A long, long climb up good paths to Refuge A, stopping at Saint Dionysios' cave, his ruined monastery and the taverna in Priona. 22.8 kilometres walked today and an enormous 2235 metres of total ascent.
Leaving Litochoro I followed the E4 path into the Enipea gorge. The path followed the side of valley, built into the steep slopes among mixed woodland. Unlike the rest of the E4 I had encountered in Greece the footpath was good and clearly marked, my GPS was rarely needed. Crude steps had been created in places and there were even some handrails made of tree branches. Although there were some rocky bits to clamber over the path was not difficult apart from the unrelenting upward gradient. Due to the trees the water running in the base of the valley was rarely visible, but when it was you could see cataracts of clear water running over the rocks. After leaving the environs of Litochoro I had the gorge to myself, although later, groups of people started coming down the path towards me, especially after reaching the cave where Saint Dionysios lived as a hermit. A tiny blue and white chapel stood on the spot. A little beyond it were the ruins of the monastery he founded, destroyed during the second world war but now partly reconstructed. There was not much at Priona: a car park, toilets and a taverna where I enjoyed a goat hotpot and Greek salad.
On the ascent from Priona to Refuge A there were a lot more people with backpacks, mixed in the early stages with day trippers who had parked at Priona and were enjoying a short walk. There were some big groups of numerous nationalities coming down the mountain. Prior to reaching Litochoro I had seen no walkers on the E4 or anyone else with a rucksack, but now the path was overrun with them! Above Priona the trees were all pines, the path was steep with many switchbacks and I gained height steadily.
Refuge A itself (full name Refuge Spilios Agapitos, but invariably called Refuge A) was well organised with numerous rules (no boots inside, pack out your rubbish etc.) and an ability to deliver food orders very quickly. This was fortunate as the place was full. There were quite a few from Israel, apparently it is a holiday period there and I suppose Greece is not so far way. The refuge sold beer, brought up on a train of horses I passed going down on the footpath. I enjoyed a can looking at the clouds obscuring the valley until it became too cold and I retreated to my dormitory and my kindle.
Before getting into bed (the first in my dormitory) I went again to see the view now it was dark. The clouds had cleared and the lights of Litochoro were flickering at the end of the Enipea valley. Beyond them was the blackness of the sea and on the far horizon a line of very distant lights from towns a long, long way away.
Leaving Litochoro I followed the E4 path into the Enipea gorge. The path followed the side of valley, built into the steep slopes among mixed woodland. Unlike the rest of the E4 I had encountered in Greece the footpath was good and clearly marked, my GPS was rarely needed. Crude steps had been created in places and there were even some handrails made of tree branches. Although there were some rocky bits to clamber over the path was not difficult apart from the unrelenting upward gradient. Due to the trees the water running in the base of the valley was rarely visible, but when it was you could see cataracts of clear water running over the rocks. After leaving the environs of Litochoro I had the gorge to myself, although later, groups of people started coming down the path towards me, especially after reaching the cave where Saint Dionysios lived as a hermit. A tiny blue and white chapel stood on the spot. A little beyond it were the ruins of the monastery he founded, destroyed during the second world war but now partly reconstructed. There was not much at Priona: a car park, toilets and a taverna where I enjoyed a goat hotpot and Greek salad.
On the ascent from Priona to Refuge A there were a lot more people with backpacks, mixed in the early stages with day trippers who had parked at Priona and were enjoying a short walk. There were some big groups of numerous nationalities coming down the mountain. Prior to reaching Litochoro I had seen no walkers on the E4 or anyone else with a rucksack, but now the path was overrun with them! Above Priona the trees were all pines, the path was steep with many switchbacks and I gained height steadily.
Refuge A itself (full name Refuge Spilios Agapitos, but invariably called Refuge A) was well organised with numerous rules (no boots inside, pack out your rubbish etc.) and an ability to deliver food orders very quickly. This was fortunate as the place was full. There were quite a few from Israel, apparently it is a holiday period there and I suppose Greece is not so far way. The refuge sold beer, brought up on a train of horses I passed going down on the footpath. I enjoyed a can looking at the clouds obscuring the valley until it became too cold and I retreated to my dormitory and my kindle.
Before getting into bed (the first in my dormitory) I went again to see the view now it was dark. The clouds had cleared and the lights of Litochoro were flickering at the end of the Enipea valley. Beyond them was the blackness of the sea and on the far horizon a line of very distant lights from towns a long, long way away.
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| Ruins of old Monastery of St Dionysios |
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| The path coming up from Priona as viewed from Refuge A |
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| Looking down the Enipea valley |
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