Kournas Lake – Apokoronas

The only freshwater lake on the island of Crete, Kournas Lake, is located at the north edge of the White Mountains, barely 4 km from Georgioupolis, on the borders of Apokoronas. The name – Kournas – probably comes from the Arab word for lake/tub – or perhaps the word for a tap. In the past, it was called Korisia. Some believe there was a temple here to Athena Korisias. The lake creates a fascinating environment, which constantly changes with the seasons. In winter the water level rises and the lake grows, in summer it falls, revealing sandy shores and the spring that feeds it – the Amati.

The dark colours at the centre of the lake are the result of algae growth. For some reason in the past popular opinion had declared the lake to be artificial, however, it is not. The ecosystem of the lake and the River Delphina (which takes the lake water north to the Cretan Sea) are amongst the most vital on the island, and indeed in Greece too. Rightly the locale has been included in the Natura 2000 network. It is a stopping place for migratory birds and a spot where one meets many species endemic to the island, and the East Mediterranean. Eels and their young, amphibians and reptiles – like the Emydi (Malaclemys terrapin) with its spotted shell, and many birds – ducks, moorhens, cormorants, even herons: all live here.

And so do nymphs! Or so the story goes. A girl was thought to appear on moonlight nights, combing her blond hair. Some say that she wishes to escape the lustful attentions of her father, and asked the spirits to turn her into a lake. Another version makes her the daughter of the priest of a village that once stood there – the only survivor of the flood sent by God to drown the wicked inhabitants. The modern counterpoint of such legends, and a more ‘scientific’ opinion for those who wish to explain such phenomena, speaks of electromagnetic fields present in the area.

Whether you are swimming in the summer, walking on its shores, sailing in a boat, or on a picnic, Kournas Lake is a destination that can combine many activities – including lunch or coffee in the tavernas on the banks that overlook the turquoise waters.