Day 6 - Day of Views - Stavros to Pelekas

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Awake and it not a good start, leg is worse and it took ages to pull on my sock. Go outside and it very low cloud; in fact I couldn't see the top of Agii Deka where I was to walk. Pack waterproofs and bags in case it rains and go for breakfast ( i tried yoghurt and honey but it was not to my liking). Chris arrives as I'm to have a lift from Benitses up to Trail in Stavros; he is concerned about my foot and says I shouldn't walk; I speak with Anna who has much better English and tell her I must and it's been ok so far especially on the uphills....she says the descent today is rather steep in places. I just say I will go slow and be ok but she gets Chris to take me to the pharmacy. The lady speaks good english, says it is not a reaction to bite and gives me some anti-inflamatories (they didn't work but did stop the pain.......the swelling didn't go down until 13th June (week after I finished walk) and even now it is still sore and slightly swollen). We drive up through Agii Deka village and onto Stavros, the cloud is slowly lifting. Chris drops me off and I promise to phone if I have problems with my foot. It is only 17c at moment but that doesn't stop a good sweat on the ascent.

The trail starts with a nice track then you start the ascent, however we are going to go up and around the mountain before the final steep climb from the other side. The path winds up and down gullies in olive groves and through a natural 'fortress' of conglomorate limestone in odd shapes. We have our first views of the day and there would be many as this is 'The Day of Views' not even ruined by the low clouds. This view was southwards. I see a dead hedgehog on the path and also a buzzard circling (not for me I hope!). The village of Ano Garouna arrives. Now it is a steep 30 minute climb to the summit and it was steep in places and needed use of hands and legs to climb at times. There were occasional flat bits to stop, breathe and take in the views. In a vinyard near the top you cross it and then it gets really steep but before you know it, with sweat dripping off your baseball cap you are there. Just 23 minutes and no problem with the foot. Great views from top; now Agii Deka is so called as it means 10 Saints (agii = saints and deka = 10). On top and known to all who have visited Corfu and seen out the aircraft window is a large golf ball - it is actually an air navigation system. There is also a small chapel and a Monastry, I stop and light a candle. The first one today. You then exit the grounds past some large concrete tables and benches through a gate and past an orchard of cherries and walnuts. The descent begins, it is steep, very steep in places and there is uneven cobbles and even loose stones. The foot was jarring now but the pain was soon forgotten as the views began to open up; to my right the Achillon Palace (once home to Empress Elizabeth of Austria), built by an Italian in 1890-1 and it looks very Roman in style, comes into view on a hilltop. Ahead a wonderful view towards the Halikiopoulos Lagoon, the airport, Pontikonissi (Mouse Island), and Corfu Town with Vidos and then Pantokrator as a backdrop. To my left I can see both Sinarades and Pelekas, the route I was taking. I was still in the clouds but they were thinning; and despite the cloudy day the views were magnificent and stayed with you as you descended so you got different angles of them. Wonderful start and made the climb and descent more than worth it. As I descended I did wonder just how many pilgrims have come up and down the paths to the Monestry for festivals over the centuaries. A lovely, if difficult descent with magnificent views end then you arrive in Agii Deka village in a car park! Through a churchyard and past a very old building with a curved wall. I didn't go into village, which is fairly large and spread out along the hillside as Chris had driven me through and I was ok with water for the time being. I just exited past the cemetary and through olive groves onto a small village of Alepohori. Here in the square is a spring with drinkable water so I filled up my bottles while a dog barked at me. Must push on as I hope to make Sinarades in time to visit the Folk Museum and it shuts at 2pm.

From here you exit onto a small road and follow it to the next village, slightly larger, of Kamara. Here in the square the coffee shop was closed but you exit the square to head off towards Sinarades. Firstly downhill until you cross a stream and then up the other side of the gully now entering the outskirts of Sinarades by a churchyard. Through narrow alleys downhill and arrive at the Folk Museum........it is just 1:20 so I made good time. To my annoyance the Museum was closed (maybe because it was early season). It would have made a nice break but I will have to return to visit it another day. So into the village and opposite the car park, where the bus also turns around is a grill room. I stop and have a few beers and a nice Meze and watch the world go by for half an hour or so. A passing salesman stops selling peaches and cherries (he will not sell in smaller that 1 kilo). I buy cherries and I can eat some and have rest tomorrow; weight wont be a problem as only about 1hr 45mins to Pelekas. On through the village which I found to be a pleasing place you eventually turn and go up through narrow alleys with houses on both sides. I had to come back and start again from the main road as I took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up at a dead end with two houses. Soon back on Trail you ascend through olive groves until you reach a road. Here I must go across and right uphill but I take a minute detour to visit the Aerostato Restaurant. This is now a very modern and smart restaurant and it has large picture windows with a small balcony that give you superb views out over Ag Gordis beach. I had an Amstel, as you do, and enjoyed the view. The sun was up now but it was still a hazy day. Back on Trail you ascend again through the olive groves to reach the coastal ridge; here another great view, this time towards Glyffada. Continuing through olive groves and woodland I see many small lizards and birds and see 2 snakes making a quick exit. The path now goes inland and descends to a village of Yialiscari and then continues and as you start to climb you reach the hillside village of Pelekas.

Pelekas is a large village which was very popular with backpakers in the 1970s and still is popular today; the main reason is that on top of the hill that is Pelekas is the Keiser's (or Kaiser's) Throne (or Seat). The Keiser was William II (1859-1941) who was Emporer of Germany and King of Prussia from 1888 until 1918. It was his odd foreign policy where he befriended then offended Britain and Russia which was a contributory factor in WW1. In 1918 he left Germany for Holland and lived there in seclusion. When in Corfu; the Achillon I saw earlier today was his residence he frequently visited Pelekas in the evenings to the spot we now call Keiser's Seat (Throne) which is an olive shaded viewpoint on top of the hill above the village of Pelekas. There is now an Hotel next to it called the Levant. The views from here are just superb and you can see alomost all the way around the Island, west to the sea, north to the Pantkrator range over the Ropa valley ( tomorrows walk), east to Corfu Town but not so much south. Even with the hazy day it was brilliant and with my binoculars just amazing; I could clearly see the cruise liners in Corfu harbour; the sheep grazing in the Ropa valley. I took many pictures then sat in Hotel garden with a beer or two and a plate of olives just taking in the views. Apparently at the right time of year the sunset here is spectacular; it looks as if the sun rolls down a hillside and into the sea. There are many small hotels and tavernas with rooms here and I stopped at one on the way down to sit in the sun and write my notes. I then returned to Jimmy's Taverna where I had a room and showered. I even had great views from my room, balcony at front overlooking church opposite but view across to Agii Deka where I had been that morning; same Agii Deka view if I opened my bathroom window. Now Jimmy' s Taverna is very nice and the hosts friendly. They have a great bar and the food is excellent. I had a baked feta starter (feta cheese on tin foil, covered with diced tomatoes and peppers, sprinkle with paprika and drizzle wth olive oil, Wrap it up and bake in the oven for 30 minutes) which is very tasty. This was followed by lamb Klefitco (recipe to follow tomorrow). Naturally I had a few beers and was given a small complimentary dessert with my ouzo of yoghurt, honey and preserved fruit (cherry). This was ok. The ouzo a nice end to a great day of so many wonderful views. My foot swollen but not a problem, the pains of the descent from Agii Deka lost in the wonder of the views. Tomorrow........I get lost!

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