So after an evening by the sea it was time to pack bags and get them ready for another boat trip whilst we got ready to walk to our next destination.
We were one down today as Yani had apparently fallen over four times on yesterdays walk. I did point out that it hadn’t happened when she was walking with me!
My little toes were a bit sore and I could feel my thighs a little but some people were in a bad way! So we had discovered the alpha male of the group who was quite affable in the evenings but not good at walking in a group – he seemed to have misunderstood the brief and thought he was in a race. Well I had no plans to compete so …!
Some of us went to the supermarket – don’t think ASDA or similar and got some lunch – cheese pie – we’ll I was in Greece. I’d already bought some apricots the night before. ( Some/ one of us would at the end of the day complain that he hadn’t eaten since breakfast!! )
Just a short stretch along the front of this small village and we start on our coastal path, initially through a goat pen!
We started off chatting but as the path narrowed a bit I could see how it was going and became resigned to the fact that I would be at/ near the back. Again it was quite rocky in places but an actual path – I chose not to use my poles – which I managed to keep to all day. The path went round the first headland and across a beach area – actually sand which I have found is quite rare, the cliffs are sandstone . We then rose up a little and the contrast of the trees and the sea was quite glorious- I certainly wasn’t going to sacrifice photos for walking quickly .
We continued on and before long Steve who was suffering from the day before and myself were definite back markers. After a bit more glorious scenery the path divided and I was aware that we should be reaching a Taverna before long- we’d been walking for nearly an hour and a half and it was already quite warm. Luckily as we were trying to decide which path we needed Caterina appeared in the distance waving to us and we dropped down to the beach .Quite a sandy path at this point.
A good opportunity to buy a drink and use the loo, I never did get to look in the chapel because by the time I was ready the front group had already set off up a steep sand dune and were away, so at the back again! The views really were magnificent and I’m not sure what the hurry was, perhaps because I’ve often walked for 6 of 7 hours I’m not worried by that so don’t feel a need to get it over quickly. So after a steep climb up we were on a path which skirted round and Steve and I were discussing the light and the reflections. I took some photos and he was about to. I suggested I’d just walk on a bit knowing he should catch me up!! Little did I know!
The path continued to be quite sandy but then turned sharply to the left and became quite rocky but was clearly still circumnavigating the coast. I looked back several times and couldn’t see Steve but didn’t worry too much as he dropped back the day before on several occasions and had been fine. After a while I met Caterina who was waiting to tell us to go on the right fork of the path and I explained I was a bit concerned that I had’t seen Steve for a while so she traced back to look for him. After a while she returned and said she hadn’t found him but she was sure he’d take the right path and that she had to rush to catch up with the others . I didn’t feel very happy about this but it wasn’t really my responsibility. I just hoped he’d found the rocky path as it left the sand as although it was marked wasn’t blatantly obvious. Still good views!
The path continued now across a more open stretch of land and I did intermittently stop and turn to look back but no sight. I did feel concerned but at this point I was also completely by myself, a few people coming the other way but still having to concentrate due to the rocky path and it was quite hot . A few interesting rock formations and quite a long way to go.
Still feeling a bit guilty that I hadn’t gone back the next stretch was much more exposed and sandy rocks. Fewer features so just a matter of keep going . I did make myself stop and have a drink and some apricots – oh and a slow worm slithered across my path and at one point I had a lizard as a colourful companion.
It was at some point along this stretch that I met Caterina coming the other way – strange. She’d had a phone call from Explore to say that Steve had hurt his ankle and was waiting in the little church by the first Taverna- this seemed a little strange and I wondered how he’d got down the steep sand dune and of course felt even more guilty- I wonder what she was thinking?
She said the others would be at the next taverna and to wait there and if she hadn’t come back in a couple of hours to go on ! So I continued and it probably took almost another hour before I got down to the Taverna , with the path down being one of the most difficult sections. I was a little forewarned when I met four quite young adults who suggested it would take me 20 minutes to get down. Eventually I did- it had taken over three hours to do this section from the last Taverna, mostly by myself!
This apparently was the spot where St Paul came to Crete but I couldn’t get in the chapel. As I reached the Taverna I was scanning for the group but couldn’t see anybody – did feel a bit miffed but eat my cheese pie, had some water and used the loo. I messaged Caterina to say I’d carry on to our final destination and dropped down to the beach , just to have a look. There I spotted three of the group who’d had enough and were enjoying the beach and waiting for a boat for the last bit of the journey. The’d assumed I was with the ‘injured’ Steve. I guess I would have got there sooner if I had been a little less hesitant and expecting him to catch up.
I decided after chatting for a while that I’d carry on, quickly taking the path up and around another headland. I’d come across goats most of the way, well often heard them and sometimes seen! These were a little more adventurous! Little did I know what this was signalling for me. The path started going round the cliff edge , above the sea and didn’t look very wide. A bit of a guardian Angel moment as an older German couple came along , just as I’d started and said hello. They asked if I was going to Loutro , which I confirmed. They enquired if I really liked rock climbing because they could take me a safer way which was a little longer but in their eyes was preferable. I didn’t take much persuasion.
So I retraced the few steps I’d made and started following them uphill steeply, at last we reached a plateau at the top of the cliff. I crossed this with them and we then came to a small road which wound around the next valley. They then left me to go down to a small coastal village where they were staying. They pointed out where I should aim towards – a white building above the next bay – I was told my destination was the other side of a hilly spur behind the building.
I realised I didn’t take any photos in this section. I eventually headed towards the building but lost courage of conviction at the end as the path seemed to go through somebodies garden! I had just passed a man and small child feeding a chicken – I turned round and managed to catch up with him – possibly Dutch – he explained that I was going the right way. Try again.
At last I found the path up and over the spur which I had been able to see from a distance. Enquired of another couple – 0.7 k up and over or 1.7 k to go round. Decided on the former. As I was looking around a lone female walker caught me up and engaged in conversation. I stoped to take a photo of the Venetian Castle at the top of the hill. At this point she realised she couldn’t find her camera and went back to look. Over the top and before descending met an older English couple who had just climbed up from Loutro to get some late afternoon sunshine in the bay I had just left. Quite difficult steps down and my recent German companion caught me up , having found her camera in her rucksack. I began to see the village below – my destination- at last!
I came out half way round the bay and of course turned to the wrong side to find my room. Eventually found the right place and caught up with the three who had used the boat. Of course my room was up three flights of stairs. Still no news about Steve. Messaged Christina to say I had arrived and got a message back to say all well – he’d got lost at the very place where I wondered and had gone on to the beach and then got lost- he of course hadn’t put C’s number into his phone so had had to contact Explore who had exaggerated the problem.
Decided to get some refreshment and enjoyed a pistachio milkshake and enjoyed the view!
So of 16 plus leader, 1 didn’t go at all, 1 got lost and eventually turned up on a boat with the guide, having come from the second Taverna. 3 finished by boat. I trod a lone path, R had trodden a lone path at the front and the other 9 had managed the lower path but hated it and felt quite scared in places.
Talking later to Caterina she had told Explore that she would only take the alternative of the top path as she felt the lower one wasn’t safe. Bit of a mess but all ended well – I apologised to Roger who took full responsibility for his own stupidity – the problem arose because he’d stopped to put some gel on his Achilles. Today was 20 km – what would tomorrow hold!
Marion's 50 Walk Challenge 