Skopelos Trails

PALOUKI

2011-10-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

Had a super hike to the sumit of Palouki this morning. Wanted to see what work the council had done. Well, with a bob-cat, they have made a path all the way from the water tank/goat station on the dirt road to Ag Anna/Taxiarcon to the sumit. In some places you will need clamp-ons. The bob-cat has dislodged bolders that could have been used as foot-holds and straightened out meadering portions so it's a very strenuous slog to the top in places but at least, easy to find. I hope they are going to do something with the surface as with the first rain, the whole track will be washed out. We returned via the second trig and then took a very goaty track down to the lower mast road., at the end of which, I had parked the car. The whole hike, including sandwich stop, took just about four hours.

Back on the Rock

2011-09-12T02:57:00.000-07:00

It's the hiking season again but I can't get back to Skopelos from UK until Wednesday 14th. The first hike will be to Panormos Bay on Thursday morning!!! at 9.30 outside the bakery/cafe opposite the car park/junction, next to Motor Tours. Just turn up if you fancy joining us. E20 per person, around 4 hours duration, time for a dip/refreshments at Panormos beach before returning by bus.
On Saturday 17th, 12 noon, Baramares Cafe (sit near the kiosk) I'll be having a drink and chat with a few folk about hikes for the coming week. If interested, just turn up- it will be lovely to meet you.
Heather

2011-07-12T02:08:00.000-07:00

The spring hiking season went on much longer than usual due to the cooler weather, the last one taking place on 29 June. I met some wonderful people from all over the world. If you were one of them, thank you very much for walking with me; it was a pleasure to have met you.

Swallowtail butterfly - Papilionidae

2011-06-27T02:45:00.000-07:00

Eastern Monpellier

2011-06-10T02:43:00.000-07:00

Spotted this handsome fella near Sotiros monastery yesterday.

PATH CLEARING PLATANAKIA, ELIOS TO AG REGINOS, PIRGOS

2011-06-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

Here are some lovely images of students and staff from the Georgia Perimeter College, USA in association with the Sporades Islands Preservation Foundation. There is still a lot of work to do, but we certainly made a dent. Very many thanks guys. You're great!

KERAMOTO, GLOSSA

2011-05-16T22:44:00.000-07:00

If you get the opportunity, please do this short walk down to the beach via Keramoto. It's cobbled all the way down to the little harbour. I'd been told the route was closed and so decided to take a look for myself. It wasn't. You have to cross over the stream twice. The first one is rather smelly. It takes less than an hour to get to the sea. Just one place is a little overgrown but it is just stunning. The steam was in full flow yesterday and the walk down extemely pleasant, although it's quite a slog back up.

WALKS AND FLOWERS

2011-05-16T00:18:00.000-07:00

Carried out my first walk with a couple from Germany on Saturday. He had some expensive photographic kit with him so I asked him to get some shots of the bee-eaters that were flying around overhead. I took them on the Petrovrissi hike and was shocked to see how overgrown the track has become beyond the pile of sand at the end of the dirt road. There was also the remains of a dead goat there!
On Sunday I took a very long investigative hike on Palouki hill. I found the old way through to Palouki (via the goat station and The Cross). All very overgrown and I'm glad I took it out of this edition of the book. If it.were cleared, one could walk practically all the way there by track. I was also trying to find a way through to Mili from the end of the Lower Mast Road. After 3 attempts, gave up... this time. What I did find (after a tip off) however was a couple of Violet Bird's Nest Orchids, in the strangest place, just beside the road.
Yesterday was the first Coast to Coast hike. I had 5 people and it was a great day out, ending at Asterias, Panormos with mixed mezzie plates. On the way we saw amongst other things, a variety of orchids, include the white bee orchid, Heart-Flowered Serapias and Tongue plus a leopard snake. One point to note, page 57 image 110. Don't follow the good path off to the right and up (after you enter the olive grove). Keep left, almost paralel with the gully (down on your left). The next time I do this hike, I'll put up another sign.

purple bird's nest orchid

Calderimi - Ag Reginos, Pirgos to Platanakia, Elios

2011-05-07T10:53:00.000-07:00

Today I showed a new friend the above stretch of calderimi. He is Greek but not from here. He's from Crete. The way is as bad as it gets; totally overgrown with rock rose, sage etc. plus trees upright and ones that have fallen across the path. He's volunteered to start clearing it, starting at the bottom. Whenever he has a couple of hours to spare, he will go there.
At the end of the month, students from the Georgia Perimeter College, USA will be arriving to give a helping hand. Whether we'll get the entire segment open remains to be seen.
So where is the forestry department I ask? Playing backgammon of course...

ORCHIDS IN APRIL

2011-04-13T22:11:00.000-07:00

Sombre Bee - Ophrys fusca

Yellow Bee Orchid - Ophrys lutea

SKOPELOS TRAILS 3RD EDITION

2011-04-12T01:23:00.000-07:00

In anticipation of the arrival of the latest edition of Skopelos Trails, will those of you who have already applied, please reapply. You will receive a copy at the 'old' price.

Many thanks.

SEEING IS BELIEVING

2011-04-07T12:56:00.001-07:00

The printer has promised that my book will be here by next Wednesday (14th).

The envelopes have already been written out and I'm ready to leap into action just as soon as they arrive. Thank you all for being so patient.

Meanwhile, I spent last Saturday driving round putting signs up; 40 in all. I just need to measure the distances now. Any volunteers?

Pounda Bulldozer damage

2011-03-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

LATEST ON SKOPELOS TRAILS BOOK

2011-03-03T03:55:00.001-08:00

I have the proof back and am going through checking everything. What a job! Should be beaming it back for the corrections to be carried out, within the next few days.
Thanks for waiting - you know who you are!

SKOPELOS TRAILS 3RD EDITION

2011-02-18T00:12:00.000-08:00

The draft was delivered to the formatter yesterday! Thank goodness! I should get it back in a week to do last minute tweeks. It will then be away to the printer and they have promised it back in speedy time. Thanks to all of you for waiting. I'll let you know when it's in my hands.

Palouki

2011-02-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

A lovely day on Sunday and was able to get out and explore a different route up to Palouki. Success! Better luck than last week when I explored one of the old tracks from Stis Stathou spring in a roundal back to Tria Plantania. There were 5 fences! We got over 4 of them but had to give up at the fifth. Also, I couldn't find the old way from Sendoukia down to Karia. Too overgrown. All the bulldozer damage down in Cyperisi was for nothing really too. It's growing over again. So what was the point of destroying the path?

Nearly finished the rewrite. It's taken a while and I still won't have time to add maps, as I'd wanted.

WORK IN PROGRESS

2011-01-18T11:09:00.000-08:00

After planning to get the majority of the updates in place over the Christmas period, due to computer incompatibility problems, it wasn't possible. I've been back 2 weeks and had further computer problems which I think are now resolved. It's alarming just how many changes have taken place since the last publication: the old brick kiln has gone, a huge bulldozed road nearly to the lighthouse in Glossa has annihilated the track, other paths have just disappeared. For years I would walk around the island, going back time and time again and finding the paths still open. It's a totally different story now. If I don't go out with my clippers on a regular basis, in just six months, you wouldn't even know a path had existed in some places.

I have a meeting with the forestry people tomorrow and hope they will remove all the fallen trees below Ag Reginos in Pirgos so that the calderimi can once again be used.

WHERE IS IT?

2010-12-12T05:24:00.000-08:00

Sifting through some old photos, I had the idea of every month offering a free hike to locals or a half price one to tourists, who can correctly identify the location of the image. So, where is it?

2010-12-09T21:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went out to inspect the trail from Anania hill down to Kyperisi then went on Ag Reginos, Pirgos. The Kyperisi track was extremely overgrown. At the entrance was a pile of logs where a family of gungy-eyed cats were living. There must have been 20 odd discarded, empty cat food tins lying around. We gave up before long due to lack of time. Next week.
Beforehand, we'd taken the forest route to the left of Chestnut Tree junction. This was only just passable, with fallen trees everywhere. At Ag Reginos, the track entrance had completely disappeared. Just couldn't find it. Scrambling down the bank, I could just about find it further down but there were fallen trees everywhere. We gave up.
These track must have been open 15-20 years ago for me to have found them in the first place and they continued to be open when I revisited them over the years. But something has happened over the last 7 or so years for them to have fallen into such a state.
The Ag Reginos route is on the new council's list of The Ten Routes to be cleared within 100 days of office. Let's hope it happens.

Gilili

2010-11-20T10:16:00.001-08:00

From the spring area, along the stream-bed and up the calderimi to the asphalt, the route has now been cleared. It took two of us only 5 hours. There were two small fences obstructing the scream-bed and two large ones across the calderimi . Three were taken down and the owner of the other has promised to take his down tomorrow. Time to celebrate!

Mili Village to Ag Marina

2010-11-20T10:11:00.000-08:00

This is how the trail from Mili Village up to the entrance road to the Rolex house looks. Hasn't looked this good in years! It just needs the patter of feet to keep it clear.

Path Clearance - image 54

2010-11-11T22:40:00.000-08:00

I'm pleased to say that the route, which includes calderemi, from Xeropigathi, Kambos up to Polimistria church, Rachis, has been cleared and signed. There's an interruption about 3/4 of the way up where a dirt lane has been buldozed across the path, exasperated by the fact that the local water company damaged the exit. There used to be a huge bolder on the road. This has been pushed over the side, together with piles of rocks and soil, right onto the exit. It's a bit of a scramble but is now passable. One has to turn left, walk up the dirt lane a few meters and the path resumes up on the right. Enjoy!

HAPPINESS IS.... COLLECTING NECTOR

2010-10-07T03:19:00.001-07:00

The Privet Hawkmoth enjoying an evening in my garden.

CHANGE IS IN THE AIR

2010-10-05T03:55:00.001-07:00

All the good intentions went out the window and I have only been path-clearing twice in recent months. I dare not hope that I get a place in the local council (elections will be held 7 November) when I would be able to get the paths cleared, marked and protected. This is the reason I am standing. It should be the responsibiity of the local council to maintain footpaths and trails, not a private individual.

The Bee-eaters

2010-06-23T01:45:00.000-07:00

The Bee-eaters have arrived - June 23rd in Moutero.

STILL ALIVE!

2010-06-22T01:56:00.000-07:00

What with one thing another, I haven't arranged for any paths to be cleared this season - sorry folks. I thought I'd list the changes, on one page, that I know about and consolidate. So if you've recently purchased a copy of my book, you need to go through it and make the necessary amendments. I have only a few copies left from this print run so a re-write is looming for this winter. I just hope I can afford to get the book printed again; last time it cost over E2,000. If I can't, there'll be no more Skopelos Trails.
page 17 - sketch map. Don't try and use the track from pic.3 to Lalaria spring. It's only passable from pic. 3 up to the road. If you want to explore to the spring, you can get to it from the other end near pic.4.
Walk 3 Agnondas page 24. Don't take the track behind all the rubbish trucks etc. Continue on the road until pic.14.
Walk 5 page 32. There is an illegal fence just down from pic.30. I've been trying to get this resolved with the local government but am running of power. A local land owner is playing God.
Walk 7 page 35. The triangular stone has gone and the track widened until where it used to be.
Walk 9. Lots of illegal fences as more and more apartments have been built on the Stafilos road side of Kokala hill. Pic.47. The path is now a road.
Walk 14 and 15. When you get as far as the junction before Mon. Barbara, don't try and find the track up and over the hill. Continue on towards Mon. Prodromou and take the dirt road around the hill.
Walk 16 page 56. The area of Cypravrissi has totally been destroyed with a buldozer.
Walk 22 image 87. The track that leads down and traverses the hill is closed. I hope to get it open at some stage. I've made a start from the other end but lack help.
Walk 26image 87. As above.
Walk 27. This walk is closed.
Walk 29. The track from image 100 onwards has totally been destroyed by buldozer. Heartbreaking.

Djilili

2009-09-30T02:50:00.000-07:00

Have just returned from inspecting the stream bed down near Djilili spring. The recent storm has made some amazing changes and created waterfalls and deep holes.

WALK 29 - RIP

2009-09-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

Today we drove towards Glossa but on the way, encounted a group of walkers, who turned out to be with The Ramblers, totally lost. They had also mislaid their leader! After about an hour, and selling a copy of my book, group and leader were reunited with instructions on how to get to Stafilos.

Loaded up with cutting tools, Richard and I made our way along the track, pic.100, hoping to reopen the way to the lighthouse. We needn't have bothered. A bulldozer has opened a two-way traffic width road where the path used to be. It has totally destroyed this walk. I couldn't recognise anything. And where does this highway lead to? Nowhere. It stops abruptly in a field. I can't tell you how I feel about this destruction.
However, we then drove back to Old Clima and did a bit more to the old path above the village, that links up with the road to Ag Iannis. A lot of work still to do there.

END OF SEASON

2009-09-24T23:55:00.000-07:00

So, the season is nearly at an end and the autumn walks went very well, with lovely people joining in. Thanks to everyone who came on my hikes this season and I look forward to seeing you again next year perhaps.

Tomorrow, my helper, Richard and I are off to Glossa to start work on reopening the old lighthouse path. After trying in vain to get permission to cut the fence there, I'll just cut it and wait and see if anything happens!

Thanks to the SCAN budget, I've invested in a pair of battery operated lobbers. Since the RSI, I can't cut anything thicker than a twig!

A SCAN volunteer has errected two styles down in Djilili. Images will be posted soon. Big thanks to Mike.

Forthcoming hikes

2009-09-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

In case you are already on Skopelos or planning to come shortly, I have arranged the following:
Glossa Area hike - Wednesday 16th Sep - meet at Glossa school 11am
Coast to Coast - Saturday 20th Sep - meet Internet Cafe (near Bardom) 9.30am
Town Walk - Tuesday 22 Sep - meet by seat next to the Kiosk op central car park/bus station 11am
All Welcome
Other hikes will be arranged until the end of September

Keramoto Cove - Walk 27 closure

2009-06-05T23:37:00.000-07:00

I've been informed that Walk 27, Keramoto Cove in Glossa, is impassable. I'll let you know when I've had a change to inspect it.

Orchids & Clearing

2009-04-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

At last have been able to get to work and start path clearing. It's been way too wet up until now. So the way from Moutero church, the spring and up to the dirt road, is now clear. I walked down from Moutero to Panormos yesterday and it's fine; just at the bottom of the hill after emerging from the forest (where my friend Jessica found a Birdsnest Orchid - we put branches round it to protect it) the grass is rather long. I'll get that cleared next Sunday. After that, we'll tackle Djilili, which again, is overgrown. After that, I was hoping to clear an old trail from Ag Marina spring up to Palouki.

Out and about, I found a Bumble Bee orchid, amongst others.

Here We Go Again

2009-04-05T23:54:00.000-07:00

It's time to get those paths cleared!

No volunteers so thank goodness for the SCAN budget. Having lined up a Skopeliti to help me, his wife gave birth and they are all still in Volos. So I had to find somone else. I asked George, who comes here every summer and helps clean the shops on the front every morning. He said he knew all about strimmers too. So yesterday we dusted off the dust from the strimmer and headed to Moutero, via the petrol station. Felt slightly worried when he didn't know one has to put this bottle of red stuff in with the petrol. Anyway, with the help of a neighbour, he managed to get the machine started. Shortly afterwards the 'strings' disintergrated and the spares the previous user had assured me were 'in the bag' were not. So that was that. The helmet was also broken beyond repair. Not wishing to waste the day, I then took George down to the Djilili area, as this will be the next path for clearing. Even though he has been coming here for nearly 20 years, he had never been to either location or anywhere else inbetween.

On the way through the olive groves, I took these images.

Let's hope things go better next Sunday.

CHRISTMAS

2008-12-19T01:18:00.000-08:00

I'd just like to wish all the Skopelos walking fans and those of you who plan to visit in 2009 a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Heather

Parasol, Ink-Cap, Smooth Chanterelle, Red Cage

2008-10-19T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hi ya-all!

Went for a l o n g walk today and tried to find the Palouki path from the goat shed (near Ag Barbara). Not possible. That's going to have to come out of the next edition. However, a new route has been marked (with my yellow footprint signs). Taking the road up from Sotiros, on the bend where the asphalt stops and a dirt road goes off sharp right, take the marked track entrance. (Thank you very much Jane and John).

I then drove over to Djilili and walked along the valley to Glysteri beach. That route is already getting overgrown again and will have to be given a haircut before next April for sure. Took these images of fungi enroute.

WISH YOU WERE HERE

2008-10-06T00:51:00.001-07:00

Autumn colours

HERE COMES THE SUN....

2008-09-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

After days and days of much needed rain, today... gentle sun. Went for a short walk to Prof. Ilias, passing Ag. Constantinos church. Wish you were all here to enjoy it too.

NEXT HIKE

2008-09-17T10:59:00.000-07:00

The next hike will take place on Sunday 21 September. Contact me for further details.

EVENING HIKE

2008-09-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

An Evening Hike of three hours duration will start from the National Bank, Paralia on Tuesday 16th September, 5pm. E15.

See you there!

one of my little friends!

PANORMOS HIKE

2008-09-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Hikers
I'll be guiding a hike to Panormos beach this Sunday, 7th September, starting from the Internet Cafe (Post Office street) at 9.30am. We should arrive at Panormos around 1.35 where we can have a swim and lunch. Return to Skopelos by municiple bus. Cost E20.
See you!

SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER

2008-08-13T02:07:00.001-07:00

Hi there walkers! Just to say I'll be back on the island at the beginning of September and ready for business, assuming the bulldozer hasn't been too busy this summer. Glad to say that whilst walking in the UK, I've found a great site that's given me inspiration regarding the sign boards I want to errect.

See you in September!

WALK 22 GLOSSA VOUNO

2008-06-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

This route has totally gone back to nature. Together with 4 volunteers, I have just spent many hours in the heat, trying to clear a way through from the bottom of the Vouno hill on the Old Clima side, through to image 87, but it's going to take many man-hours to do this. There is however a dirt road that goes around the hill but it is very steep in places and a much longer route. I'll let you know when I manage to get the track open.

DJILILI SPRING TO GLYSTERI - WALK 6

2008-05-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

For the last three days, workers paid by SCAN, have been doing their best to clear the track from Djilili spring, down the valley to Glysteri. Whilst it could be better, I can say that it is now passable. Being so lush, it was like a jungle and included fallen trees and a dead sheep! If the path access is still blocked by an illegal fence just down from image 30, continue on the asphalt road for about ten minutes and look for a yellow marker on a tree. This track leads down to the old stone building, image 24. Just further along the lane is the spring. About 5 minutes along the valley floor is a good area for orchids and at the time of writing, Heldreichii subspecies are out. At a point about 5 minutes into the track from the spring side, branches have been put across the path. I have been told this is to keep sheep from roaming, so please don't dismantle it. If this is truely the case, a stile will be erected at some point. ENJOY!

BEAUTY

2008-05-15T02:35:00.000-07:00

Heart-Flowered Serapias Orchid

NO COMMENT

2008-05-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

WHAT CAN ONE SAY?

2008-05-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

Take a good look at this image. It no longer exists. Instead we have.......

Orchids

2008-05-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

Now is the time to be here to admire the orchids; they are enjoying a good season.
I still haven't managed to do the sign boards for the Panormos trail but maybe I will manage to gps the route at least. Where does the time go?

A new artificial lake is being created at Loutsa (on the right hand side going towards Panormos) which friends have said has destroyed one of my trails. I haven't been there as I find such things too emotional! So it could be that part of Walk 32 is not as per the book.

April News

2008-04-08T03:47:00.000-07:00

The final part of the Panormos Trail has now been cleared! This means that one can walk from Skopelos to Panormos on an open trail. One will have to use the road however, now and again, as development destroys portions of the old path system. Also, the new, yellow, footprint signs have been put into place on this trail. All that needs to be done now is to GPS the trail and erect sign boards at either end.

I had hoped to get more trails cleared before the start of the walking season but I just haven't had any volunteers to help me achieve this. The one in particular I wanted to clear was Djilili to Glysteri. Sorry folks, this one is still impassable. And, the illegal fence is still there. Feel free to cut it!

Here are some images of the wild flowers now out. Hope you enjoy them!

THE NEW WEYMARKS

2008-03-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

Hi. The weymark signs have arrived and this is what they look like. All we have to do is put them up now. Anyone with a cordless drill, please form a line here! The clock is ticking. Will we be able to get everything done before the start of the season?

SNOWED IN

2008-02-17T09:25:00.001-08:00

Hi. For the last two Sundays the weather has been so bad, we have been unable to get out and about. Last night, a snow blizzard started up and is still in progress. We also had a power cut from 10pm last night until 10am this morning. Yesterday, the supermarket shelves were half empty as no boats have been able to deliver for several days. Oh the joys of living on a Greek island.

NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS

2008-01-28T02:44:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd better let you know that no path clearing was carried out during January. The lawyer has sent a letter to the guy who errected an elligal fence across one of the routes but so far, no response. The yellow, arrow markers have not yet arrived. So, I've been gardening up at the cottage every Sunday instead! There are many paths to clear and the plan is to get them done before the walking season begins. Watch this space!

THE SKOPELOS TO PANORMOS TRAIL

2007-12-11T23:37:00.000-08:00

The portion of track from Moutero church to the spring and the portion beyond Moutero down into the Panormos valley, are now OPEN! There is only one portion remaining and that is at the start; Kambos valley up to Rachis. Only problem is, there's an illegal fence blocking the way. SCAN representatives have an apointment with a solicitor next week, who will be sending a letter to the owner, inviting him to take it down!
International path discs will be ordered shortly (a yellow arrow with a footprint in the center) and installed along the route. It will only remain to GPS the entire trail and incorporate onto the map, which will be available at the SCAN kiosk throughout the season.

DRY STONE WALL REPAIRS

2007-12-02T22:44:00.000-08:00

Another productive Sunday. Just Richard, my co-volunteer, and myself . Last week we had two tourists help us, which made a big difference.

The image shows Richard mending a dry stone wall. It took him three Sundays to complete.

This stretch of path, from near the spring at Moutero to the Panagia church at Moutero, is nearly finished; one more Sunday should do it. We keep saying we're going to give ourselves a day off, but we never do!

PATH CLEARING AT MOUTERO

2007-11-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

In case you wonder how I spend my Sunday's.....

At the last SCAN charity meeting, my request for help was forthcoming in the form of a E750 budget! So, I bought this strimmer which had it's inaugriation this afternoon! It cleared so quickly, I might even get all the paths done before next May!

To give you some idea of what we're up against, here is a 'before' image. Could do with some more volunteers; but you can't have everything!

BAD ENOUGH

2007-10-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Where once there was a footpath, there is now this bulldozed road, crashing through the area of Kiperisi. It's a tucked away area with a handful of derelict kalivia and a spring, in the heart of the island. The new road leads from the Karia asphalt road, through an area of chestnut trees and finishes at the front door of one of the derelict kalivis. No prizes for what will happen next. It's about tourism and everyone wants a slice of the cake. OK, so it was only a footpath, but the new road has made a huge scar and it COULD just as easily have been a calderimi. There is no control or planning. Mrs Rekkas from the town council has been informed.

AG. IANNI TO MOUTERO NOW OPEN

2007-10-15T02:26:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that as well as my two volunteers, the council sent along a helper yesterday. He worked with an industrail strimmer which made a huge difference in a short space of time. Just as well, as he wasn't able to stay very long. Anyway, the stretch of trail from Ag. Ianni Skleri to the dirt road near Moutero, is now open. Whilst working, a lone, German walker appeared before me! Made me jump out my skin. So, the path has already been used! Just a bit more tidying up to do on this trail then we move down to the Panagia church at Moutero and work towards the spring in the hamlet itself. There's a wall there that's collapsed which we may be able to repair. All going well, the council will send someone again. More next Monday!

PATH CLEARING SCHEDULE

2007-10-10T23:23:00.000-07:00

PERSONNEL REQUIRED
Path Clearers (bring your own tools if possible)
Cuttings Collectors (gloves only required and a strong back!)
Blobbers (paint, brush and latex gloves provided)
Work will take place at least every Sunday through the winter months.
Please contact me regarding transport. Bring your own refreshments.
OCTOBER
Glossa to the Light House. Walk 29. Parking as per image 100 page 85
NOVEMBER
Glossa, Vouno, Old Clima. Walk 22. Parking as per image 87 page 71
DECEMBER/JANUARY
Djilal spring to Glysteri. Walk 6. Parking as per image 24 page 28
FEBRUARY/MARCH
The Old path to Agnondas. Walk 4
APRIL
Parts of the old path to Panormos

As well as the above, I have agreed to co-operate with Andonis ? who has the first eco accommodation at Karia. He has already cleared paths around his property and would like to put up signs. I suggested we join forces.
I'm making enquiries with Pelion and Kent County Council regarding signs. Contemplating a switch from red to yellow signs. What do you think?

Roasting Weather and stuff

2007-06-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

In spite of the roasting weather, I had two private evening hikes last week and I have another one on Friday; we'll take the six o'clock bus to Panormos and walk back to Skopelos. Have come to terms with the fact now that the days of groups of 15-30 walkers is over. My book continues to sell well however and I will continue to be a thorn in the council's side until all the paths are regularly cleaned and clearly marked.
Please note that I will be absent from the island from 1 July until 30 August - walking in the UK!

The current situation

2007-06-01T23:10:00.000-07:00

My translated proposal regarding the future of the paths was put before the local council, at their meeting last week, by Kostas Skouras, the political representative for the KKE party. By the time they got to my item, it was 1.30 in the morning! I sat in the small public gallery section of the Town Hall meeting room, together with a small group of others who had items on the agenda. The mayor responded by agreeing to my proposal and before I knew it, they moved on to the next item. However, I still had no idea of when they were going to give me workers or indeed what had happened to the funds that I had been told by Mrs Mimika Rekka were available for this project. Although Mrs Rekka was present at the meeting, she made no comment whatsoever, even though she had set up the initial meeting at the town hall last March, during which I chose 4 routes to be cleaned. In the meantime, a volunteer and myself have cleaned a long portion of trail in the Potami valley, in our spare time. A regular update and images were sent to Mrs Rekka during that time, again without response.
The walking season is almost over and it is a crying shame that local authority has not taken advantage of my offer to project manage the clearing of the most popular trails. After twenty years of doing it myself, together with the occasional volunteer, the situation has become such that I cannot continue. Meanwhile, my Skopelos Trails book is selling well.