Trailblazers offers insights for return to mountains

Although not yet a trend, some young people are seeking a change from urban life, and moving to mountainous regions to start up a life. 

The effort is being supported through the European program PEAK, to encourage mountain entrepreneurship.

“An effort has been made to identify people who have already taken such steps, to see how they have succeeded, to learn from them both about the positive aspects and the difficulties they have faced,” said Stella Giannakopoulou, a researcher at the National Technical University of Athens’ Metsovion Interdisciplinary Research Center.

So far however it’s been an uphill climb, because, although more than 70% of the country’s territory is classified as mountainous, settlements seem to be abandoned to their fate. 

The lack of infrastructure in education and health is mentioned as one of the most important obstacles.

Giannakopoulos said that populations in mountainous area are still declining, noting that in the decade 2001-2010 alone, the number dropped by about 10%.