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From Chania (Nerokouros) to Loutro (via Kámbi, Volika, Lívada, Katsiveli and Anopolis)

(Chania) - Nerokouros the village - Kambi the village - Volika RefugeLívada the plain - Katsiveli Refuge - the summit of Páhnes - Anopoli PlainLoutro the village

September  2006

1st day (FRI  25/08) - Using the Czech low-cost airlines company Travel Servis; Departure: Prague  - Ruzyne Airport, at 23:40, seats A+B, i.e. the left side, by the window. The meal:  an awful sandwich (dry bun + something uncertain inside) + 2 dcl of a soft drink.
2nd day (SAT  26/08) - Arrival: Herakleion (= Iraklio) Airport,  at 3:15 (almost on time; change of our time - + 1 hr). Checking out and luggage O.K. Beastly crowded and a mess. By the first city-bus to the town, at 6:00,  € 1.10. Getting out at the Plaka  Eleftherios (= Square of Freedom, the main square). Dawning
. 10 minutes walk to the main bus station. At 7:30 the bus to Chania (11.45). About 10:00 at the Chania Bus Station. Shopping in the IN.KA supermarket (on a near park square - 1866 Sq.) - gas cartridges for the gas-stove, bread, water, tomatoes. At 11:00 a city bus (service No. 8;  tickets for "B" zone - 1.10) to a village on the southern outskirts of Chania - Nerokouros. The stop of this service in Chania on the street (not in the area of this Bus Station), directly ahead from the entrance to the Bus Station building. Journey by bus for about 30 min. The stop in Nerokouros about 5 min walk from a church. On the bench outside the church, in shade, interchanging travelling clothes for hiking ones. A supermarket over the street - additional shopping (more water). Together 5 litres of water per person! After light meal to set off on the road, walking alongside the supermarket, then upward the first hills southward in front of us (rather a range of hills). At first, using the village's streets and lanes (to the right), then the asphalt road winding ever higher. On the fork of roads to turn left. Goats, off and on melting asphalt, burning sun... going eastwards, in a direction to antennas or some transmitters. Almost on the top of the range (alt. about 500 m), after several km still before meeting antennas, a branch winding southwards, to the right, uphill. It is a shortcut going on then down, through villages of Kondopoula (a supermarket with the First Aid - cool beer!!) and Katohori. In this village, the road makes a big loop to left, but we used the shortcut (to right) alongside the lane with the concrete surface. Behind this village, we got a lift as far as to the church in the village of Kambi. Later afternoon. Finally the real star of our track. The road sign to the Volika (Refuge). Both tavernas closed (maybe cancelled?). Along the road to the fork. To the left, at first, a bitumen and later very long, sandy and a dirt road ending under Volika Refuge (according to a road-map), whereas to the right the first wooden sign "Volika" for hikers, as well the asphalt road, but for about 1 km to turn to the left - a track to houses (the village of Geroprinos). Near there is the next wooden sign Volika again. The track leads past several goats'+sheep  pens on your right hand. Near the last one also the last wooden sign, pointing upward.  Sleeping on an old stony field on a small flat plateau, approx. 0.5km from the last goat's barn. The summit of Spathi  (alt. 2048 m) - an important landmark of the trek - distinct from our night place as the small triangular peak on the skyline.
3rd day (SUN  27/08) - After breakfast uphill the slope covered by low shrubs. Crossing over two goats' fences, then through thorny bush cover, up to the sandy road seen in the afternoon and at evening from the overnight place. Then to left. Shepherds who were filling water troughs for goats beside the road filled in our bottles, as well. The Volika Refuge well visible from this place - the orange coloured building standing upwards, on the head of the valley
. Then further along this road, to cross one small gorge (openable fences cross the road) and through the second gorge - much mightier and deeper one and the right one, leading to the  Volika Refuge - to start the descent. Turn right, upward the slope. Scree, without any path. Necessary to keep oneself near the edge of the slope falling into the gorge. After 30 min the grid fence again. A piece of the fence openable. Behind this gate - at last - the quite well-built path!! Sometimes supporting by stones, coming as far as to the road under Volika Hut. During the last third of this route, there are several black-yellow E4 sign poles. Rest and refreshment besides Volika. After it, directly uphill to the rift through crags, with the distinct sign pole on its top. Behind the next pole a pit or depression with the quite good camp-site. All the day without any water source, however according to the ANAVASI map (see the note at the end of this contribution) there should be a water tank, 400 m far from the refuge, southeastward along green marked path (? is said...).
4th day (MON  28/08) - Next early morning to the pole uphill, standing above us and for a short time the next one - but the last one!! Next trek without any poles and almost without any cairns, thus no waymarking. Just through stony terrain underfoot - a very good sense for orientation necessary!!
On and on no water - necessary to save it strictly! Spathi points us the right direction - the very important landmark!! Nevertheless, we turned slightly to the right to a shallow depression with a big cairn. An unclear footpath.  A stone shelter on the hilltop rightwards. We got to the saddle under this hill then. The goats' path led us to the left following the upper edge of cliffs falling down under us. After some time to turn uphill to the right to a flatter spot under next hill with the stone shelter on its summit. Spathi standing near us on the "left" side, thus eastwards. Now we could see how bad and misguided is the Harm Verlag map because the path here is drawn on northern slopes of Spathi which are, however, rather cliffs and crags than passable slopes!! However, from this second hill there is well visible the next necessary direction: contouring the "right" - means southern - slope!! There are even some cairns along the vague path again!! Heading to a small saddle. Around the saddle a lot of wild swallow and potholes, a bit dangerous  area (called Ghorghoutha tou Spathiou). Completely dry in that time, without any hint of water or even any moisture!! The route continues following the range descending from the summit of Spathi, approx. eastwards or southeastwards. Then cairns again!! Afterwards to the right and slightly down, between two big holes. Traversing  the hillslope slightly down and before total descent into the depression sharply turn to right and upward. From the top of the hill, there is down a small flat spot covered by low bushes and with sandy paths. Going on there, on a crest of the slope where the big cairn is standing. Down on the slope, there are several next ones, and on the bottom of the depression much the larger plateau is spreading - it is Lívada!! To continue down keeping the same direction and using goats' path we got - finally!! - to WATER!! After more than one and a half day without it, under conditions of hot weather and continuous perspiration during repeated ascending and descending! Water in concrete troughs, fed by a black pipe with hot water (warm-up by the sun, black pipes are lying on the surface). A low hill in the middle of the plateau - with large remains of goats' pen and mitato (stony shepherd shelter) - all the place is called Lívada, the important place, where the ways cross:  from Kástro and Askifou Plain on the eastern margin of Levka Ori, from Katsiveli  Refuge (described route goes along this way from the water trough) and from Volika Refuge - Kambi (described route backwards). The big peak on the left hand is Agia  Pneuma (its summit at 2262 m). The path heads approx. southwestwards from here, meeting the E4 poles again!!  Following them to Katsiveli Refuge, the highest "mountain resort" in Levka Ori (alt. 1970 m) (that year 06 with the destroyed corner). On the slope under the hut there are 2 mitatos – possibility to sleep in the larger one - bunk-beds for about 8 persons). On the bottom of this place the water trough, that year 06 almost without water (only in the pipe, if you suck it; disgusting!!). Behind the low rocky crest in the middle (to the right from the water trough) a brilliant and wonderful camp-site for a ten.
5th day (TUE  29/08) – Early morning to get up and set off toward Páchnes (alt. 2453 m), the highest peak of this mountain. Near the water trough, the signboard pointed to this direction. The path quite well visible
, sometimes marked by cairns. The first crest, then slightly down, upwards  again, and a change again. The route still well distinct, it is an old mule-track connection between villages on the Anopoli plain and mountain's pastures. After approx. 1.5 – 2 hrs (without time for breaks and rests) the flat saddle called Rousiés, with the signboard pointed to Páchnes (at alt. about 2000 m).  Little down on the other side of the saddle the mitato and a water tank with very good cool water. Backpacks left there. The path toward Páchnes quite easy, comfortable, not too steeply ascending, about 1 hr (Páchnes is the flat summit, to the right from the short horizontal crest). On the top, there is the cairn, a wooden cross and a peak-book in an iron-plate box. Journey back for 45 mins. Short rest near the water tank. Next way along the quite good path southward,  under the Trocharis (its altitude is 2410 m - the second highest peak of Levka Ori). Around black rocks looking like an entrance to the hell. The path ends at the end of a rubbled road coming from bottom (from Anopolis Plain). Continuing along the road. Two shortcuts, marked by bright blue arrows drawing on usually a big stone beside the road. Using the first one, going along the pot-hole Tavkos Tis Lagonias. Very bad terrain; to use the road seems to be better. The road very comfortable, descending only slightly. Approx. on the level of about 1700 m the third shortcut, heading through a gorge (called Lagou). At its beginning very nice camp spot, under ancient cypresses.
6th day (WED  30/08) – During whole that day descent through the gorge Lagos. At the beginning of the stony path, sometimes built-in by supporting stones
. Behind a wider place, (with a ruin of a stony house and with the goat´s pen; named Sópata on the map, but later, I found this name is wrong, the right one is Kriaras) trees appear. Pines, cypresses and Cretan oaks. The pines dominant down from approx. the half of the gorge. Walking gets more difficult due to layers of needles (slippery) and the stones hidden under them. The gorge leads on Anopolis Plain. Using at first the sandy and then asphalt road to get to the civilization  – the village of Anopoli (alt. about 600 m). Well-earned beer!!!. Next way by the bitumen road to the next small village of Kambia (alt. approx. 580 m). From this place, the old path, winding down slopes to Loutro.  Shopping and going towards the good spot for overnight, very well known to me, near the tip of the Mourés peninsula, behind a piece of an ancient wall, standing beside a garden with several palm and olive trees and some vegetables. And BATH IN THE SEA!!!
 
NOTE: There are just three good maps (in 2006)(the editor: ANAVASI, Athens) for Crete Island – 10.11  (Sfakia), 10.12 (Páhnes), 10.13 (Sougia). Editor ANAVASI, Stoa Arsakiou  6A, 10564 ATHENS, GREECE, tel/fax: 0030 210 3218104
www.mountains.gr (The newest for Crete Island is Psiloritis, Ida Mountains)

 

Preview of picture in folder Chania-Volika-Pahnes-Loutro-Sougia


 

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