A day walking through farmland and scrub to the tourist mecca of Litochoro - somewhat frustrated by fences. A short day at 13.8 kilometres with 480 metres of climbing.
The result of washing off the dirt of five days wild camping yesterday, was a film of dried-on, dirty scum on the bottom of the shower unit. After spending time trying to clean it off I started off down the road, stopping to look at the fields of kiwi fruit vines interspersed with more traditional vineyards. Although a busy road there was pavement or a cycle track most of the way to my turn off up a quiet dirt track. I had download the two "official" GPS tracks that covered today's journey. They led me along a number of vehicle tracks through farmland and scrub. Evidently the routes were somewhat dated, as fences had been erected in a number of places that forced me to take a somewhat different route. At one fenced off area they definitely did not want you to enter... After an initial stretch through farmland it was uphill through a scrub of low trees and bushes following I thought, tracks made by hunters. Indeed a convoy of pick ups passed me. On one was a very large, dead wild boar. They must have been pleased with themselves for killing it.
The tracks joined a tarmac road shortly before the monastery of Agioy Dionysioy. Three coaches and a dozen cars were parked at the monastery, one luxury coach had "Tramp Travel" written on the side which made me smile. A pretty place with the upper storey of the buildings jutting out over the ground floor. In addition to the lavishly gilded icons and chandelier in the church, there was a museum with ancient manuscripts and some relics. These were bits of bones from saints set in silver casings. Something I find a bit gruesome rather than sacred. The monastery was actually built after the second world war, during which time the old monastery in the Enipeas gorge was deliberately destroyed. I will see the ruins on my way up Mount Olympus.
From the monastery I tried to follow the GPS route to Litochoro but hit padlocked gates on my first attempt and the footpath disappeared on my second, so it was down the main road with motor homes passing me. I am now at the Xenios Dias hotel enjoying an evening glass of Metaxa Greek brandy (a rather large glass by UK standards). In the centre of town, the hotel seems very pleasant and looks out onto a square of cafes.
A GPS file of my route can be found on wikiloc.com, or you can download it on your smartphone from ViewRanger, shortcode johnpon0038.
The result of washing off the dirt of five days wild camping yesterday, was a film of dried-on, dirty scum on the bottom of the shower unit. After spending time trying to clean it off I started off down the road, stopping to look at the fields of kiwi fruit vines interspersed with more traditional vineyards. Although a busy road there was pavement or a cycle track most of the way to my turn off up a quiet dirt track. I had download the two "official" GPS tracks that covered today's journey. They led me along a number of vehicle tracks through farmland and scrub. Evidently the routes were somewhat dated, as fences had been erected in a number of places that forced me to take a somewhat different route. At one fenced off area they definitely did not want you to enter... After an initial stretch through farmland it was uphill through a scrub of low trees and bushes following I thought, tracks made by hunters. Indeed a convoy of pick ups passed me. On one was a very large, dead wild boar. They must have been pleased with themselves for killing it.
The tracks joined a tarmac road shortly before the monastery of Agioy Dionysioy. Three coaches and a dozen cars were parked at the monastery, one luxury coach had "Tramp Travel" written on the side which made me smile. A pretty place with the upper storey of the buildings jutting out over the ground floor. In addition to the lavishly gilded icons and chandelier in the church, there was a museum with ancient manuscripts and some relics. These were bits of bones from saints set in silver casings. Something I find a bit gruesome rather than sacred. The monastery was actually built after the second world war, during which time the old monastery in the Enipeas gorge was deliberately destroyed. I will see the ruins on my way up Mount Olympus.
From the monastery I tried to follow the GPS route to Litochoro but hit padlocked gates on my first attempt and the footpath disappeared on my second, so it was down the main road with motor homes passing me. I am now at the Xenios Dias hotel enjoying an evening glass of Metaxa Greek brandy (a rather large glass by UK standards). In the centre of town, the hotel seems very pleasant and looks out onto a square of cafes.
A GPS file of my route can be found on wikiloc.com, or you can download it on your smartphone from ViewRanger, shortcode johnpon0038.
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| Monastery of Agioy Dionysioy |
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