Can Bears Tie Knots?

I stared at the giant white dog that guarded the meandering dirt path ahead, and it stared back undaunted.

   'Let's go back,' I said.

   'It'll be fine, it's just guarding the goats,' Craig nodded his head in the direction of a small herd of goats grazing on the hillside. 'It's used to tourists. And the shepherd will be kicking about close by. Come on.'

   'You mean like that very friendly cattle dog that tried to attack the car yesterday? No, you go if you want, but I'm going back to follow the yellow path.'

   'Fine,' Craig sighed as we retreated to the safety of the pine forest.

   We followed the dusty path through the foothills of the Pindus Nature Reserve until we came across a break in the trees that formed a natural viewing point of the valley below. I stripped off my black fleece, placed it carefully on the pine needle carpet then sat in the small patch of sun. Craig sat next to me, taking no heed of the pine needles that scratched and burrowed in the skin. After years working as a forester, he had become accustomed to the punishments Mother Nature throws at us. I removed my right walking boot and sock to air the huge blister that had formed on the sole of my foot a few days before and crossed it over my leg. 

   In front of us stood the Pindus Mountain range, the point where Epirus, Thessaly and Western Macedonia meet. Perched on the slopes of this natural amphitheatre was the town of Metsovo. With its traditional white buildings and terracotta roofs; Metsovo was once a prominent commercial hub for the Ottoman Empire due to it occupying the corridor that linked the east and west. Now it is a tourist town catering to Greek day trippers. The lack of British tourists and the authentic Greek culture were the reasons I booked the holiday. The other was that it was cheap due to September being off-season.

   Once we were rested and hydrated, we made our way back to the yellow trail. We had been advised by the receptionist at our hotel, The Grand Forest Hotel, to try and stick to the yellow path as the red one was more suited for advanced hikers. However, she had not warned us that no signs or arrows marked the way only painted stones. She also did not mention that the yellow and red stones led down the same path. I stared at the ground as I walked so as I wouldn't miss any of the brightly coloured rocks that guided our way.

   'Is that bear tracks?' I called to Craig, who had grown tired of my sluggish pace and wandered off on his own.

   'It's probably just a big dog.'

   Bear or dog I found neither reassuring. The tracks looked fresh, and it wasn't long before we came across a huge, fresh and fragrant pile of excrement. I quickly glanced up at Craig who seemed unconcerned by our recent discovery. As we continued on our hike, I found my eyes were no longer glued to the ground with its half-hidden rocks and roots. The trees that towered over us now had my undivided attention. My heart rate increased with every snap of a branch and rustle of leaves. 

  Eventually, the trees started to clear, and we found ourselves standing in a woodland meadow with a clear view of the Egnatia Highway snaking its way through the mountain range. Gradually I started to calm at the sight of civilisation. And then I spotted it, the bleached skull of a goat lying in the overgrown grass.

   'See. I told you there are bears.'

   'Brown bears don't eat goats. Anyway, even if they did they wouldn't come this close to civilisation.'

   'That's not what the girl at the winery said. She said a bear broke down a fence to get to the grapes.'

   Craig rolled his eyes and followed the path to the main road. I peered into the gloom of the forest to check we were not being followed by a rogue bear. Reluctantly, I shuffled after Craig. Beads of sweat rolled down my back, and I became acutely aware of the sour smell that was wafting from under my arms. Can bears track scent? The thought was enough to make me break into a sprint. If a bear did turn up, I was not going to face it alone.

   We reached the foot of the hill and were faced with a choice, we could turn right and walk up the steep road to the hotel car park or turn left and follow the trail that we had been walking for the past hour. After a quick discussion, we decided to follow the path and see where it led. It wasn't long before we stumbled across our first arrows, one yellow and one red, both pointing in the same direction. I looked at Craig for reassurance and was met by a shrug, so off we went down the dirt path. Soon we found our next marker nailed to a tree. Red and yellow arrows were not the only thing adorning the tree. Hanging from one of the gnarled branches like a macabre Christmas decoration was another sun-bleached goat skull.

   'I didn't realise bears could tie knots,' smirked Craig.

   I suppressed the sudden urge to kick him in the shin and followed the arrow. The path led us into another patch of pine forest.  Unlike the dusty track at the top of the hill, this one was trampled grass and mud. The smell of damp earth and decomposing leaves filled the air, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere. It wasn't just the humidity that was different but also the terrain, where the first path was relatively level this one led uphill at a steep gradient. At several points, Craig had to stop and help to pull me up the staircase that nature had created with its tangle of roots and worn rocks.

   'We must have read the signs wrong. There is no way this is the easy path,' I panted as I slumped down on a moss-covered boulder.

   'I don't know, but I think we should call it quits. It won't be long before the sun is behind that mountain.'

   Grabbing our bags, we headed down the path that we had just walked. As we reached the road that led to the hotel, we stopped and checked the position of the sun.

   'It'll be quicker if we walk up the road,' suggested Craig.

   I looked at the narrow road that wound its way up the hill towards the safety of the hotel and shook my head. Although well maintained, it was still treacherous with its blind bends and sheer drops. We had met people walking along the road before, and I had always thought they were reckless.  Greek driving is questionable at the best of times, but on a road like that, it was only a matter of time before an accident happened.

   The dirtpath that led us back up the field was steeper than I remembered. With every step,I could feel the blister on my foot rub and grow. We had barely made it halfway up the hill when I gave up. Sitting on a rock, watching the sun kiss the treetops I burst into tears.

   'I can't do this,' I wailed. 'I'm tired, my foot's sore, and there is no way we'll make it back before sunset.'

   'Why don't we head back to the road?' Craig suggested calmly. 'You can wait at the bottom, and I'll bring the car down to get you.'

   'No, I don't want to be on my own. Feral dogs could attack me. Or a bear.'

   'It's that, or we carry on up the path. It's your choice.'

   Reluctantly, I stood up and wiped the tears from my cheeks. I crawled slowly up the path. Craig kept a firm hand on my back to gently push me on, when I started to flag. Eventually, after what seemed like hours, but was probably closer to twenty minutes, we reached the tree line and level ground. Although the terrain was more comfortable to walk on, I was still exhausted and in agony. I was not revelling at the thought of limping through the reception of a five-star hotel cover in sweat and mud. However, it was the knowledge that the safety of the carpark and hotel was within spitting distance that kept me going.

   And then I spotted it, a giant albino bear standing beyond the treeline. I focused my eyes on the motionless bear. With a renewed sense of vigour and all aches and pains forgotten about I forged ahead. Gradually, the rough dirt track gave way to the smooth black tarmac of the road. I smiled up at the bear statue that guarded the entrance to the carpark and the hotel that lay beyond.