Djilili to Glysteri

Hi folks. Spring has sprung and we've been out with our clippers again, this time clearing the valley path from Djilili to the asphalt road near Glysteri beach. It was as veritable jungle, not helped whatsoever by the fact that the guys who made the 'new' calderemi blocked off the valley entrance route. Idiots. Be careful if you're walking your dog if you take the asphalt route beyond Profitis Ilias (Ag Kon) down into the valley as Spiro Kosma has his deers grazing inside the fenced area. He's put 'self-closing' gates now (instead of the high fence which couldn't be passed) but a lose dog would cause problems. I've suggested he put a sign on the two doors telling dog owners to put their pooches on a lead.
Down at the spring, we saw a baby Bittern. It stood stock still and it was a priviledge to observe it.
Also cleared was a small portion of route that cuts off the corner in the Potomi valley. If you're walking to the spring or to Panormos from Skopelos, you will be able to enjoy it. Todate, we haven't quite finished it at the Potami end.

 Apologies for bad image quality. They were taken with a phone.

COAST TO COAST (PANORMOS)

 First hike of the season yesterday (8 May). Orchids spotted - pink and white bee orchid, pirimidal plus leopard orchid.  There fields of pirimdals below Ag Iannis Skeri church - go take a look!
Tracks very overgrown. What's new...
Will be out clearing, together with my friend Pam Batters, tomorrow. Weather overcast so perfect conditions for manual labour.

PATH CLEARING AT ANANIA

For the last two days, two over 60 gals have been snipping away and have managed to clear a long portion of calderemi. It is part of the old route to Ag Riginos, Pirgos. The first portion can be found just after the T junction at Diakopi, a few steps towards Anania. The rocky path meanders up to the small church of Ag Nikolaos (with a new house next to it). The track we cleared starts in the top left hand corner and climbs to the top of the Anania hill, beside the property of the late Apostolis Patsis. The Spanish broom (Spartium juncreum), Cistus, Asparagus acutifolius, to name but a few, had totally taken over and had closed the route. We cleared some parts right back to the dry stone wall, just so you can see how beautiful it is. Go take a look and enjoy!

REPORT BY A REGULAR HIKER TO THE ISLAND

Hello Heather ,




I was just (re)discovering you web-sites , congratulations !

Please find my report on the Loutraki -Paleio Klima-Glossa trails as of 28 April .Overall , my feeling is positive .We we first surprised by the new stone surface they built on some sections of the upward trail to Aghi Anarghiri .True, you need solid shoes with a thick sole to accommodate these new stones , but they will smoothen out with age .What an expense ( I had been told this reddish limestone from the Skopeliot quarry was getting rare to build houses ) ! The good side is that they made it like an old stepped kalderimi , unusable for vehicles . In some places , like from Aghi Anarghiri to Ano Paleio Klima , they renovated the kalderimi using more rounded , brown stones . Back to Kato Paleio Klima, we were relieved to find out that he old mule-path to Machalas , which I feared had been all bulldozed in May 2004 , was still intact ( a bit overgrown but passable ) for about four fifths of its length . Only just before Machalas it's sadly replaced by a jeep track , but this got narrowed by the vegetation.We then walked down the tiny footpath from the lowest Machalas houses to a track in that lush gorgeous valley , leading to the Loutraki road , with again a shortcut at the bus-shelter after the bend , down to the paralia !

A wonderful 5 hour hike we did was as follows : Aghios Charalambos ( breathtaking views on a hilltop with shepherds' pens ) , narrow footpath in the brushwoods , 4-way crossroad ( right arm might lead to Staphylos , who knows ?) , we took the upper arm straight to Palouki top antennas ( the goat-paths became quite faint , it was more guessing and cross-country , actually ), Palouki ridge dirt road ( on the way , at the start of the walk to Aghia Anna or to Taxiarchis , we also saw these amazing stone pavings ... At the little round clearing there, we saw your orange footprint way-marking on a tree , pointing to the direction of the sea , more or less toward Alonissos : do you have a walk there ? ).At that saddle with a water tank and a sort of goat-pen made of steel grilles , we took the tiny footpath marked by your footprint going down a gulley in the oak-woods ( by the way at that "saddle" we also saw these new impressive stone kalderimia into 2 directions : we'll try them next time ).Down on the asphalt road above Metamorphossi Sotirou , we then took at the bend the dirt road and then footpath to Aghia Marina ( time to refill ! ) and the small road down to the valley .

All the best for your walks !



Joël

PALOUKI

 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

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

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.