Tall thunderheads float like galleons across the horizon, and on the road to Archimandrita gusts of wind move the pines, redistributing the roadside litter that even this remote area has been unable to avoid. Something large looms overhead – a sheet of plastic in the wind?

No. Wing-tip feathers spread like fingers at the extremities of its span a huge bird glides low across the road against the wind. Then, another - and another. Three vultures, magnificent in the arrogance cruise down into the Diazaros.

This is a short but challenging walk in the pinewoods and rough farmland around Archimandrita. The tomb of Ayii Patres, housing reputedly 318 skulls, the ancient pack-bridge and the remains of the old village are the permanent features of the area. I cannot promise you vultures, the griffons were a bonus, but these mighty birds do not seem out of place.

Drive up to Archimandrita from the Kouklia turn-off on the road to Paphos. Soon you are in wild country where scattered pines stand out light green against a dark, impenetrable cover of prickly broom. The first sight of Archimandrita opens up an oasis of vineyards and golden fields against the backdrop of the eroded slopes of Kafkalla.

Pass through the village turning right at the sign indicating the shrine of the 318 fathers. Park on the open space above the cave. A stepped footpath has been constructed, leading down to the tomb, a small cave in the hillside overlooking the wooded Khapotami valley. Inside, the relics of a disastrous flight maintain a silent and sightless vigil.

They say that the holy men came to Cyprus from Syria, seeking refuge from persecution. They landed at Pissouri in the dead of night and were led across country by an archimandrite, seeing the dawn with the crowing of the cockerel at Alektora. The journey ended tragically when, they were massacred by the heathen who inhabited the area.

From the tomb a rough track leads sown as marked on this map through rough agricultural land with scattered carob and olive trees. Take the road that leads down to a dry-river bed spanned by the arch of an ancient hump-backed bridge near a ruined mill backed by impressive outcrops of chalk strata. Two possible routes are now on offer. By far the more straightforward is to retrace your steps a little way, taking the first left, which leads through the pinewoods to the lower valley and the old village of Kato Archimandrita.

A deep valley on the left is the course of the old footpath, but this is to be avoided, being chocked with vegetation that included some treacherously barbed bramble patches. The road leads straight down to the ruined village where the church is the only building still standing.

From here the return route is up the valley-side past grassy slopes with scattered pines and miniature scrub forest. This is a steep climb in places, but offers fine views. Higher up the gradient eases, as the road passes round the head of an open valley. Finally the footpath indicated on the map passes through a vineyard and a field, leading out onto the tar sealed road, which leads back to your car.

The more challenging route from the old bridge to Kato Archimandrita consists of following the dirt road up through very attractive mature pine woods to the point where the trees give way to a low spiny scrub cover on both sides of a deep valley. At this point a weak cart track leads off to the right. This soon degenerates into a confusion of goat tracks, leading on the ridge top into dense patches of prickly broom, impassable to all but the most ardent believer in mortification of the flesh.

By following tracks leading left into the valley however, a foot track can be discovered. This leads down the steep right hand side of the valley to join a cart track at the bottom. Follow this left for a couple of hundred meters with the abandoned village just across the valley.

Ignore tow left turns and follow the first right past two venerable olive trees. On reaching the first junction go left and follow the route back as already described. Walkers from Limassol can then complete a scenic drive home via the ruined village of Mousere and Dhora. Part of the road is an old cobbled way and is fairly rough, but the views of the upper Diarizos over the terraced slopes are stupendous. On reaching Dhora, Limassol is signposted via Ayios Amvrosios and Irimi Bridge.