TWITCHERS' HEAVEN JUST METRES OFF KOUKOUNARIA BEACH

Koukounaria beach on the Greek Skiathos island is a noisy and packed with tourists place. Just a few metres behind the picket fence which encloses the long sandy beach there is a nature reserve. Wide and dusty pathways lead through the koukounaries forest to Strofylia lake where twitchers may find long hours of blissful oblivion. The trees and the lake are full of birds. The koukounaria trees are not typical for Skiathos. They are believed to have been brought on the island by the Venetians in the 13th century.