With half an hour’s drive of The Walnut Tree villa one can reach Kefalonia’s two areas of designated National Parks – the greater area around Mount Aenos (over 1600m) and a smaller area near Mount Roudi.  These areas are significantly cooler than the coastal regions and partially covered with forests of Kefalonian Pine (Abies Cephalonica).  The National Parks and mountain areas are home to a wealth of flora with specimens specific to Kefalonia (such as the Kefalonian viola) and other more generally known alpine plants such as gentian and eidleweiss.

There are wild horses in the region of the monastery of Zoodochos Pigi which are a special feature of the wilderness – descendants of ancient Greek horses coming from the horse race of Pindos.