Lake Aoos, reservoir in Greece

Lake Aoos is an artificial reservoir in Epirus, Greece, formed by a dam built on the Aoos River. It sits among forested hills and rocky mountain slopes, with dirt paths running along its shores and through the surrounding terrain.

Construction of the dam and reservoir on the Aoos began in 1981 and was completed in 1991. The scheme raised Greece's average hydroelectric potential by 7 percent. The lake lies between the Pindus and Vikos-Aoos national parks and is managed by the Public Power Corporation (DEI).

The lake's name comes from the Aoos, the river whose springs feed it; Greeks also call it Lake of the Springs of Aoos. Since 2014 it has been excluded from the Metsovo-Chrysovitsa-Greveniti Wildlife Refuge, which allowed fishing, and it remains a Natura 2000 Special Protection Area (GR1310002). Its waters can irrigate the Politsa plateau, where residents work in farming and livestock.

The lake is reachable from several villages in the area, and the paths along the shores work well for walking or cycling at your own pace. It is worth setting out early in the day, as shade is limited in places and the terrain can be uneven along parts of the route.

The reservoir lies between two national parks, Pindus and Vikos-Aoos, and is part of the Natura 2000 network as Special Protection Area GR1310002. Its water and shores host the alpine newt, chub and brown trout, alongside wolves, bears and roe deer in the surrounding forest.