Lakkos tou Frangou, also known as the Well of the Franks, is an enchanting valley hidden behind the Aphrodite Hills hotel, just off the coastal road near Aphrodite’s Rock. This time of year is perfect for walking, so we headed out to find it. And we discovered more than we expected.

I visit Aphrodite Hills hotel a lot. Usually for breakfast, sometimes for a spa. But I had never heard of Lakkos tou Frangou until I came across it in an old walking guide. It sounded too inviting to ignore.

To get to Lakkos tou Frangou, follow the signs off the motorway to Aphrodite Hills. Drive into the hotel resort (don’t worry about the security guards, they never stop you) and up the hill. Go straight on at the roundabout, past the spa, until you reach a T-junction. Turn right and stay on that road. It will take you past golf courses and villas. Just keep going.

Eventually the road turns into a track that sweeps over the brow of a hill and downwards into a valley. No sheer drops – it’s a pretty drive. You follow the road along hills dotted with trees.

After ten minutes, the valley you are driving down ends in a beautiful pocket of land. Smaller valleys lead away from it, sweeping upwards towards wooded plateaus. We found ourselves driving through an ancient olive grove carpeted with anemones and other spring flowers. Horses looked up at us from the meadows they were grazing in. To our right was an old building, a church just behind it. In front of us was a pretty riding stables nestled between tall pine trees. We had reached Lakkos Tou Frangou – the Well of the Franks.

An old carriage road runs through Lakkos tou Frangou. This used to be the main east-west thoroughfare until the B6 coastal road was built in the 20^th century. Lakkos tou Frangou gets its name from the well found here, important in medieval times when the island was ruled by French Lusignans. The old building, called the Hani, was built as a rest stop for weary travellers.

We parked and had a picnic in the middle of the olive grove, soaking up the beautiful tranquility of the place.

We’d come to this place for a walk but before we set off, we had a look inside the Hani, the old inn. I liked its spaciousness and could imagine living in it. I later discovered that there are – or were – plans to turn it into a luxury villa.

We wandered around the outside of Agios Georgios, the old church.  We spotted the old carriage road running up through the hills behind it. Some of its ancient cobblestones are still visible.

But where was the famous well? I thought it was in the courtyard of the Hani, but nothing. I realised that the well was next to the old stone trough I’d seen when we’d driven into the valley, hidden under a slab of concrete. Ironically, the well was the only ugly thing in Lakkos tou Frangou.

We looked up at the three hills surrounding Lakkos tou Frangou. Which direction should we take for our walk? Matt chose south, up a steep track towards a large farm. As we walked, a pair of hoopoes flew over our heads. Hoopoes are distinctive migratory birds that visit Cyprus every spring. It was great to see them.

We walked for half an hour, under carob trees, through pine trees and up to the top of a hill. We looked back over the valley we had driven down to get here, a blur of blue sea in the distance.

The smell of manure hit us as we skirted the farm, flies everywhere. A farmer herded dozens of goats over nearby slopes. We walked on along the top of the hills, Herc sleeping in the sling.

Ahead of us the trail rose again and we climbed up and along it. I looked out at the rocky hillsides and thought how this would be the perfect place to find caves and tombs. But I didn’t spot any.

The hill ended abruptly at a cliff and a spectacular view.

We had found the White Promontory, the highest point on the south coast. On the edge of the cliff was a concrete trig point marking the spot, 302m above sea level. Below we could see the motorway we’d travelled along to get here. Behind that, Petra tou Romiou, also known as Aphrodite’s Rock, glinted in the distance. Beautiful.

We ambled back to Lakkos tou Frangou, stopping on the way so that Goobie and Herc could play in the glades among the anemones. These gorgeous flowers come into bloom in the early spring and so if you want to appreciate the full beauty of Lakkos tou Frangou, go in February or March.

It was getting late. The sun would set soon. We started to drive out of Lakkos tou Frangou in the opposite direction to which we arrived. We were on the old carriage road heading towards a plateau and down a zigzag old Roman road that would eventually take us to Alektora and back to the motorway.

We had seen what remained of Lakkos tou Frangou’s history as an important rest stop. We had enjoyed its beauty and tranquility. And we’d been led to the spectacular vistas that surrounded it. But as we drove away, Lakkos tou Frangou had a final surprise in store – its incredible birdlife.

In the late afternoon light, hoopoes flew over the trees. We wound down the car windows and heard a bird call. ‘That sounds like a kookaburra!’ exclaimed Goobie. I looked through the camera lens and spotted a large bird on a nearby tree. From my position, it did indeed resemble a kookaburra. I later identified it as a Great Spotted Cuckoo. I have never seen one in the four years I’ve lived in Cyprus.

We drove on and a falcon shot in front of the car. I think it was a Lesser Kestrel.

And then this bird. It looked a bit smaller than a pigeon and it took me ages to identify it, steeling myself against the horrific pictures of bird-trapping that came up when I entered ‘Birds Cyprus’ into Google. I consulted with Goobie and we think this bird is a Woodchat Shrike. Whatever it is, it’s gorgeous.

We drove down the narrow, bumpy Roman road, back home, Goobie buzzing after our best bird-sightings yet. He loves bird-spotting.

Lakkos tou Frangou offered a day of restorative tranquility, an escape from everyday life, a pretty place filled with history, wildlife, flora and stunning views. It felt special to me.

Yet, tragically, this haven is threatened. As I researched it in the days that followed our visit, I discovered the website for the Association of Large Investment Projects, which featured Lakkos tou Frangou as a place of future development. The Aphrodite Hills complex wants to replace the glades and flower-filled hillsides with yet more villas and golf courses. A horrific diagram shows how they want to transform this place of natural beauty into a housing estate. Are more villas and golf courses really required in this area??

I emailed the company to ask whether the plans had been authorised and, if so, when Lakkos tou Frangou was going to be destroyed. My email bounced back. Lakkos tou Frangou is on the edge of a protected Natura 2000 area. Let’s hope the plans were rejected. Let’s hope this place of beauty is left in peace. Let’s hope it can be protected for future generations to enjoy.