The route ends in the wider area of the Acheloos estuary, a landscape of great beauty. It is part of the “National Park of the Lagoon of Messolonghi – Aitoliko, the lower course and estuaries of the rivers Acheloos and Evinos and the Echinades Islands”, one of the richest wetlands in Europe, with a total area of about 155,676 acres.
The Acheloos is the second longest Greek river, and is also called the Aspros (White) or Whitewater because of the colour of its waters. Its springs are in Pindos and is 220 km long, flowing successively through Thessaly, Epirus and then into Aitoloakarnania for its longest stretch, and finally empties into the Ionian Sea, between Mount Kotsilaris and the Dioni peninsula. Initially it debouched between the hills of the Stamna area, but gradually turned westwards, causing major geomorphological changes. The estuary area is characterised by scattered hills, most of which were formerly part of the Echinades islands, but which were incorporated into the mainland by the alluvial silting action of the Acheloos. Some of these are the hill of Trikardos or Trikardokastro, where the ancient city of Oiniades is to be found and the hill of Skopas, where the city of Nassos (i.e. Nisos = island) is most probably located. Other hills that have been swallowed up are Koutsilaris, Katsas (Katochi), Chounovina and Dioni. More information about Acheloos as a natural, mythical and geopolitical phenomenon can be found at the Xenokrateion Archaeological Museum in Messolonghi, where the video “Acheloos, the lord of all rivers” is shown.
The wider area of the wetland includes coastal ecosystems, marshes, salt flats and drained areas given over to agriculture. It also includes riverine and riparian areas, and water-loving forests, including the Fraxos Forest.
