Sunflower Books: Landscapes of the southern PELOPONNESE: WALKS AND CAR TOURS

Southern Peloponnese, 1st ed (2003); updated 13/10/07

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Updates for walks and car tours (drives) in the southern Peloponnese given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book and want to "upgrade" to the latest edition at half price, click here.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably in hard copy, by post, to Sunflower Books, PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU (or if you prefer, by e-mail, to mail@sunflowerbooks.co.uk).

Cover: The photograph shows the church of Agia Sophia. (User, 6/06)

Getting about: The hydrofoils to Monemvasia and Neapoli no longer operate. (Author, 10/07)

Maps: We had a great time using your book , especially in the Mani! The Anavasi maps are very good, far better than Road Editions. There are now 1:25.000 maps for the Kardamili/Stoupa region and other parts of the Mani. (User, 5/05)

Car tour 1: There is a new road from Vasilitsi to the main road to Finikounda. (User, 7/04)

Car tour 2: We used the instructions for Car tour 2 to complete Walk 6. After the 90-degree left bend into Kambos, the notes said to turn right by a garage into an unsigned road. In fact, the garage is some distance beyond the right turn! I think it would be better to omit the garage from the instructions, and simply to say 'take the first turn on your right' (it is just past a café, and opposite another café). If you have already completed the Sotirianika to Kambos section of Walk 7, you will know where the turn off for the church is, but as we did Walk 6 first, the car tour instructions were rather confusing. (User, 7/05)

Car tour 3: There is a new road from Kotronas to Koutari. (User, 7/04)

Walk 1: Ruin junkies can easily spend 3 hrs looking round the museum and the old city - which is steadily increasing in size as excavations continue. You might want to change your start point so that you don't get there at the end off the walk when it's all closing. (User, 4/07)

Walk 3: As I suffer from vertigo we did not walk the perimeter wall all the way as suggested nor follow inside the base (the inside of the wall not being easily accessible because of bushes) but found a third possibility, managing to cross the centre of the courtyard, avoiding the castle well. However I feel some requirement on footwear should have been made for the sake of the steep decent from the castle to Nestor's Cave. Wearing ordinary sandals I found the soles worryingly smooth and had frequently to slither on my bottom for better grip. (User, 6/06)

Walk 4a: I was able to reach the fall by crossing the stream dry-shod slithering across leaning back onto a fallen tree but my wife was not; but we had failed to take your advice on p45 to wear walking boots. (User, 6/06) + A 30 metre cascade of effluent. Pretty but hold your nose. The stream it feeds is black, scummy & dead. (User, 4/07) + Walk 4b: The Ottoman Aqueduct is well worth the walk but the start is now inaccessable from the quarry as the undergrowth is so thick, it is also unpleasant walking through the quarry as this has evidently been used as a rubbish dump for some time. If you have the quarry on your right and continue across the bridge and walk into the olive grove on the other side of the river, there is a faint track, it is possible to access the river and start the walk. We found it easiest to access about 5 minutes in, a couple of minutes past the cave and derelict building on the left. It may also be of interest that there is a small pull-in adjacent to the entrance to the quarry where cars can be parked. (User, 11/04)

Walk 5: Apparently the fires of summer 2007 have affected this area badly. (Author, 10/07)

Walk 6: See notes for Car tour 2. + On page 51 you say cross the concrete bridge (to go up to Pigadia). But we think it is nicer to go over the old bridge and take the lovely, well kept mule trail. Also, the text implies that there is only a shepherd living in Pigadia, and we were expecting an old ruined, tranquil hamlet. But houses are being renovated all over the place, with a lot of cars around. People from Kalamata told us that they pass the summer here, since it's so much cooler. There is no restaurant at present, but we found a lady who gave us the key to the church of Taxiarches - well worth seeing. (User, 6/06) + (a) There are several forks on the dirt road before the left fork at the 40min point not mentioned in the guide, including a reasonably sized left at about 30 min. At the true fork, the main dirt road turns sharp right and up, and you want to take the less-travelled level track ahead. (b) There's not much left of the wooden signpost at 50 min. c) The rungs are deteriorating and in places missing (only four remain in the 8-rung slab (4h 15m)). Use the remainder with care. The gorge should still be within any reasonably able-bodied person's ability, though. (User, 4/07)

Walk 7: Between 22min and 30min there is a new small track to the left which you should ignore. The SCHOOL mentioned just before the 2h-point is not obvious; it is better to say "and after barely 100m turn left on a concrete track". At 2h05min: Cross straight over and go up a stony path to a track (2h08min); here turn left then fork right (uphill on concrete). At 2h25min the brown sign has gone. Before the 2h50min-point: At the fork keep left to reach a PASS (2h50min). (User, 5/06)

Walk 8: (a) The deviations from the gorge bed between the 40 min & 55 min points are not necessary - if you're not able-bodied enough to do the easy steps they avoid, then you wouldn't enjoy the rocky gorge bed anyway. The climb to the Lykaki monastery shouldn't be missed though! (b) At the 2h 15m point, construction of a new jeep track means there are two left forks to take before the stone bridge, not one. (c) The described route misses the most spectacular, deep section of the gorge. If you don't mind some moderate scrambling, just head down the gorge bed instead of crossing it at the 3h 50m point - similar difficulty to walk 6 although no rungs & minimal cairns. One seemingly daunting section reached after about 15 minutes, overlooked by a clifftop chapel, is best navigated by clambering behind the ruined building on the opposite side. If you can get that far, the rest then gets easier. (User, 4/07)

Walk 9: At the 1h20min-point: the cave-chapel frescoes depict the Archangel Michael and St Nikolaos the Plousiodotis (the giver of riches), NOT Osios Nikon. (Author, 6/04) + After the 2h40min-point it says: follow the road 50m to the left. If you go just a couple of metres further, you come to a small bridge: just in front of this there is a very easy route down to Foneas Cove! Just past the bridge there is another route - very good at the start, but then it deteriorates and you have to scramble down to the cove. (User, 5/05) + At the miniature chapel (1h), do not walk in front of the chapel door, but turn right on the path just before reaching the chapel. Then bear left on a small track through an olive grove (waymarks on tree trunks). Then, in open ground, turn left along a jeep track, past carved 'porolithos' basins on the right and, almost immediately, veer slightly right along a path, passing a stone ruin on the right (waymark). Bear right towards visible cypresses... Before the 2h point, at ODOS L KATSONH: You leave the village. At a T-junction with a concrete lane, turn right and at a right-hand bend (marble topped bench), turn left along a farm track (signed "Pfoneas Seashore"). This dwindling track bends left (2h05min) and you should keep straight on (no green sign) within the low stone walls ... (User, 5/06)

Walk 11: "and go past the town hall on your left": this point is not very well described; the telephone pole in the middle is gone. After a lot of looking around, we finally found what was left of it. At the 5min-point the steeply descending cobbled path is completely overgrown, you can hardly see the cobbles. It's quite a struggle to get down this; there's even cacti overhead. At the 10min-point there are no tracks to be seen left or right, it's all overgrown. We had to turn back. (User, 5/05) + The first part of the route, from Itilo down to Neo Itilo beach, is very overgrown, especially from 31min to 35min (almost impassable). I suggest starting in Neo Itilo which is served by the same buses as Itilo. If you do want to start from Itilo, the TOWN HALL may not be obvious - it is a mulberry-shaded square on your left. The telephone pole is gone, but the right turn in question comes 50m after the mulberry-shaded square... At the 3h45min-point, the manhole is not visible, but you simply turn right at the top of the building. The waymarks thereafter are now blue, not red. The mesambryanthemum is gone (3h53min). (Author, 10/07)

Walk 12: At 1h25min the tree is a spreading poplar, not an oak. (Author, 6/04) + There is a new dirt road from Mina heading east along the north side of the valley which will join the road coming up from Pahianika. This means the path (from Polemitas to Lakki) is getting overgrown, mainly with kermes oak. But it was passable in 2006. (Author, 6/06)

Walk 13a: A newly buldozed dirt track has altered the start of this walk. At the signposted junction at 4 min, turn left down the new dirt track. Follow it to its end (another 6 mins) and clamber straight ahead over the rubble at its terminus. A small boot-worn path curves left and starts descending steeply, becoming immediately more distinct. You are now at the 22 min point in the description. We would agree that this walk is unmissable. (User, 4/07)

Walk 14: At the start, the faded roadsign MANTOYBALOY is not there; a better landmark is to say 'turn right by a house with stone walling and a metal gate to the driveway'. (Author, 6/06) + The detour to Ayios Panteleimon is very hard to find now. If you want to try: after the BRIDGE, continue to the houses of Diporo, where there is a fork (35min). For the onward route to Pepon keep right. For Ayios Panteleimonas turn left along the track to Kitta (marked as single black line on the map in the book) and, at the end of the wall on your right, turn left down a small path, passing to the right of a low tower-ruin. At the stone ruin with the collapsed slate roof continue downhill, bearing right along a small path, descending half a dozen terraces to a still-tended olive grove. Here bear right to the end of the grove and it's in front of you. (User, 5/06) + We enjoyed this walk a lot; it can also be done as a circular walk, several paths go to the villages - I think they are all shown on your map. (User, 5/05) + Motorists can avoid some of the long stretch from Alika to Gerolimenas at the end of the walk: park in Alika and walk along the road towards Gerolimenas as far as the place where your map shows a chapel and track at the left of a cove. This track runs to Ano Boularii, saving 45 minutes. (User, 6/06)

Walk 15: At the start, 3rd sentence: After 100m turn left through the gate by the gated garage and between 2 houses. At the 45min-point, the sign to BEACH has gone.
At 1h: BLUE ARROWS have faded (User, 5/06)

Walk 16: The road to Koumousta is absolutely horrendous. I'm glad we only met one other vehicle on the road! It's also difficult to find, as its not signed and looks like a farm track. We are fairly nerve free drivers but others may find it too much to cope with. (User, 3/06) + The road from Xirokambi to Koumousta no longer exists. It was broken in bad storms in winter 2005/6. Beyond Xirokambi a 3km stretch is still in user, but after that there's nothing. So you can park by the side of the road and walk up to the (now completely abandoned) Koumousta. (User, 6/06) + (a) The road is much improved over the conditions reported by the user in 6/06 and shouldn't present any problems - although you will have to do some reversing on the last stretch if you meet anyone. Well worth it for the outstanding walk to the monastery - now clearly signposted and waymarked from the village square. (b) The continuation of the road is now also navigable with care - we drove to Koumousta from the Ayia Varvara refuge in a 2WD. Just turn right rather than left at the end of the refuge track and keep following the most obvious route. Turn left into Koumousta when you reach the surfaced, hairpin-ful road from Xirokambi. (Users, 4/07 and 6/07)

Walk 17: Introduction: To book the refuge, e-mail taygetios@mail.gr. (Author, 10/07) + (a) The refuge access road was navigable with care in a 2WD in early April. (b) The early April refrozen snow on the final ridge after the Portes saddle (2h 15m) was beyond our ability without crampons - too hard to kick steps. We got another 100m worth of height & views to the North by turning right and walking up the easy Athanati Rahi ridge. (User, 4/07)
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Walk 19: The jeep track referred to several times between 40m and 1h 10m is disappearing. Just stick to the excellent waymarking. (User, 4/07) + At around 20min, the text should now read: "At the 2nd wooden signpost (20min), turn left across etc..." (Author, 10/07)

Walks 20 and 21: Apparently the fires of summer 2007 have affected this area badly. (Author, 10/07)

Walk 21: We were asked by a monk at Ayii Anargyri monastery to point out an inaccuracy! Apparently there were 2 sets of saints called Cosmos and Damion who practised medicine. One set was from Rome and the other from Arabia. This monastery's saints did not in fact treat Christians persecuted by Dicletion and they celebrate their saints on 1st Nov not 1st July! The monk was very charming and invited us in although they were in fact closed and it seemed we were the first English visitors the monastry had had for several years. The monk spoke very good English although he said he had not spoken English since he was at college and once we showed him your book he said he would get some information on the monastery prepared in English and renew his English studies! Incidentally the dry river bed referred to in the walk was in full spate although we were not aware of any recent rain; it did get slighty tedious wringing out the socks on several occasions and we did have to improvise to avoid some of the more impossible river crossings! But the path was very well waymarked. (User, 6/03)

Walk 23: Despite stumbling across several blue dots and cairns on the spur after the 3h 38m point, we found nothing resembling a consistent path - don't even bother trying to find one until after the rocky 'teeth'. You'll get scratched and sore as you push through the undergrowth; not a walk for the faint-hearted. (User, 4/07

Walk 25: Kiparissi-Babala circuit alternative route. (a) This walk was magnificent. The ascent under the limestone cliffs and the stroll through the meadows between the limestone stacks is a must-do. The
route was actually quite well marked with blue dots & certainly easier than walk 23. (b) The taxi ride for the linear walk will take a good 40 mins and a Greek couple we met at the Ayia Varvara said that it was poorly marked too. We'd recommend the circuit. (c) Park on the road above Vrisi - there are several pull-outs. There is a way back that avoids the slog on the road up from Kiparissi. (d) The sign at the right fork at the hut (50min) seems to point straight into scrub! Don't be deterred - the faint trail quickly becomes a well-made donkey track. (e) The waymarks peter out about 5 mins before Ayios Ioannis. The terrain naturally veers you a little to the left around a spur, which works fine. The GPS co-ords of the chapel are N36 57.388 E22 58.217. (f) It is essential to find the blue arrow described at the 3h point - the climb through the limestone stacks is much too overgrown to bushwack. Heading West from Ayios Ioannis, you are walking though old fields and past the occasional ruined hut, towards a bowl formed by the rougher slopes. Keep toward the left (S) side of the meadows, glancing backwards for awkwardly-placed blue spots. The path into the stacks is marked by a blue spot on a large boulder behind you and a small cairn ahead. The arrow is at N36 57.349 E22 57.947, just a few yards along the small path through the bushes after the cairn. (g) The climb is then regularly marked - there are a few false trails but you won't have to backtrack far before you're back with the blue dots again. Once on the plateau (4h 15m) the route is straightforward. (h) The final descent into Kiparissi and climb up the road to Vrisi can be avoided by turning right at the fork after the concrete section at 3h 45m of the linear walk, instead of left. A farm track curves pleasantly through the olive groves into Vrisi - you will have had a good view of it as you dropped down toward the goat barn earlier. (User, 4/07)

Walk 28: The caves at Ayios Andreas in Kastania are now open every Sat. and Sun from 10am - 3pm, cost 7 euros. (Author, 2/05)

Walk suggestion: Earlier this month my wife and I were in the Peloponnese for a week each inside and outside the area covered by your book. Here is a suggestion for a short waterfall walk in county Messinia: We were on the Kalamata to Pylos road, in the eastern outskirts of Kazarma, 8km west of the Rizomilos junction. Just west of a pair of petrol stations facing one another we saw a new metal sign "Polilimnio Waterfalls 3km", in Greek and English, pointing southward. We passed thiough the village of Charavgi, lollowing the signs, along a dirt track. At one fork, unsigned in respect of the waterfalls, we took the branch labelled "Pros " ("towards"), but I did not record what it was "pros" - but it was certainly not the waterfalls - probably a farm name. We first passed a coach park and then reached a car park. The first 1OOm of the footpath is then paved, thereafter it is over rocks. We had to cross and recross the stream. The bridges were damaged but passable. We eventually reached a high water fall. There were many small falls and pools (I believe "Polilimnio" to mean "many pools"). In one pool we saw a crab. The round trip took an hour, including many photographs and reloading a camera. The metal signs on the roads were all new and we also saw many new but blank wooden notice boards - apparently the area is being made more visitor-friendly. (User, 6/06)