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From Kámbi to Agios Ioannis (Anopoli) and Agios Pavlos /Agia Roumeli (southern coast)

Kámbi (a village) - Volika (a refuge) - Spáthi (a peak) - Lívada (a valley) - Sideroporti (a saddle) - a moonscape area of Pavlia Charlara - an Anopoli road - Rousiés (the saddle) - Páchnes (the highest peak of Levka Ori) - a valley under Zaranokefála - a "Zarano" spring - Agios Ioannis (the village on the Anopoli plain) - facultatively Sellouda (a place at the beginning of a descent to the Agios Pavlos beach) - the southern seashore (Agios Pavlos, eventually the village of Agis Roumeli)

September 2016

This trek is quite a challenging one. We started in the village of Kámbi (Kampoi, Καμποι), SE the city of Chania, passes through the heart of the Levka Ori mountain and its target is the village of Agios Ioannis on the Anopoli plain, eventually, as far as on the southern seashore, on the beach of Agios Pavlos (via a place called Sellouda) or still farther in the village of Agia Roumeli.

1st day The village of Kámbi is attended by a bus service from Chania once a day, at 14:00, which arrives into the village slightly after 3 o’clock p.m. Following description is written as you use this “bus” alternative (You can also take the morning bus in Chania. In this case the time must be adapted). The trailhead is at the bus stop just beside a two-aisle church. In the village, there is no shop, no tavern...just like a dog perished there... The route goes along the tarmac road heading for the mountains as far as a T-junction. Now, one can choose either to go on to the left along the road which runs through two small settlements, after changing its surface (into a dirt road) climbs slopes in many and many serpentines and finishes just under the Volika refuge. The right-hand direction at the junction can be chosen where an old wooden signpost (with the sign “ΜΟΝΟΠΑΤΙ ΚΑΜΠΟΙ ΒΟΛΙΚΑ, what means in English "A Path Kampoi - Volika") points next direction. There is also the first yellow-white mark which goes on as far as the Volika refuge (and still farther). This waymarked route is going through a ravine and is considerably short (about 5-6km) comparing with the way along the road which is about 15 or 20 km. Hiking following the yellow-white (I hope, you will do choose this possibility!!) is easy at the beginning (through a settlement of Geroprinos) but as soon as the track (the bitumen road changes into it just beyond last houses of the settlement) comes to the last goat’s barn, you have to go through a gate in a fence and now the footpath is ascending among low shrubs and clusters of plants either farther or closer the fence, and its progress is often not too clear. When you go through the second gate you have to follow the fence upward again and, in this way, you will get on a dirt shepherd’s road. Now turn to the left and continue along this road which crosses a mouth of a gorge running from mountains in a quite sharp loop. Not so far behind the loop, there is a branch (marked) of the route to the right and upward the slope. It is a shortcut which bears you on the shepherd’s road again, just in front of the third gate. Go through it and continue along yellow-white marks and small cairns only because the footpath is not well distinct in this section. The footpath with stones underfoot starts ascending considerably and comes to the fourth but the last gate. Beyond it the footpath changes into the rather well built-up pavement with lower supporting walls in places, climbing through not too dense cypress wood. Also, black plastic pipes are lying here. After a certain (not too long) time the path levels out a little and passes to the opposite slope. Nevertheless, on this slope, it doesn’t stay for a long time and as soon as it passes back the first yellow-black E4 poles appear. Now, you can go both along the pipes, along the poles and also along waymarks – you will follow the same way. Not so far from this spot, the Volika refuge (orange coloured) appears for the first time high the slope on your left. The orientation is quite easy now, the way is going close the upper and not too deep part of the gorge on your left and you can also see the dirt road on the opposite slope left. The end of this part of your trek is on the dirt road. However, the marked route goes along the road to the left for several meters only to cross it and continue upward heading to the refuge well visible just above your head. From here, you have to choose your own way to reach the refuge (1320m). The building is closed and locked but you can overnight in an extension in its rear part. Inside, there is a bunk-bed about 2x3m in size, also an old cupboard and plenty of thick (and dirty) covers. There is not any light inside. Water is disposal in a distance of about 300 m from the refuge: if you are standing in front of the entrance into the extension, with your left shoulder to its door, have a look ahead to a big cypress tree and in continuation of the right side of its canopy you can see a crest of rocks in some distance. You have to go around its lower end, to ascent up to the cliffs in front of you then and in its left upper corner you will see a subterranean concrete water tank with good water year-round. We overnight here in the extension because there is not a suitable spot for a tent near the building.

2nd day Next hiking was along yellow-white marks. First, the way climbs cliffs above the refuge through a crevice to the next pole (which is visible from below yet) and continues to another pole on the hilltop. One can also follow yellow-white marks but they keep themselves lower to the right and then branch totally to the right going on toward a for us unknown place (a cave somewhere to the right). So, I recommend following poles which are usually always on the top of the next hill. (However, there are only 5 of them and the last one is deeply under the summit of Spáthi; after this last one you have to navigate only according to a map, to a GPS or to your eyes because the direction is clear - if there are light and any mist). As you gain an altitude considerably in this way after a certain time a tip of Spáthi appears far ahead on your left and your next target is a saddle under the right slope of Spáthi. However, there is a lower top to the right from the main summit of Spáthi and the saddle above mentioned is still to the right of this lower top. As soon as you get in the saddle you have a great view of a very deep depression just under you and mountain’s ranges with (from right) summits of the dark and conical Mavri, the flatter Ornio and behind it showing the highest part of Svourichti and at last considerable part of Agio Pneuma. Now, you have got two possibilities to continue. You can go to the left either traversing the slope heading for the saddle westward the summit or you can climb the slope right upward to reach the summit (2042m). We decided for the upper way over the tip of Spáthi. In the saddle southward (about 1930m), there is a quite good spot for overnight on a pair of tents here. To go on from here, you must get traversing the slope again as far as the descending spine from the summit at which spot the way from the summit is coming, too. Now our way was only according to my experience or GPS (a mist or clouds suddenly came what meant worse visibility. Generally, it is necessary to keep yourself at the ridgetop which is flat in places and observe terrain on your right. More or less deep depressions are here but the most important is a dark and almost rectangular rock behind a shallower depression – if you see this rock, it is a sign you must turn almost right angle to the right, to go across this low depression (not just beside the dark rock!!) and follow this direction going on the declining slope with several pot-holes nearby your route as far as flat rock plates on which some cairns appear. (Note: at the flat ridgetop some waymarks suddenly appear but these are probably for the way down to the small church of Gournés standing in a large doline eastward under Spathi, and farther maybe to the village of Kárés. In any case - for the Lívada plain DON'T follow these waymarks!!) Now the way is a little bit easier for orientation – you must always descend until there is on your right a flatter and wider low ridge between two shallow dolines. Go along this ridge heading for big black boulder lying higher on the slope in front of you, turn to the left then and reach the hilltop (with a big cairn). Now, we can see a saddle (between Ornio massif - right and Agio Pneuma - left) under the slope in front of us and a little bit to the right. It is a spot called Stavrou Seli ("seli" = a saddle) and it was our next object. To reach it, we followed cairns down to the left at first then turn right on flat rocky plates and continue as far as the saddle from which whole Lívada valley is in view. Descending down is not pleasant work, the slope is quite steep and covered by loose stones. When you are on the bottom finally, choose an animals' path to get across the valley at which we found a camp spot for overnight.

3rd day The way of the next morning was ascending (again) the remote (western) end of the valley to get in proximity of a wide hole with concrete water troughs and a well fed by "lastiko" which is a black pipe running from a spring high on slopes of Svourichti. Continuation of the trek was along the pipes up and to the left (according to the direction from which we came here). In this way, we got under an old mitato Lívada, recently used just partly, also by hunters for overnight. We went on upward following E4 poles which have appeared now. The footpath is always ascending toward the saddle between slopes of Agio Pneuma (left) and Svourichti (right). If there is not any (suitable) water in the well or troughs lower, note here pipes running up the slope of Svourichti (to the right) as far as the spring of Lago Nero (quite high) where you can (maybe? I wasn't there...) take water supply. However, the E4 route is descending from the saddle into a flat doline (or rather the wide valley) to continue along the footpath roughly levelled out. There are also some parts where the path is winding among rocks and holes as far as the bed of the valley widen where one can find places for pitching a tent (if necessary). From this doline, the path climbs steeply the rock and after it descending the opposite side, the appearance of the way turns. It runs through bigger stones for a shorter distance to start sharply ascend. This part finishes on the saddle at the altitude of 2080m between Grias Soros on the right and Agio Pneuma on the left hand. [Note: You can, of course, variegate your trek by the ascent either of summits of Agio Pneuma or Grias Soros, but it eats certain time. In the case of Agio Pneuma you have to count with about one and a half of hours more both for the ascent and almost the same time for the descent and in case of Grias Soros the ascent and descent are shorter, together (up and down) for about 50mins. To stay on the summit of Grias Soros is quite useful because the possible way through moonscape between Grias Soros and opposite staying Askifiotiko Soros is well apparent deep under you. We did the ascent/descent Grias Soros.] Nevertheless, back on the route. Next way from the saddle is heading for a rather narrow crevice through a dark toothed crest of rocks (on one of them there is the yellow-black E4 waymark). Beyond the crevice, it is necessary to climb down using hands for about 3 meters, then the path levels out and runs a little bit downslope as far as the only slightly down-swept range called Sideroporti. Here, we turned right and tackle a hard work in the terrain through the valley between these two Soroses. I received a piece of advice to keep myself more on the slope of Grias Soros, (thus on the right side of the valley) when trying to get on an Anopoli road westward from this spot, therefore we did it. There are not, of course, any paths, any waymarks, any cairns, and one can meet and follow some animals' path for certain distance only. The way crosses then the valley to the left side running on lower hillsides of the conical peak of Askifiotiko Soros heading for the area of Pavlia Charlara under both Soroses flanks and hillsides of the peak called Pavlias. Our route winded descending among swallow holes and crests bordering them. Holes are often very deep and crests use to be very sharp. It is necessary to go around the flank of Askifiotiko Soros to the left. As soon as this way finishes, there was in front of us the next almost conical peak, however, it is not standing alone like Pavlias but it is the last part of the huge range of Kakovoli, called Ghoniasmata. This last peak is possible to go round to the right gaining high considerably at first. When we were finally on a line of rocks falling down almost from the summit, suddenly, we could see a large wild area of flat bottoms, dolines, potholes, rocks and other formations, and what was the most important – we could see also the line of the road in the background cut into the opposite slope. Now, we had to find our own way through this area but important is to head for the rock falling down just beside the road because on it left side there is a good possibility how to climb up the road. For now, all thing went better, to walk along the road is comfortable in easy gradient only and after about 3km the road reaches its end. Several cars use to be parking here usually, and it is also the spot from which the well-trodden pavement toward Páchnes starts. we set off taking this (waymarked - red/white marks) way and about 40mins (maximum) were at the saddle of Rousiés (2130m) just beside concrete water reservoir with good water year-round. Several leewards are built up around and also a stone house in which three persons can sleep as a maximum is not too far. Here, inside the hut, we overnighted.

4th day At the beginning of the next-day stage the ascent to the summit of the highest peak of Levka Ori (Páchnes, 2453m) is on. The footpath is comfortable, it gains high gradually, only in two or three very short parts it is necessary to lay hands on rocks for light support, and for about 1.5hrs (maximum) we were just beside the big top cairn standing on the flat summit of Páchnes. The lookout from the top is excellent and breathtaking. However, the most important view for us was southward because the continuation of the trek was in this direction. Only several meters from the top cairn you can see the leeward built up using several stones. Our steps will go just beside this and still down along always our own way. As soon as we reached the bottom of the quite large valley noted cairns which were ready for us to direct our next way. Here, we had to turn to the right and follow the animals' path. The terrain is slightly declining in the easy gradient. One pass one or two huge depressions with rocky walls on the left and beyond the last one the way turns left and starts to fall down more steeply. An amazing wide and flat area with rocks, sandy places and other formations in different colours is under you now. There are many rocks, more or less deep gullies, crevices and potholes which are connected by narrower or wider crests or rocky bridges. The colours are grey, deep black and brownish or ochre. It is good and useful to be led oneself by cairns which point the shortest way, especially for connecting bridges. The final part of this section is upward again and this feature you will meet just once – to go down using a rocky bridge and climb up then again. However, now we were on the last rim of the depression and deeply under us, a deep gorge is in sight. It is the Eligias Gorge. Behind the ridge which creates the opposite side of this gorge also the dark range of peaks appears – these are Volakias and Gigilos summits. If you are descending down you must be very watchful here because one has to find the path running roughly horizontally somewhere below. It is indeed waymarked by cairns but they are not very frequent and are also not too big. A good advance is to have a look to the left. You can see the rounded top of the Zaranokefála peak falling down vertically by wild cliffs. This is a good landmark because if you head roughly for it you can find more easily your path ascending the slope, it is more apparent in this section. As soon as we found the footpath (It is the old connection between the Anopoli plain of about 500 – 700m above sea level and the Potámos valley at the altitude of about 1500m in the mountains) all things went go easy, and there was, in addition to it, a small spring working (usually) year-round. The good "pavement" here is safe and comfortable and led us gradually down and the end of this section is on the flat and rounded range with a cluster of cypress trees at the beginning of final descent. This descent is unpleasant. Its first part is winding steeply down with many smaller stones underfoot which are very slippery. The second part is better. It is the good and quite wide pavement under cypress or pine trees and this part finishes at the end of the dirt road on the place called Krousia. But if you go along this way as far as the end of the road it is quite far way. You can also use your own shortcut: as soon as you notice a cutting of the road in the upper part of the opposite slope leave the path and head directly for it. First, you reach the flat bottom of the shallow valley then you ascend the lower slope and suddenly you are just beside the road. The last part of the descent is the most boring and tiresome. It is walking along the typical local service dirt road winding down in never-ending serpentines with the view deeply down rectangular water basin and several buildings of the village of Agios Ioannis. It takes more the one hour than you reach the first barn and the reservoir. Not even though you are beside the water you are the winner – quite far way is waiting for you!! You have to count with at least one more hour (rather two) than the proper camp-spot for overnight can be found. When we were among buildings the road had suddenly bitumen surface. At the first crossing, we went straight ahead whereas on the second one turned left. After about 200 or 300 meters we were next to a gate under a high stone terrace. It is a former school and one can try to find a place for an overnight here (I don’t think you are successful.). There is also an old cooling box which was once in self-service operations but now it was closed and disused. We went on out of the village but immediately behind the gate turned right and took the footpath lower the road on the right. It is marked by white-red marks. Followed it. It is the old connection between Agios Ioannis and the coast. The large part of this pavement is running between low stone walls. The first suitable place for overnight is at the spot where a sandy road is coming from the left. We finished here, but there is also the next suitable place for about 30mins further – it is the similar road which serves for maintenance of a transmitter – upper part of its mast is in sight on right among trees. But if you continue always along the waymarks you are between low stone walls again and after about 15mins you are standing on the rim of the wooden slope.  Deeply under you, the coast of the sea is distinct (the beach of Agios Pavlos) and you are standing at the beginning of the old “kalderimi” as yet well cobbled old-style road. This place is called Sellouda. However, there are next to this place several cypress trees with a good amount of very good flat and sandy places for pitching several tents under them.

5th day Reaching the coast (via Sellouda) took us slightly more two hours as far as the beach of Agios Pavlos. If you are here, beers or other drinks are disposal in a small tavern at the western end of the beach. When we refreshed enough, went on along the E4 route westward and after about slightly more than one hour were in a pinewood around the mouth of a stream effluent from very well-known the Samária Gorge in the spring season. Toward the village of Agia Roumeli (with supermarkets, tavernas, hotels and landing-place of ferry-boats) it is not so far (about 5mins of walking).

 

 

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