Elounda walk book - updates 2011, 2006
Walks in Elounda, Crete - update October 2011 to the 2006 edition of Walks in Elounda, Crete
My thanks to Stuart Holley who advises me of a number of changes in the Elounda area.
Walk 2. Elounda to Pano Elounda etc.
Para 2. "A parking area has been created toward the top end of Patr. Vartholomiou so, just before it turns left up to meet the main road, go up steps on the right onto this parking area (which has vehicle access from the main road). Cross the parking area going slightly right to take the concrete surfaced lane which follows roughly parallel to the main road, with the school on the right."
Walk 4. Elounda to Kato Elounda to Pano Elounda
Last paragraph. "The dirt track behind the [Kato Elounda] church now has a fine asphalt surface of respectable width"
Walk 5. Elounda to the Elounda Residence to Olous saltpans to Elounda
page 13 para 2. See below. Stuart confirms that the stony, partly-paved path is indeed completely blocked and you must continue along the road, turn back left (part of the possible future by-pass) at the skewed cross-tracks, then turn right after about 125m.
Walk 9. Kato Pines to Agios Pandeleimon to Pano Pines
Para 4. "The walled path up the valley side is now completely overgrown... just a mass of thorn bushes. We carried on along the dirt track around the hill until we came to a locked gate, but to our surprise the walled kalderimi to the right was clear and we were able to join the walled path going parallel to the dirt track, and then return to the dirt track later on. This made the walk a little longer but did not detract from our enjoyment of the day."
"Agios Pandeleimon was undergoing a refurbishment, the interior was a mess and the outside had been sprayed with concrete - it looked a mess but it will probably look OK when the job is completed (if ever!!)"
"The good news is there is a new kafenion/taverna ["Vorno"] at Kato Pines, just a short way along the main road, sort of west of the old windmills as shown on the map. We had a tasty snack there, and it was only Euro2.2 for a large Amstel! The Oi Myli closed several years ago, we were told."
Walks in Elounda, Crete - update June 2011 to the 2006 edition of Walks in Elounda, Crete
Preliminary work has started on a by-pass road for the south and west sides of Elounda, and this may affect some of the walks.
Walk 2. Elounda to Pano Elounda to Kato Pines to Pano Pines to Pano Elounda.
page 9, para 1 Where the zigzagging path crosses the higher section of road, the subsequent kalderimi climbing through longer zigzags has been at least partly destroyed to make entrance drives for two large houses. The dirt track at the top is now a surfaced road. These changes also apply to the description of the return route on page 11 para 2.
Walk 5. Elounda to the Elounda Residence to Olous saltpans to Elounda
page 13 para 2. The dirt track that heads off into the countryside is now a surfaced road. Follow this road, swinging left after 145m at a junction. The road swings back right after 55m, with the surface ending (in 2010) after another 25m. After a further 18m, the dirt road swings gently right, but look out for the steep start, on the left, of a stony, partly-paved path*. Go up this path – the last remnants of a longer kalderími – which soon leads to a three-way junction of dirt tracks. where you go onward (middle route). If you cannot find the path, continue along the road for 125m, turn back left (part of the possible future by-pass) at the skewed cross-tracks, then turn right after another 125m. Continue on the track as it climbs out of the valley, concreted at the top end, to arrive at a junction on the ridge by the brown Eloúnda Residence. *My grateful thanks to Bob Sykes for the update - he tells me the stony, partly-paved path is no longer obvious.
Walk 6. Elounda to Panagia Drouvalia to Elounda.
page 14, para 2. The dirt track that heads off into the countryside is now a surfaced road. Follow this road, swinging left after 145m at a junction. The road swings back right after 55m, with the asphalt surface ending (in 2010) after another 25m. Continue past some pigsties (right) – there may be more pigs under the trees to the left. About 150m from the end of the asphalt go across a skewed cross-tracks.
Walks in Elounda, Crete - update April 2006 to the 2003 edition of Walks in Elounda, Crete
Walk 1. Elounda to Olous to Kolokythia Beach
para 5: “On the ridge, with a small church up to the left” The small church, Ágios Loukas, has been considerably tarted up, with stone facing, and a courtyard.
para 7: The dirt track behind the saltpan is called Odos Alykon.
Walk 2. Elounda to Pano Elounda to Kato Pines to Pano Pines to Pano Elounda.
para 6: In April 2006, the Kato Pines taverna-cafe, Oi Myli, looked as though it could be going to open. But then again, it might not...
para 7: “Just before reaching a path (off right, to the church), take the obvious path to the left, which leads alongside a water channel through the fields behind the houses.” The obvious path is now an obvious dirt track.
Walk 3. Pano Elounda to Mavrikiano
para 2: “Ignore a path down right but go left and up at the next junction of the asphalt road.” The path is now a concrete road.
Walk 4. Elounda to Kato Elounda to Pano Elounda
para 2: “Turn right at the church and follow the onward path immediately left of the church. This path drops down from the little hill, and then makes its way by a series of right-angle bends across the fields, to join the main road near the Pano Elounda road bridge.” The path from the church quickly becomes a dirt track - go left and right at junctions to follow it along the course of the original path.
Walk 5. Elounda to the Elounda Residence to Olous saltpans to Elounda
para 5: “However, for the main walk, turn right near the Elounda Residence, onto a dirt track that rises gently along the hillside, passing another accommodation, before reaching a junction.” The start of the dirt track is now concreted and there is more than one other accommodation.
para 6: “Go past a narrow building on the left, with roadway on either side, and continue on the main road pavement to a left turn in Odos Halkyon.” The street is no longer name-signed, but is signed to the Paradisos Taverna.
Walk 9. Kato Pines to Agios Pandeleimon to Havgas to Plaka
The path from below Agios Pandeleimon to the Havgas road is overgrown and difficult, while much of the Havgas road is asphalted, so the route beyond Agios Pandeleimon is no longer recommended.
para 2: “Where the concrete-surfaced track swings right and down, fork left and up onto a broad kalderimi.” The broad kalderimi path is now a concreted track.
Walk 10. Plaka to Agios Ioannis to Plaka
para 2: “The drop-off point for taxis is just before the village of Vrouhas – at a recently cemented road” This junction is now clearly signed to the wind-farm (“wind park”).
Walk 12. Areti monastery to Kardamoutza to Kato Pines
para 6: “The track curves around the back of the valley and becomes overgrown, fading to a path, but this joins a much better used road coming up from Dories.” The path is now so overgrown you need to leave it over the wall to the left (a well-used route), to join a parallel dirt track.
© copyright Lance Chilton April 2006
Lance Chilton and Marengo 2012
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