A climb into the mountains.
Starting off in the grey light before the sun rose I walked across the wide flood plain of the Axios river along the road to the small town of Axioupoli. By that time a place in the main square was open where I bought a coffee and a spiral of flaky pastry with soft, white cheese inside. While I enjoyed my breakfast a pack of dogs continued sleeping on the opposite side of the road until something was spotted and they all ran off together, the lame one trailing behind.
The dirt track out of town took me over farmland. There was a lot of irrigation equipment, in one case actually in use to water some crops I could not identify (with mauve flowers). Reaching the village of Pege, I politely said "kalimera" to the older folks out for a walk. The E4 followed a tarmac road around the village and down to the bottom of a valley where I picked up the track along a small river which I was to follow upstream for much of my walk today.
Trees covered the sides of the valley and surrounding hills, mainly the small oak trees I was becoming familiar with. Most of the time the river was hidden by trees at the bottom of the steep valley. In a few places it was visible. Two bridges had been installed so you could walk out and appreciate particularly scenic sections where the water gushed over the rocks into transparent pools. As the bridges were in such poor repair with planks missing, I played safe and stayed on the bank. At a later point a shelter had been built on a rocky headland. It was here I deviated from my GPS track as the way seemed blocked and instead followed a new vehicle track up to the tarmac road above. The road led to a reservoir with more, somewhat neglected shelters.
The E4 track beyond the reservoir had been widened and was in use for some kind of construction work. They seemed to be building weirs in the river above the main reservoir.
Skra waterfall was a tourist site on Google. By depositing "tufa" (calcium carbonate) the water had created curved, greenish shapes over which the water cascaded. Some of the water had extended to the path and the bridges that had been built making a close approach hazardous due to the risk of slipping.
After the falls it was a steep climb, first up steps and then up asphalt, to reach the village of Skra. I found the "To Kati Allo" hotel and taverna in the village and after a conversation in French I had gained a meal and a bed for the night.
In the evening while I enjoyed a beer, there was a group of four men from the village playing cards watched by several others. They all had white or gray hair (like me). As the skies grew darker a few women clustered in a second group and there were a few other men. It seemed to be the village social centre, another taverna and cafe on the same square appeared closed.
Having just read about the effect of alcohol on one's heart age I decided against a second beer and left for my bed and an early night.
Starting off in the grey light before the sun rose I walked across the wide flood plain of the Axios river along the road to the small town of Axioupoli. By that time a place in the main square was open where I bought a coffee and a spiral of flaky pastry with soft, white cheese inside. While I enjoyed my breakfast a pack of dogs continued sleeping on the opposite side of the road until something was spotted and they all ran off together, the lame one trailing behind.
The dirt track out of town took me over farmland. There was a lot of irrigation equipment, in one case actually in use to water some crops I could not identify (with mauve flowers). Reaching the village of Pege, I politely said "kalimera" to the older folks out for a walk. The E4 followed a tarmac road around the village and down to the bottom of a valley where I picked up the track along a small river which I was to follow upstream for much of my walk today.
Trees covered the sides of the valley and surrounding hills, mainly the small oak trees I was becoming familiar with. Most of the time the river was hidden by trees at the bottom of the steep valley. In a few places it was visible. Two bridges had been installed so you could walk out and appreciate particularly scenic sections where the water gushed over the rocks into transparent pools. As the bridges were in such poor repair with planks missing, I played safe and stayed on the bank. At a later point a shelter had been built on a rocky headland. It was here I deviated from my GPS track as the way seemed blocked and instead followed a new vehicle track up to the tarmac road above. The road led to a reservoir with more, somewhat neglected shelters.
The E4 track beyond the reservoir had been widened and was in use for some kind of construction work. They seemed to be building weirs in the river above the main reservoir.
Skra waterfall was a tourist site on Google. By depositing "tufa" (calcium carbonate) the water had created curved, greenish shapes over which the water cascaded. Some of the water had extended to the path and the bridges that had been built making a close approach hazardous due to the risk of slipping.
After the falls it was a steep climb, first up steps and then up asphalt, to reach the village of Skra. I found the "To Kati Allo" hotel and taverna in the village and after a conversation in French I had gained a meal and a bed for the night.
In the evening while I enjoyed a beer, there was a group of four men from the village playing cards watched by several others. They all had white or gray hair (like me). As the skies grew darker a few women clustered in a second group and there were a few other men. It seemed to be the village social centre, another taverna and cafe on the same square appeared closed.
Having just read about the effect of alcohol on one's heart age I decided against a second beer and left for my bed and an early night.
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