Day 7 - Pelekas to Liapades (I get lost)

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Ok first we go back to yesterday to give the details of Lamb Kleftiko for you food lovers. This really is a speciality of Corfu and delicious. Basically it is slow cooked lamb with garlic, oregano, lemon and potatoes. Put teh potatoes, meat (use shoulder of lamb cut into large chunks) garlic in large oven dish; sprinkle with the herbs plus seasoning and Bay leaves some olive oil, the juice of 2 lemons and about 100ml of water. Mix up a bit then cover with foil and lid and in oven of 190C bake for 3 hours until meat falls off bone. You need to check after 2 hours to see if a little more water is needed. Serve with a green salad and bread.

Now you are all salivating we move onto Day 7 (ooh good last walking day before a rest day). Up early for breakfast. I was offered an omelette in addition to the usual meat/cheese but declined as I didn't want too much as there was a lot of climbing early today. My first error was to read the plans without care. It said 150 metre after the square so off I went to the square and 150 metre past; nothing. Then I remembered the notes were written as if you were entering Pelekas not leaving and the turning 150 meters after the square was in fact almost opposite Jimmy's. Great start an extra 1/2 km for nothing. I soon leave the road and descend a concrete path. There is a water tank on the right and it is overflowing and the path has become a stream and there is no way to avoid walking in water for the next hundreds metres or so. Back on road and finally into the olive groves (i love them more now; they are all different in age, spacing, colour, the ground under (either cut an dtiday or long grasses) the nets (out or folded) the terraces if any). Soon out on a track and then unmade road with goes very steeply down to the beach at Myrtiotissa (so called because of the number of myrtle trees around this area). The beach is for nudists, supposedly unofficial, but there is a sign on the road made with small stones by the steps to the beach saying 'nudists only'. Back in the 1930's Lawernce Durrell claimed this to be "perhaps the lovliest beach in the world" but did say the sand had the cosistancy of tapioca! Well I'm sorry to say it is nothing like it was then or even a few years ago. Winter storms have destroyed the beach and there is only about 50m2 of sand left at one end; very disappointing if you walk down expecting a lovely beach. The rest is bolders, stones, rocks. The swimming is still good and the waves are broken by the two offshore rocks; apparently only a few years ago the sand went all the way to these rocks. So the trail passes the back of the beach and continues up the other side towards the Monastery (which you can visit - just ring the bell at the gate. I didn't but he keeps goats, peacocks, chickens etc). Leaving near hear on a path you soon start to ascend; this was long and steep and on a concrete gravel road with little shade was also hot. After just over 30 minutes you level out at some communication aerials; it was here I saw a Honey Buzzard circling overhead but just out of range for my camera to pick up. A gradual descent now to the village of Vatos and its large open square. 2 hours already and my foot needs attention; no real problem just the water I had to walk through has moved my strapping and its rubbing so needs removing. I buy a beer and water in the shop and sit down to carry out the repairs to my foot; at this point an ambulance with blue lights flashing arrives - is it for me? Did Ian the ghost writer think I needed some of Eddie Izzard's back up crew!!! No it wasn't as it reversed down a side road before leaving some 15 minutes later. I also met two German ladies also walking the trail who asked if I'd seen two more ladies they were due to meet around here. I hadn't. They popped into the shop and I went on my way. Exiting Patos downhill on paths and thenalong a road towards the Ermones Bridge. Here I saw a village lady carrying supplies on her head in the traditional way. Past teh 19th Hole Taverna and over the bridge, across a busy road and here is the entrance to Corfu Golf Club. Sat by the road were the other two German ladies (Susanne and her mum I believe). I tell them their friends are following behind as I met them in the square. Onwards I go but the route has recently been changed due to tarmacing of the previous track by the river. Now it is time to go through the Ropa Valley towards Giannades.

This is a flat fertile river basin that runs north from the golf club up towards Trompetta Pass and spreads from the coastal ridge in the west towards the centre of the Island. It was a mosquito infested marshland until the Italians drained it around the 1960s. Now it is cornfields, vines, friut, vegetables, sheep grazing and dairy farming. Watered by the Ropa river is has a lushness and in places the grasses are very long. There are pleny of shrubs and small trees so it is not easy to see too far ahead for the Trail. I follow what I believe is the path but it seems to run out and there were no visable markings (in hindsight I think that was the right path and it was there somewhere) so I retrace my steps. Trying to find a marker I am cought up by the four German ladies who are also looking for the trail. They have different instructions and maps to me. We decide to all walk on together and in a mile or so we are on a road. Not the trail but it does lead to Giannades so we follow the road and chat; we see lizards and also a dead snake. They are all carrying large backpacks which weigh about 12.5kg and have all their belongings.........no luxury of Chris to transport their bags during the day. Having completed the trail I can say it must have been hard going for them in places and tough on the steep climbs and descents. We arrive in Giannades square with its superb views over the Ropa Valley and across towards Pantokrator. Time for lunch; I get beer and crisp bread and water while the ladies have a picnic (they wisely got bread from the bakery in Pelekas so it was fresh). The ladies are then off in search of coffee and I decide to walk on before my foot stiffened up completely (it was always better for me when walking) so we go our own ways but will meet again at Liapades where we are all ataying at the Liapades Beach Hotel. Off I go for the 2 hour walk to Liapades and soon am climbing the track into olive groves. Area is all olive groves and the descriptions could fit many places; well thats my excuse. In any event I just couldn't pick up any yellow markers; often you go a fair way without seeing one and just as you think you must be on the wrong path you will suddenly see one. This time I didn't; I tried several tracks/paths that seemed to fit the description but never saw a marker. I retrace and try another track but this took me towards the coast and a left turn - wrong direction. I retrace again back to the main track and try the next path uphill, this looks better but no markers and then after 1/2 mile or so it is blocked by large rusty gates (locked) and fencing either side. Back I go again. On the main track I can still see Giannades village; look at time and I've been walking for nearly 2 hours. I should be near Liapades now but am still near Giannades. I decided to head back to the village and go from there............I could walk by road (would be longer than 2 hours more) or try to start again and find the markers. My foot is beginning to ache as I have been walking for about 6hr 20 by now. I decide I will admit defeat and phone Chris/Anna............no answer; must be siesta time. Near the square and all is closed, siesta time. Enter the square and there is a couple admiring the view. They walk to a hire car so I approach; they are Scottish and touring around Corfu for a week. They very kindly offer to drive me to Liapades junction where I can walk down to my Hotel; I think my swollen leg got me the sympathy. This took them out of their way; but the refused any money for petrol. We chatted about my walk; they were from the highlands so knew about walks but said Corfu was too hot for walking. They drop me off and we say goodbyes and I walk the 2km or so towards the beach meeting and overtaking a villager with her laden donkey. As I go past her I wonder what she thinks of my t-shirt which has 'Corfu Donkey Rescue' written on the back in Greek. Arrive at the hotel and am soon in my room. I'm in room 40 which is top floor overlooking the pool and towards the beach; I can see Lakones and Bella Vista which is my walk in two days as tomorrow I rest. I do my washing with the liquid detergent I brought with me and hang it to dry on the balcony.........need a good day tomorrow to dry it all. I shower and go for a much needed beer or three; I also had some brouchetta and spinach pie. After 7 hours walking needed.......today was meant to be 22km but I reackon I did nearer 27km despite getting a lift.

I go for a swim in pool to cool down my swollen foot which now just aches, there is no pain. I then relax and later change and go for a meal. The Liapades Beach Hotel is adjoined to The Cricketers Taverna (more about that tomorrow) and they have a nice menu. My 1st choice wasn't available so I start with fried aubergine and courgettes in a clay pot covered in yoghurt and garlic. Brave as I didn't like the yoghurt but it was delicious. The garlic (lots of it) in the yoghurt worked and when eaten with the warm fried vegetables was very tasty. This was followed by another clay pot dish of slow cooked pork (cubes) with apple, pear and vegeatbles. This was a superb dish. All was washed down with Corfu Beers and then ouzos. The German ladies were dining at another table and after dinner called me over to ask about my accommodations and if I had any phone numbers. They were booking as they went along; they did have some details of places and had friends in Ipsos who they could call upon. I gave them my information but did warn them Spartyllas would be a problem as there was only one room there (otherwise it was a long walk down to Barbati). We looked at maps; they too got lost leaving Giannades but eventually after some 2km oicked up the markers again and felt they got lucky. All the walkers a day ahead of me were there on their rest day - 12 from Explore and the 4 with Aperghi (one man had a knee problem and Chris was transporting him with the bags as he could no longer walk). The Taverna was busy. Spiros the head waiter gave us a complementary shot and some small fruit. Very nice, we toasted the Trail; I gave Susanne my blog details. She is reading and yesterday sent me an email. A late evening but very enjoyable; tomorrow everyone else would be leaving but I would stay and rest; hoping my leg would shrink if I relaxed. Tomorrow I will update you on Liapades village and my rest day.

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Comments

[Annabel]

Food!
Dave your food descriptions make me so hungry and I have only just finished my lunch! Nice set of pics again, but that one of your foot on the previous day makes me realise what a challenge you have completed, all that walking, with a bad foot as well! At least the nice food and views helped you a bit on your way.. Love Annabel

[Daveyh]

Food!
Annabel you know me.......it was the beer that kept me going!!! I could post photos of food as well but that would be going a bit too far for all my hungry readers..........so I'll stick to descriptions and just post beer with the odd meze. But just to annoy the Ghost writer I will post more SARDINES with beer tomorrow!! Haha