Walks in Pilion - update and corrections 2007 and 2004
We just returned from our spring-holiday in Greece, which we spent mainly in the Pilion. We enjoyed some of your wonderfully described walks around Tsangarada. As suggested in your guide, I prepared the walks the day before, by reading the description carefully. This appeared to be essential not to spoil the walk with too frequent stops for orientation. The walks were exactly as described in you guide and we were impressed by the beauty of this part of Greece. I added some pictures. K.U, Leiden, Netherlands, June 2008.
At the end of June 2007 there were serious forest fires in the area of Milies and Kalamaki, which may have affected Walks 15 and 16. Any further information would be welcome. There were other fires, further south, at Neohori and Argalasti, outside the area of Pilion covered by this book.
As a result of our visit to eastern Pilion in September 2004 there were some minor changes to note, however the ongoing local care for paths was impressive and there were few major problems to report.
Walk 4 page 10, paragraph 2
The path that was unfinished in May 2002 is still unfinished in September 2004.
Walk 4 page 11, paragraph 2
The two large, noisy and aggressive dogs have gone, along with their pen - the latter replaced by a shed.
Walk 4 page 11, paragraph 3
Some of the paved kalderimi paths in the built-up area of Mouresi below the main church have been concreted over (and more may be in the future). At a particular junction what was once the main path has become the minor path. As a result, the 4th sentence of this paragraph should read:
''The path swings round to the left and joins a broad concrete path - go left and up past the street (left) that leads to the small school building.''
The same problem applies in Walk 10 (below).
Walk 5 page 12, paragraph 6
The broad dirt road, due to be surfaced some time in 2002, is still a dirt road.
Walk 5 page 12, paragraph 8
Warning. There are signs directing walkers along this dirt track to Banikas, Makryrahi and Horefto, however there is considerably more work necessary before the route is suitable for any but the most energetic walkers/scramblers. The connexion at the end of the dirt track is hard to find and is unsigned from there on. The final descent to Banikas is currently an unstable steep earth slope carved through overgrown woodland vegetation. In the meantime, you can go to these destinations by following Walk 18 in reverse.
Walk 9 page 23, paragraph 1
The top entrance to the slightly overgrown kalderimi was disrupted in September 2004 by a collapse of the edge of the road. It will probably be repaired, and is still accessible by scrambling over the debris, but you can if you prefer stay on the road to the start of the next section of path (but watch out for traffic on the sharp bend of the road).
Walk 10 page 23, paragraph 2
Some of the paved kalderimi paths in the built-up area of Mouresi below the main church have been concreted over. As a result, the 3rd sentence of this paragraph should read:
''Go left between some houses on a path, then sharp right with the schoolhouse on your left, then right again onto a bigger concrete path. The concrete swings left, but go right on a kalderimi and away from the cluster of houses.''
Walk 14 page 29, paragraph 4
The zigzagging kalderimi was rather overgrown with bracken plants - some care is needed when stepping on hidden stones or slippery bracken leaves/stems.
Walk 14 page 29, paragraph 6
We fail to mention that there are excellent views out from the ski-centre carparks, at c, 1200m altitude, over the Pagasitikos Gulf ('Volos Bay') to the mountains of the island of Evia (left) and ahead to the mainland Mt Othrys.
Walk 15 page 30, paragraph 1
The end section of the walk to Agii Taxiarhes has now recovered from fire damage and there is no problem with ending the Milies walk this way (apart from having to walk along the main road into Tsangarada at the end).
Walk 15 page 31, paragraph 2
The two Milies and one Hania sign had gone in September 2004.
Walk 15 page 31, paragraph 3
The 8 minutes up the track could well be longer in hot weather.
Walk 15 page 31, paragraph 4
In sentence 3, the right fork is just before the Agios Dimitrios church, not by it.
Walk 15a page 31, paragraph 1
In sentence 2, the right fork is just before the Agios Dimitrios church, not at it. Before the further fork, a new path is signed off right - you can follow this to shortcut the S-bend to the house - or simply stay on the dirt track as originally described.
In the time available in September 2004, we were not able to check all the walk routes in the book. We would be interested to hear of any significant changes our readers find.
© Lance Chilton 2004
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We just returned from our spring-holiday in Greece, which we spent mainly in the Pilion. We enjoyed some of your wonderfully described walks around Tsangarada. As suggested in your guide, I prepared the walks the day before, by reading the description carefully. This appeared to be essential not to spoil the walk with too frequent stops for orientation. The walks were exactly as described in you guide and we were impressed by the beauty of this part of Greece. I added some pictures. K.U, Leiden, Netherlands, June 2008.