost indicates Miliou left and Pano Akourdalia right. Take the right branch, a tar sealed road that climbs gently past a vaulted church. Soon after this signs point to the Byzantine chapel of Ayia Paraskevi and to the local folk museum.
Before turning here for Ayia Paraskevi, the museum is worth a visit.

Even if it is not open, it is possible to see in. Small though it is, it houses a fascination display of traditional clothing, artifacts, domestic and farm implements. Displayed outside are an olive press, an old well and a zivania still that would turn Irish poteen manufacturers green with envy. You can join the road to the chapel by proceeding onto a small terrace just beyond these and scrambling down onto the concrete.

The road soon becomes dirt teak overlooking a golden gorge with sheer rivers beneath which great blocks of stone disintegrate. Continue alongside the gorge, the side valleys of which are remarkably green with dense bush cover. The tiny chapel stands at a main confluence in the stream system. The path to Pano Akroudalia climbs steeply to the left a hundred meters before the church. It is proper farm track, leading to some small vineyards higher up, but it is a bit overgrown with grasses and thistles in places.

A twenty-minute climb brings you onto the plateau around the upper village. There are more vineyards. Soon the paved road appears, leading to the tiny village through almond groves, past goat pens where hens and doves all to the rustic atmosphere. A friendly villager offered coffee and spoke sadly of the decline of the village whose sons and grandchildren now seemed to prefer the bustle and the traffic of the cities.

Yet the village is neat, and there is new building going on. The concrete road leads out onto the main street of Pano Akourdalia. You can make your way down past the old church and the new one to follow the road back to Kato Akourdalia. The road descends pleasantly through cultivated fields where stiff, bone-dry barley contrasts with lightly moving wild oats in the dry fields. There are good views too, ahead to Polis and the sea, cross the valley to natural terraces and beyond to Stavros.

The temptation though is to try for the route to Miliou, which is marked on some maps. Many locals however deny the existence of such a route. Others offer discouragement with tales of rough and precipitous tracks, and go away sadly shaking their heads at the folly of walking when a simple drive via Kato Akourdalia would see you in Miliou in no time. Several roads appear to head off in the right direction.

The one opposite the church, near to an old olive press looks particularly promising. Tempting though it is it leads only into an area of farmland, culminating in a steep mountainside. The next left after a row of small village houses is the right one. It leads out onto a plateau with farmland, soon giving way to rougher terrain on a steep valley side. Far below the village of Miliou can be seen.

The road forks follow the left branch which contours round a prominent rocky spur. Fine view points over Miliou and across to the distant Troodos massif feature this stretch. Finally the track descends more steeply to join the newly concreted road that joins the lower villages. This leads back to your started point, passing a deep stream bed with tall canes and a number of mature oak trees giving shade.