On The Trail Of Tarantulas Under Mount Taygetos

Aer trekking in the scorching heat, Ben Aldiss came across a giant arachnid lurking in the shadows.

- Ben Aldiss

The July morning had dawned crystal clear, so the perfect symmetry of Mount Taygetos stood out with unusual clarity from the barren landscape. The stunning blue waters of the gulf barely stirred under the cloudless skies – it promised to be a scorching day.

My son Matt, daughter Sofie and I headed up a dry riverbed leading from the coastal town of Kardamyli towards the distant peak of the mountain. On previous camping holidays in the Peloponnese region, we’d seen tell-tale signs of the infamous tarantula – Lycosa tarantula. But it was here in Kardamyli that I believed we might strike lucky and find one.