The Mount Sotirës trail

Mount Sotirës forms the southeast side of the Ksamili peninsula and the southwest shore of Lake Butrint. It rises 232 m above sea level with small valleys formed by seasonal streams. From the highest point it is possible to see the full panorama of Lake Butrint with Mount Milë to the east and the Ionian Sea and Corfu the west.

A substantial portion of the area is covered by oak and ash trees, including a large undisturbed area of woodland along the west shore of Lake Butrint. Beech martin, wild boar, common jackal and wolf are all found here.

Several different species of bat have been observed during the summer months. Among them are the globally endangered Mediterranean horseshoe bat, long-fingered bat and Geoffrey’s bat. Caves along the west shore of Lake Butrint are the most likely winter roosting places. Outside the woodland the vegetation is typically open scrub maquis, giving way to dry grassland on the higher slopes. Butterflies are common, including swallowtail, cleopatra, hairstreaks and blues.

The birdlife of the maquis is typical of the northern Mediterranean and is dominated by different species of warblers, such as blackcap, Sardinian warbler, cetti’s warbler and olivaceous warbler. Small flocks of migrants include species like hoopoe and great grey shrike.

Much of the Ksamili peninsula has been terraced during the communist era to allow for cultivation of olive and citrus trees. The village of Ksamili itself was established in the 1960s to provide housing for workers on the citrus and olive co-operative farms. The mature olive groves are still managed and harvested by the villagers from Ksamil. The Alinura Bay to the south is a rich habitat for feeding birds.

A series of bunkers along the south side of Mount Sotirës were built during the 1960s as part of the regime’s coastal defences. Large gun emplacements are visible further up the hill, just as the ruins of a Venetian defensive tower still overlooks the entrance of the Vivari Channel.