The Katara Pass, at 1,705 metres, is the highest paved road pass in Greece, and it carries the old main road between Ioannina and Trikala over the spine of the Pindus. The name means curse, which is generally supposed to refer to the many travellers who crossed it in snow and wind and regretted the day they set out. For centuries it was the only route between Epirus and Thessaly, and trade caravans and armies crossed it along stone paths, long before the road was paved. Since the new motorway tunnels were opened, most of the traffic bypasses it, leaving the pass quiet.
The road climbs from Metsovo through dense forest of beech and fir, with long, easy bends and a surface that is mostly good, though it is patched in places after winter. Higher up, the trees thin out, and you emerge onto an open, windswept saddle of mountain grass and rock, with the high ridges of the Pindus rolling away in layers. At the top there is often cloud or mist, and the temperature can be ten degrees lower than in the town. A small chapel sits near the road, and in winter, the area is a skiing destination, with ski lifts on the slopes nearby.
For riders, Katara is one of the finest roads in northern Greece. The bends are smooth and rhythmic, the traffic is light, and the scenery is vast and empty. There is a sense of crossing something significant. Check the weather before you go, since fog, hail and thunderstorms can build quickly, even in summer. In winter, snow often closes the road, and snow chains are required. The best time is late spring, when the meadows are green and wild flowers bloom, or early autumn, when the forests turn gold.
The Pindus is bear and wolf country, and the largest wild areas in Greece lie here. You are unlikely to see either, but you may spot griffon vultures and eagles over the ridges, and sheep dogs, large and white, guard the flocks in summer, and it is wise to keep a respectful distance. Shepherds still bring their flocks to the high pastures, in a pattern of movement that goes back centuries.
Metsovo, about ten kilometres away, has stations and cafés, and Ioannina, further west, is the nearest large city. Bring warm clothes and a waterproof, because conditions change quickly at this altitude.