Spring breaks in the open air
There are probably about 10,000 people in Greece who go out walking in the countryside just for the pleasure of it. Although there are dozens of hiking clubs around the country, many of them consist simply of a group of friends who take off into the hills on the weekends. The rest of the people really don’t know what they are missing. The beauty of the Greek landscape only becomes truly apparent once you get off the asphalt, into country unspoiled by discarded cigarette packets, the ubiquitous blue plastic bags or the concrete that has been spreading relentlessly even into settlements where just a few years ago all the architecture was traditional. For those who don’t know where to start, or are afraid of getting lost, most trekking clubs welcome non-members on excursions, usually charging them only a little more than members. Bookings for the Easter holidays are filling fast, but at the time of writing, the following groups still had places. Atrapos Alternative Tourism (45 Kefallinias, Halandri, telephone 010.671.8559) has organized a tour of the eastern Peloponnese region of Tsakonia for Easter, visiting the villages of Tyro, Melana, Pragmateftis, Leonidio, where the resurrection is celebrated with flaming hot-air balloons, and a trek to the plateau of Paliochora (May 3-6). The following Sunday, Atrapos will visit the artificial lake of Doxa, the surrounding fir forests and ancient Pheneos in the foothills of Mt Zireia in Corinth. Hellenic Alpine Club (EOS) Athens (010.321.2429) has an easy Easter excursion to Paiko and Loutraki Aridaias in northern Greece, with a walk along a Roman pathway from Yiannitsa, a climb on Mt Kaimaktsalan, visits to thermal baths, the traditional village of Nymphaio and the Arcturos bear sanctuary. The weekend after Easter (May 11-12), it is organizing a hiking tour around Mt Mainalon in the central Peloponnese. Hellenic Alpine Club (EOS) Acharnon (010.246.1528) has an excursion to Parnitha on Sunday, April 21, with a short trek and climbing games on the Varibombi rock. For Easter, they have organized a five-day tour to Mt Yiona’s Pyramid peak and the Rekka Gorge, but only for people with some mountaineering experience. Also at Easter is a climb on Vovousa, staying overnight at the new Valia Kalda refuge. Again, because of winter conditions still prevailing on the mountain, experience is necessary. On Sunday, May 12, there’s a day hike closer to home, on Mt Parnitha, and on May 19, to Evia’s Dirfis Forest. Finding your own way If you prefer to set out on your own, there are safe alternatives, thanks to the efforts of people involved in restoring traditional paths between villages that had fallen into disuse and become lost among scrub and falling rock. Many municipalities – with the assistance of companies specializing in finding these paths and supervising restoration work on them – are using European Union funds earmarked for the purpose to set up networks of clearly marked and mapped paths through some of Greece’s most interesting areas. Antonis Kalogirou, of Oxygen magazine, who has been involved in some of these projects, has written two books in Greek on the paths of Meteora and Parnitha («Ta Monopatia ton Meteoron» published by Text and «Ta Monopatia tis Parnithas,» published by Road). He has edited the Oxygen magazine insert «Trekking,» now a permanent addition to the magazine, which gives details of many of the routes. «The maps are very clear, with descriptions of landmarks along the way, and the paths are marked every 10 meters or so, making it almost impossible to get lost,» said Kalogirou. The September 2001 issue of Oxygen Trekking details the restoration of a network of 17 paths on Cape Maleas, all with sea views and some of which follow the dramatic coastline. The previous issue takes readers on a tour of paths crossing the island of Andros. Routes at the ancient site of Olympia and the surrounding area are given in the December 2001 issue of Oxygen. Back copies are available from the magazine (62 Theomitoros, Aghios Dimitrios, Athens 173 42, telephone 010.985.4444, website www.oxygen.gr and e-mail [email protected]. Another project that has made one of Greece’s most famous mountains more accessible is the restoration of a route on the eastern slope of Mt Taygetos, from Sparta through the Byzantine fortress town of Mystras and up to Anavryti. The combined efforts of the Environment and Public Works Ministry, the Laconia reginal association, the Felia-Faris and the Parnonas-Taygetos development associations, along with the Sparta branch of the Hellenic Alpine Club, has ensured that the restoration is of high standard. A guide book has been published in Greek and English (Hellenic Alpine Club of Sparta 07310.22574, 07310.24135). Excellent maps and guides to Greece’s back country are available from Road Publications, with outlets in central Athens and Glyfada, and are also sold in bookstores. The mountaineering magazine Korfes, published by the Hellenic Alpine Club’s Acharnes branch also includes detailed maps of several mountains. Back copies are available from the club. Trekkers should beware, however, and ensure that the paths they are about to set out on are indeed recently marked and restored. The old E4 trail, cutting through Greece from north to south, is in fact impassable along much of its length or accessible only to the most experienced trekkers. Hiking clubs all recommend that one should never set out without a supply of water and some food, good hiking boots, a hat and waterproof clothing, no matter what the weather, as well as a flashlight with spare batteries.
