E4 Long Distance European Walk in Greece: Anavryti to Taygetos refuge in the E4: Day 60

Today I reached the top of Profitis Ilias, the highest peak of the Taygetos mountain range, from which I could see all three peninsulas of the Peloponnese, and much more.
Last night I expressed a wish to climb to the summit of Profitis Ilias, but as the tallest mountain in the Peloponnese, it rises to 2405 metres and I was worried that snow, particularly icy snow on steep slopes, would make the climb hazardous. So this morning George (who is a mountain guide as well as a guesthouse owner) very kindly leant me an ice axe and a pair of crampons, plus a sketch of where to leave them after my climb. As I adjusted the crampons and tried them on and (very professionally I thought) stowed away the ice axe on my rucksack (there is a trick to doing it neatly and securely), I was glad of the winter mountain training I had attended last year at the Plas y Brenin centre in Snowdonia. (I had crampon suitable B1 boots in case you were wondering).
Breakfast included a Greek speciality new to me, a type of bread that is fried instead of baked. It tasted good with cheese. Mary encouraged me to take some for lunch (which of course I did).
The trail today was very well marked and well maintained, so I scarcely looked at my GPS. It ran through pine woods. In places, avalanches or some other such event, had cleared the trees so that in today's fine weather I could see across the plain in which Sparta lies and down to the sea. Near the beginning there was a lot of steep climbing, later it was up and down and generally a more gentle gradient. At one point I disturbed a herd of wild boar, some very big, black and brown ones, some smaller ones with dappled fur. They were pushing up the pine duff with their snouts, searching for food, their little tails wagging furiously.
I reached the Taygetos refuge at 1:10 pm, which I thought left me time to climb Profitis Ilias. The climb through trees, then over rocks up the steep slope, following painted red squares, opened up a dramatic vista to the east. Higher up there was ground hugging vegetation among the rocks, some with sharp thorns that caused me some pain when I put my hand on them. This is the altitude where the local mountain tea comes from, I enjoyed a cup of it yesterday. Earlier today I met an Englishman following the E4 and on the mountain I came across four hikers, making this the most popular area for walkers on my trip so far.
As I gained height it became necessary to cross areas of snow which filled shallow valleys on the mountainside. Hikers that I had passed today managed the crossings with just trekking poles as the snow was pretty soft, or else just avoided the snow by climbing directly upwards to join the path after its next bend. On occasions I did the same but on one particularly extensive and steep section of snow, I used the crampons, cutting out a bend in the track in doing so.
Nearer the top the path avoided the snow, following a ledge of rock which provided a natural pavement. As I crested the ridge two things hit me; the wind and the enormous view across the sea on the other side of the Mani peninsula. Picking my way through and over the rocks and scree, avoiding the snow, I laboriously climbed towards the Profitis Ilias summit. The last 200 metres were painful but I was finally rewarded when I reached the little roofless chapel at the top in an area sheltered from the wind. There I enjoyed Mary's bread and cheese for a late lunch (it was now 4:00 pm) and took some pictures. However no photo could capture the scope of what I saw before me. I could see all three prongs of the Peloponnese extending into the Mediterranean sea. Between myself and the sea the ground fell away to lower wooded mountains, plains, towns and cities. Definitely worth the long climb on such a clear day.
Of course I still had to get down, which I managed safely and marginally quicker than going up, arriving back at the refuge at 6:30 pm. The refuge was locked up but my tent is pitched on some grass in front of it. Wooden tables and chairs meant I could eat my dinner of tinned sardines and biscuits in some comfort, looking across the Lakonikos gulf (the sea to the east of the Mani peninsula). There is a spring 300 metres away where I washed and cleaned my teeth. I sat watching the distant sea as the twinkling lights of towns lit up. A very satisfying day.

19.3 kilometres walked today with a mamooth total ascent of 1900 metres including climbing up Profitis Ilias. To the Taygetos refuge from Anavryti it was 12.3 kilometres and a total ascent of 1000 metres.