With its height is 2456 m, Psiloritis is the highest peak of the Ida mountains located in the central part of the island, and at the same time the highest peak on Crete. Its name is derived from the name of the Dorian god of Idha, meaning a ´wooded mountain´ - implying that the bald mountainside once used to be covered with dense forest. A considerable part of the forests was preserved till the Venetian period, despite the logging to build houses and ships. The island lost its wealth only during the Ottoman period. Today only about 10% of Crete is wooded, with huge areas of the island being desolate due to their agricultural exploitation.