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Published: June 22nd 2010
Before I start will today I must first return to yesterday's walk as I have been sent some information. You will recall I reached a spot with a couple of hundred foot drop which was referred to as the historic site - Queen's Leap but there was no reference to the history and I couldn't find any. Well I been contacted with the following information; how true it is I do not know but it sounds plausible. "Local legend links the site with a Byzantine Queen who ruled over Paliokastro (an ancient city that was on the ridge behind but which is all but disappeared). The city was ramsacked and destroyed by Pirates (that sounds unusual as it is so far inland) and she was so distraught that she commited suicide by jumping on muleback (so that's why I did see reference to Mule's Leap) off the cliff".
Returning now to today..........I was awoken at 4:30 by.....Thunder. Good old Corfu thunder and it sounded close. The rumbles lasted up to 15 seconds at a time and were very loud. The rain sounded heavy. Could this be a disaster..........I only have today to make this walk and what started off the
whole idea to walk Corfu was the lesser challenge to walk up Pantokrator (906 metres). You are told not to go in bad weather, especially alone as in cloud it is hard to see your route so easier to get lost and iy makes the paths very slippery in places particularly on steep ascents and descents like today. I have to weigh up the risks as if I get in trouble and phone for help it means putting others at risk to come and assist me. All I have is my route notes, maps and a compass; however once up the top I know I must descend to the coast in the east so if it was the wrong route it wouldn't be too bad. The storm continued and I delayed packing. I went outside under the canopy to see the situation for myself at 7am...........it was unusual as the storms had come from the East (Albania). The low cloud was still coming from that way but the higher cloud seemed to be going in a different direction so it made it hard to know if it was going to clear...........the clouds were low but as I couldn't see over
the ridge opposite Asteras Bar it was hard to tell how low. From experience it was a good bet that they cloud level would be below the summit of Pantokrator. Now the route today actually only goes to about 800 metres and the climb up the road to the summit and back is off route but a must do. So if it was too bad I could cut out the final climb but still complete the trail; although that was not in my plans and would take really bad weather to stop me. Today is probably the longest day; listed as 7.5 hours and with at least an hour extra to go to the summit of Pantokrator; these are walking times and exclude any stops I make. So as you can see you dont really want to delay your start even though it stays light until gone 9:30 pm. It has stopped raining by the time I pop into collect my packed breakfast ( a half loaf full of cheese, ham and tomato). The old man makes me cup of tea. He English was poor but he was saying 50/50 re the weather even though it had stopped raining and
"it will be bad up there". The sun comes out but there is still a lot of very grey cloud around but I begin to feel positive; I go and pack decide to wear shorts and a top over my t-shirt and have my waterproofs in the rucksack along with plastic bags to protect phone and camera and Shrek it the rain returned. As it is more usual than not for the day to clear up once the storm and rain has stopped the only worry is the condition underfoot. So it is 8am when I bid the old man farewell and set off on the Trail.
So its through alleyways in the village to the back of the main church, climb steps to a road and go along until you join a very rough track, later a path through olive groves and then open hillside. Climbing all the time it is very wet as you cannot avoid brushing aginst shrub or hitting low branches and I am soon soaked on my left side. Why just the left, well as you climb the gully on the path which is no more than 18 inches wide and edged on the right
with rock there is a drop of over 100 foot on your right. You walk with a tilt to the left I can assure you and every step is careful due to the wet conditions underfoot. I now see why the old man said 50/50. It was bit scary in places to say the least. As I ascended the forest diminished and great views appeared despite the clouds; down to Ipsos beach and also across Gouvia Bay towards Corfu Town. 45 minutes of climbing and I was on a small plateau and could see Taxiarchis Chapel ruin; just off route. I head there and it is amazing and a shame; left to ruin the roof has collapsed in. The walls are still covered in ancient frescos. Such a shame there is no restoration as this will all be lost forever in a couple of years. Great views from here as well. I reflect on the difficult climb which took me longer than on the plan as I had to go very carefully in places. The good news was my swollen foot was fine, no aches at all. Now I had to find the Trail and did so after a minute
or so and headed into a holm oak forest climbing a gully, leaving the forest the path becomes tough with boulders. The path is difficult to follow at times as the area is used by free range cattle and sheep who make their own paths. I'm heading for the main plateau...........the Karst Plateau (Karst is a generic geographical term used worldwide to describe the terrain). This is an extensive flatish area used for grazing and was covered in fresh dung and sheep droppings which had to be avioded as much as possible, the paths mainly soil but with terrace steps to climb and the odd rock. The area covered in gorse, low bushes and shrub and yellow everwhere; yellow flowers about 3 foot tall and yellow on the gorse bushes too. It made it very difficult to see the paths ahead. My plans say it is very well waymarked in red as well as yellow............uhmm really! I must have been on a cow path then. On each terrace the path is less obvious and as you approach the next 2 foot wall you look for the marking and the path, sometimes to my left othertimes right. The sun was out
now and I could see Pantokrator ahead and my notes said head slightly left of the summit which I did and I had no problems crossing the Plateau.............well I did have problems not in the walking which was fast I can assure you, not with cattle or sheep because I never saw any, just the mess they left behind but with flies..................millions of them all over me on the sleeves of my jacket on my hands, face and bigger noiser ones buzzing around and trying to attack my ears. God knows what was happening to my exposed legs eventhough I was covered in repellant; I dreaded a bite by a horsefly. If anyone was watching me through binoculars from the summit of Pantokrator they would have seen a weird site of me windmilling my arms (one hand holding my route plans) to keep them away from my face. It was really annoying and I just wanted to get across that Plateau as quick as possible which fortunately I did; I soon saw the water tank on the road ahead to my left and knew that was where I was heading and it was a relief to scramble onto the road
and only then did the flies go away. I stop, very hot as i did go fast and from my flapping arms and enjoy a whole bottle of water. I know I can buy some on Pantokrator (another reason to divert to the summit as there are no refreshments or shops on todays walk until you reach the east coast).
I now set off up the hairpinning road to the summit of Pantokrator above me; tourist cars are passing me going up and down all probably thinking I am mad to be walking. It is steep as any of you will know who have driven (or cycled) but it is not rough, past the Church house and after a couple more turns reach the summit and there was a little fist pump with achievement when I pass through the arch into the courtyard. It was just 10:40 and I was puffing a bit but the legs felt great; proof that my training had been more than good enough. I was happy as I'd achieved an ambition to walk up Pantkrator ( 906 Metres or 2,972feet). Photos taken I see the resident Monk feeding his cats. I need drink and go
to the small bar to get a celebratory Amstel and several bottles of water. I ask the staff to take my picture outside, admire the views as the cloud has now lifted away. I look over the side to see towards Old Perithia and the Ag Spiriodon area (last days walk). Below I see the main track that was to be my route towards Old Sinies. Pantokrator is the highest peak on Corfu and is part of a range which has several other peaks but not so high; the summit has the Mionastery, well worth a visit inside if you are appropriately dressed. I wasn't but have been in before (arriving by minibus then). On a clearer day than today you have views of the whole Island, some obstructed by the dozens of aeriel masts. You can see plenty of the Greek mainland coast and mountains behind as you can Albania. Paxos is also clear and it is said on a very clear day you can see the boot of Italy some 80 miles away. The eatern side of Pantokrator, the one I'm now to walk down appears to drop sharply to the sea.
I start my descent to the
Trail and then onward to the east coast below me. I now eat my breakfast loaf as I walk down the road, delicious and much needed after the climbing. It's a great day and I am happy. No luck with the larger birdlife today. No sign of any eagles, kites or buzzards on the thermals today; maybe as a result of the earlier thunderstorms. Not even a falcon or kestral to be seen; shame. There were however many smaller birds and the Black Headed Buntings seemed to be everywhere singing to me. I turn towards the High Col and as I go down the track a lorry comes up towards me; the driver stops to say hello. The track descends as you see Old Perithia in the distance but that is not for today. the next junction is the High Col and I turn left. I descend on the wide track and remain on it. There is a difficult alternative route through the gully but not to be tried on a day like today when it wiill be very wet. I pass a Swedish man walking up the hill. The smell of the broom on either side of the track
is amazing and many bees are around but not troubling me. Then meet 2 Germans who are searching for a lost mobile. Their companions are in Old Sinies. I arrive at Old Sinies and look around the deserted village; it was built as a refuge from Pirate raids and the malaria of the coast and then abandoned when the coastal areas became safe again. I met the other Germans; they too were walking the Trail to Kaminaki but they started on top of Pantokrator having got a lift there. The 2 men were seen scrambling down the hard alternative route and joined us having found the phone. I leave them and set off downhill looking for the low tree waymarked to show the path I need to take. I find it but the path is not so clear; I can see where I must go, down a very steep slope into a gully and up the otherside, along a small track and onto the wider track; but I do not find it and it is slippery. As I retrace my way to the main track the Germans arrive. They set off; I decide I will not follow them but walk
on the main track around the gully (probably an extra 1.5 miles). I was sure they would find the path but their gungho attitude was not for me and I reckoned they'd go the wrong way on reaching the path hit the coastal road at Barbati and have along less interesting walk along it. As I never saw them again I may have been right. The long track I took was subject to roadworks, a drainage channel near the rock side, crash barriers on the gully side and being widened in places. Looks like it is being prepared for tarmacing to me (or concreting). Are they building an alternative route to Pantokrator from the east coast? Shame if they do. I'm soon round to where the small track rejoined the main track so back on trail and sure enough see a yellow marker. You can see here the village of Viglatsouri below you. Turning away I now start to ascend the track again and its a long steady climb of some 40 minutes with great views of the Corfu Straight below with Barbati and Nissaki and over to mainland Greece and Albania (at one point the angle was such it
looked like there was no water between Corfu and Albania!!). There are lots of butterflies and lizards and crickets about here. Eventually the steep descent begins by path, track and then rough path you eventually come to some houses, here you scramble off the track to join a path and then a small road and into village of Katavolos............very quiet here even the cats were sleeping. Leaving the road by an alleyway I reach a small sqare and a very large Ilex tree. Back descending on road and then a track and cobbled path into olive groves; this is the Packhorse Way. Crossing some small roads and rejoing the cobbled path the steep descent soon arrives on the coastal road at Kaminaki and it is across after 50 metres and don to the seashore where you join the coastal footpath.
Over the pebble beach and on the coastal path you soon reach the beach at Nissaki, where some of the boat trips from Kassioppi stop off. It is a good area here for scuba diving and there are nice tavernas. After the long walk with descents and climbs and steep descent to the coast I'm gagging for a beer but
do not stop; decide I will wait til Agni. Over the beach which is white pebbles you leave through the grounds of the Nissaki Beach Hotel, past the pool and pool bar (an area packed with guests today; all staring at me and Shrek). Up towards the entrance then along the front of the building and you are on the coastal path. Past another small beach which you step on and soon leave its a climb around to avoid new builds before you descend again to Agni and onto the beach though the Nikolas Taverna (the oldest of the 3 acclaimed Tavernas here). I pass Toulas and stop at Agni Taverna. It was here that a political storm brewed after a lunchtime meeting including Peter Mandleson and George Osborne as well as the Rothschilds (who own a large castle like villa nearby) took place. Agni is the home of the Agni Travel and the Corfu Travel Guide and they run an excellent website (just search Corfu Travel Guide and you will find it). I have been a member of the forums for years and you learn so much about the Island and the areas in which you chose to stay
from the knowledgeable forumsters. If you are going to Corfu for the first time go here and learn as much as you want about your accommodations, resort etc. I stop for a beer and to say hello...........they are amazed at my walk and pleased I am raining money for Corfu Donkey Rescue and I'm given my beer for free. It was much appreciated and much needed, it's been a hot afternoon. Steeply uphill off the beach and then you descend and come out near The White House and then onto the beach at Kalami where I'm due to report at Thomas's Place - a taverna on the beach. Tired but elated after 8 hours and 8 minutes walking (with the extra to the summit and to go around the gully I reckon my 24 km became over 30km today with it nearly all being either uphill or dwonhill). A great days walk and now time to replenish the body. Three large beers. While there recovering some children spot Shrek and wonder. A chat with their parents explains why an dbefore I know the children are asking for photos; noy just of Shrek but me as well. I duly oblige; fame
has found me at last!!! They call the lady who will take me to my room. Thomas's dont actually have rooms of their own; I am staying at Kalami Villas a few minute walk up a steep stepped path but Claire drove me round the long way; this was to be my base for 3 nights. It was large, nice kitchen area, a lounge with long sofa and table chairs and a large balcony with table and chairs (overlooking a swimming pool), a nice bathroom and a bedroom with 2 singles. There was also a downstairs with another bedroom (2 more singles) and another bathroom with shower. Some books but all in Greek or Italian except an old Hellenic Railway Guide! Have a very long shower and change. That evening I ate at Thomas's and had spinach pies for starters and a lamb/cheese hot pot for main. I saw a couple cruise liners leaving Corfu along the Straight. I pop into shop to buy provisions for my next 3 breakfasts. Seek out weather forecasts.......conflicting information...........it will either rain tomorrow or Saturday. I plan to rest tomorrow and walk saturday but will now have to make a decision when I wake
in the morning as to when I go as I have just the one day left to walk on the Trail; I cannot let the wether beat me now.
I will talk about Kalami and the surrounding area on my rest day..................tomorrow a decision to make; walk or rest.
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David Penfold
non-member comment
The Weather!
Unbelievable! I refer to the fact that the sun came out the nearer you got to the top! Your photos are excellent Dave. I still think your adventure warrants a book! David