Chóra - Lámyra - Strapouriés - Ano Pitrofós - Ano Aprovátou - Batsí

 

Evaluation: This hike is one of the longest that can be done in Andros: it crosses the island in all its width, most of the time on beautiful trails. It is also not too difficult - the crossing of the island by Vourkotí, Arní and Katákilos follows a much higher route, while the lower walk from Stavropéda to Messariá follows a less interesting route. The monopátia are still among the most beautiful on Andros. This hike deserves the maximum of ****.
[October 8 and 9, 2018.]
[The translation of this walk was made with the help of Google translate - so, please, do not mind the mistakes...]

Estimated time: The hike to Strapouriés lasts in actual walking time for about 1h25; the beautiful stretch to Ano Pitrofós takes 1h15, while the long walk to the asphalt road in Ano Aprovátou takes exactly 2 hours - then it takes another 1h20 to Batsí. This means a total actual walking time (AWT) of about 6 hours for a total distance of 19,7 km. Counting all the possible breaks, we easily arrive at a day of 9-10 hours (TWT). So we decided to split the hike in two, from Chóra to Ano Pitrofós (2h40 AWT) and from Ano Pitrofós to Batsí (3h20 AWT).

Route description: (0h00) For all hikes leaving from Chóra you have to depart from the main street near the large church of the Panagía tis Kímisis – which is visible from all over this town (for more details you might have a look at the description of the small hike in Chóra itself). Today you should follow the main street to the right (facing the church) and soon you arrive at the big square of Vas. Goulandris, where you find an information sign of Andros Routes. You keep following the pedestrian street (little signs [1], [2], [3], [8a], [17] and [18]!). At the end of this street, after 70 meters, hikes [3], [17] and [18] continue to the left, but you should take a RIGHT here (hiking sign [1] Ypsiloú 2,2 km / Lámyra 3,6 km / Ménites 6,1 km / Messariá 6,8 km / Panachrántou 10,1 km and [2] and [8a]).
You go down on the steps, you cross the asphalt road that descends to Nimborió [1], and – pay attention – after another 8 steps, you should take a left in a narrow street [1]. You walk past a staircase on the right and continue to follow the concrete street between the houses for some 5 minutes.

(0h09) In a slight depression of the street, you go down the staircase on the right, in between two electricity poles (sign and [1]; down at the foot of the staircase, you continue straight on a descending concrete street [1] and you reach in this way the river, which flows into the sea on the beach of Nimborió. If necessary you can cross the river via the wooden bridge (hiking sign [1] Ypsiloú 1,6 km / Lámyra 3 km / Ménites 5,5 km / Messariá 6,2 km / Panachrántou 9,6 km).  

[Hikers staying near the beach of Nimborió can also leave from the far end of the beach, close to the bridge over the river. You then have to stay on the left-hand side of the river and a little further on you even have to walk in the bed of the river – which is only possible in the dry season. In this way you will also arrive at the large wooden bridge [1].]

(0h12) Past the wooden bridge you go straight ahead [1] and via an earth road you cross the green valley. Strikingly, the valley is full of cypresses and all the way up to the left you can see the dispersed villages of, amongst others, Ypsiloú and Lámyra. About 3 minutes after your departure, you come on a concrete stretch, but, when the little road veers to the right, a clear path starts straight ahead [1]. After some minutes a nice pavement begins and after about 10 minutes, you cross a concrete road, where the path continues straight [1]. Another 4 minutes later on you cross a small brook by means of an old bridge made out of two flat stones – there was still a lot of water on May the 3rd, 2015 and on October the 4th, 2018. After another two minutes the trail takes a right near a church with next to it a ruin [1] – mind the flat stones on  the roof and the bended walls!!.

(0h28) You thus take a right and a couple of minutes later you get to a beautiful stone staircase, wonderfully shaded – this shade is so characteristic for Andros! Mind the nice walls and slightly further down you keep left on a cross-trail; you notice a water pipe and a [1]. The following narrow path is really beautiful, but rather steep and it runs between high walls -  a little later, you keep to the right [1]. Some concrete steps announce the village of Ypsiloú; a few minutes later – pay attention – , you turn left [1], following the water pipe.

(0h36) The following stretch is nice and runs in between (dry) water-shoots; at the corner of a large house, you keep to the left (there is a [1] on the staircase). You continue between a couple of houses; the path or the steps are made out of concrete and you always proceed in the direction of Ypsiloú. You cross an asphalt road and you continue on the opposite side (hiking sign and [1]). First, you reach a little bridge (inscription 1891 of G.K. Empiríkos), immediately thereafter you reach a spot shaded by a large plane tree: over here you can find the old Doubli-source with an inscription from 1818, the "paradosiakí kríni Ipsiloú" – mind the row of 4 plane trees in the brook!

(0h43) You follow the paved path and after 1 minute, you keep to the left [1] along beautiful cypresses; your trail zigzags further on, passing some waters-hoots, gardens and citrus trees. After about 3-4 minutes you pass a small bridge from 1929 [1]. After a splendid old staircase, you reach a bifurcation, where you take the steps on the left (sign "PROS LAMYRA" and [1]). You then get to another well, a “paradosiakí kríni Ypsiloú” from 1842. You continue straight and descend slowly and – pay attention – , just pas some white houses and near a double electricity pole, you take a RIGHT (sign Pros Lámyra, a little further a [1]). A little later, you keep to the right of a high white  house ([1] on the staircase) – the left path descends to a church. After a concrete stretch, you go up to the right on a staircase ([1] on the stairs). After a lot of steps, you keep to the left between 2 houses (sign Pros Lámyra and [1]) and you reach in this way the third white source of Ypsiloú: it dates from 1763 and was renovated in 1890 by the famous N.K. Empiríkos.
A little later, you reach a concrete road, which you follow to the left for a short while ([1] on a wall and a pole). Slightly further down, though, on the right of a row of cypresses, you can get to the trail again [1]. You then pass the church of Mesathoúri.

(1h00) You go down [1] to the left and pass another building with abundant wells – there is also a fourth sign “PROS LAMYRA” [1].
You now go up to a very little square: there you take a left for a moment – and so you reach the bifurcation of walks [1] and [10].

[This is thus the bifurcation of the paths [1] and [10] (hiking signs [1] Lámyra 425 m / Ménites 2,9 km / Messariá 3,6 km / Panachrántou 6,9 km and [10] Strapouriés 750 m).]

[Walk [1] continues here to the left and below, see e.g. the walk Chóra - Ménites and  Chóra – Panachrántou.]

(1h03) You now leave the route of walk [1] and you go up the stairs, while keeping to the right. At the end of the staircase, you veer left on a cemented path and you continue while keeping to the left onto a paved lane [10]. You go up, you go to the right at a bifurcation [10], but at the second fork, you take a left [10]. You still go up and arrive down at the retaining wall of a road, you climb the stairs to the left ([10] on a pole) and so you get to a concrete road.

(1h09) You go left for 10 meters [10], but you then climb the stairs to the right, next to some cypresses [10]. You immediately veer slightly to the left, but after 1 more minute, you turn right on a paved street [10]. Later on, you still veer right and continue on a concrete path above olive trees and along a beautiful row of cypress trees. You arrive next to an impressive wall surrounding a huge property and you veer left and right [10] following a wider concrete road.

(1h16) Pay attention: when the road veers to the left, you continue straight on the staircase [10] next to this enormous "palace" in ruins (which is for sale!); you go up to the left of a chapel, you veer left next to a house [10] and you then take a little street to the right [10], which goes up with steps along a row of cypress trees. You wind right and left, you continue to climb amid olive groves, you come next to a house and you finally go left at the end of the stairs ([10] on the steps). After 20 steps, you go to the left and you thus get to the asphalt road (hiking sign Mesathoúri 1,1 km).

(1h23) Just opposite and obliquely to the left, begins walk [9], for walk [10] that continues to Evrousés, you should follow the road to the right.
You thus continue obliquely to the left (hiking sign Ano Pitrofós museum 4,3 km – 1h45 / Ano Aprovátou 11,1 km – 4h10), at the foot of a rock. You go up between some houses and soon you get to a beautiful old trail with nice steps [9]; after about 3 minutes you keep to the left [9] and you arrive between beautiful walls. You continue on a flat trail high above the valley, with a nice view on Chóra.

(1h30) Slightly further you walk on some concrete for a short while, you cross the little road and the old trail continues straight ahead, on the right-hand side of a stable [9]. A little later, you keep to the right at a bifurcation [9] and the nice rocky trail rises gradually between rather high walls. After another 4 minutes you veer left between some trees and cypresses [9] and you continue to climb between walls. You thus walk between beautiful walls up to the left of the green hill. Once arrived almost on the top, you continue between holm-oaks and high walls. The view is still beautiful: in the valley you distinguish the elongated village of Messariá, and on the opposite side the monastery of Panachrántou with the villages of Fállika, Kouréli and Sasá (from left to right).

(1h42) You go down now, you get on a thick carpet of leaves next to beautiful trees and you descend rapidly until you get in a small river bed, under nice plane trees - you continue straight up, while keeping to the left of course [9]. After a splendid flat stretch and 6 minutes, you arrive between old terraces and a lot of holm-oaks and you reach a beautiful double junction, with many water pipes: the left path goes down to Ménites - see the walk Chóra - Strapouriés – Ménites.

(1h48) There is another path on the right, but your walk continues straight [9]. You proceed more or less horizontally, next to 3 water pipes, and after a pleasant end, you come next to a very simple chapel - you are just above Ménites now.

(1h53) A little further you descend into a very little valley; you go up again for some minutes and you get to a more open ground, where the trail continues between beautiful walls, which are so typical for Andros – with pieces of normal walls, alternating with vertically erected and sometimes sharp plates [9]. Further, you also note on top of the left wall a row of stones set vertically.
A few minutes later, you descend a little to a shady spot under cypresses and plane trees, and you veer to the left next to a large rock [9]. Notice also the nice breakthrough into a wall, which offers a beautiful view of the surroundings, with an alóni below you.
The trail continues pleasantly and almost horizontally, always with the splendid view of the valley full of cypresses.

(2h06) You reach a slight depression where the trail continues straight uphill between walls [9] and on a pretty bare slope. On the rounded ridge, you notice many walls, often with flat and sharp stones; when you arrive on the open ground between those walls,  you take a RIGHT ([9] and [9b] Ménites 1,3 km to the left) to continue between two rows of sharp plates in the direction of a wide crossroads (hiking sign [9] Ano Pitrofós museum 1,8 km / Ano Aprovátou 8,6 km)..

(2h10) When you arrive in the middle of this triangular ground, you go to the far LEFT [9] for the continuation of your path; you go down for a while and go right, again between splendid walls and southward. You climb the bare hill and you see how the trail continues far ahead of you on the next slope.

(2h16) But first you descend to the right, in a valley that is now desolate because of a fire (October 2013) - below, you take a sharp left. It takes a rather long time to cross the broad ridge, but then you discover Káto Pitrofós, which is already close enough – you also can distinguish the sea on the other side of the island and Giáros.

(2h26) You go down , but a little more than a minute later, you go up to the RIGHT on a triangular spot - the trail that continues straight ahead is blocked by a gate in reinforcing steel,  it leads to Káto Pitrofós, with its red roofed church and the blue dome.
You climb quickly, while continuing in a blackened landscape because of the fire; you go down again, but then you go up while veering to the left – and you cross meanwhile a kind of river bed between walls [9]. Above, the broad rocky path becomes a little road that gets after 2 minutes to a concrete road (hiking pole [9] - Ano Pitrofós is no longer so far.

(2h37) You descend for a moment to the left on that concrete road, but there is immediately a path on the right, next to a hiking pole [9]. Once arrived under a white chapel, you go left on concrete, then you descend between high walls and you get by a concrete staircase to an asphalt road, where you take a right. A little further on, there is on your right side an abundant source with a funny small table + bench [9].
You follow the road and you arrive in this way  near the olive mill of Chelmi, with a small museum - see www.musioelias.gr 

(2h41) Just beyond the mill, there is a white staircase that goes up to the right (hiking sign [9]) Ano Aprovátou 6,8 km), you veer left, then you still walk up a white staircase (2 X [9]) and you arrive next to the Barberi-source with its washing-place. You still go up [9] between the last houses on concrete steps, and you thus get to a small cemented path. Attention: when it veers down to the left, near the last house, you should continue STRAIGHT, climbing a small slope between a stable and an alóni on your left side [9]. You go through a gate in reinforcing steel and follow a kind of small gravel road for 1 minute, and then you do not continue to go down, but you take the rocky path to the left of a wall, right in front of you [9].

(2h48) At first, this trail runs in between the vegetation, but later it descends and runs more or less flatly as a beautiful rocky trail [9]. The pavement, with its large flat slabs, becomes very nice, and you continue winding, up and down ...

(2h57) You cross a wonderful little bridge made of three large flat stones, then you ascend quickly on a long, stony staircase, later on a rocky path. After a climb of 8 minutes, you pass next to a large rock, and you reach a triangular spot where you continue straight on [9]. You go down very slowly,  sometimes on beautiful flat slabs.

(3h14) You descend in a riverbed, where you step with some difficulty over the water on step stones. You go up again on big, flat stones and after another 4 minutes, you step over a water shoot that comes from the slopes on the right – this is again a splendid stretch, with big, flat slabs.

(3h18) You continue to climb between walls, with sharp stones, towards the crest of the hill; after a few minutes, you follow the right wall, then you again arrive between two walls - and so you continue until you get to a rocky gravel road.

(3h25) You take a right here (hiking pole  9]), but already after 3 minutes, next to a hiking pole [9], you go left again. The trail is vague at first, it continues in the direction of a high tension pylon, but later it becomes more obvious (blue mark): you follow a wall and further, you get again between 2 walls.

[This is the point where the path to Paleópolis goes sharply to the left, along the wall that arrives from the left (sign Paleópolis) – see the hike Strapouriés – Paleópolis.]

(3h30) For Ano Aprovátou and Batsí, you should continue straight ahead between the walls (hiking sign [9] Ano Aprovátou 2,4 km / Ano Pitrofós 2,6 km / Strapouriés 6,95 km and [9a] Paleópolis 2,2 km / beach 3,35 km).
You walk a long time almost flatly between walls and after 8 minutes, you arrive in front of a very impressive landscape. You go down and so you discover Paleópolis deep underneath, on your left side; you get to a little road, which you follow down to the right (hiking pole).

(3h43) After 2 minutes, you should go up to the right, BEFORE the bend in the road, near a large rock, and so you get to the old trail (hiking pole).
You now follow this trail, you cross a slight depression and a first brook (witch was dry on the 9th of October 2018), then you climb between walls and on flat stones [9]. At the top starts a splendid stretch with wonderful views of the coast!
Further on, you descend on a nice winding staircase and you arrive in the rocky valley: the murmur of the water comes to meet you and you cross a second stream. The trail is still very picturesque and continues in a magnificent landscape, with a beautiful view on Paleópolis and the sunken jetty. You descend again in a beautiful valley and cross a third stream. It is very nice to relax a bit here in the shadow of high cliffs and beside the refreshing water.

(4h04) A little later, you get to a little road, which you will follow now for 40 minutes – this road unfortunately has destroyed the old path, sometimes you will see the remains of that path on your left side… It continues high above the valley as on a balcony and passes above a water tank, cut in the rock. The descent in zigzags becomes very steep now – formerly, there used to be many nice steps here!
After 13-14 minutes, you can distinguish very well the old path on your left, but you should remain on the gravel road.

(4h28) Past some big rocks, you go up a little and, at the top, you keep to the right on a rising concrete road (hiking pole). In the concrete bend, a little higher, and just past a round water-tank, the old earthen trail finally continues straight (hiking pole [9]).

(4h33) You can follow this beautiful path for 6 minutes again, then you finally arrive on a concrete road, under a sloping rock, in the hamlet of Drása.
Another 2 minutes, and you reach the asphalt road (sign [11] and [9] Ano Pitrofós 6,85 km / Strapouriés 11,25 km). (4h41)

[Here you can decide to end this long hike and call a taxi - the asphalt road on the left goes down to the main road Batsí - Chóra...]

(4h41) If you want to continue further towards Batsí - 1h20 more in AWT! -, you should follow the asphalt road straight, this is now the route [11a]. After 2 minutes, you already see a concrete staircase on the right - there is an information panel for the hikes + [11a]. The concrete staircase becomes an old staircase, then another concrete path that arrives between the houses of Ano Aprovátou on a concrete road that you follow obliquely to the right [11a]. This road turns right, left, right [11a] and left again [11a], then you climb until you arrive more or less outside the village; here you veer left and right again and continue to climb on the concrete road [11a].

(4h57) After 16 minutes since Drása, there is a trail that starts to the left of the rising concrete road (hiking pole [11a]). A little further, you keep to the right through a gate in reinforcing steel [11a], you climb again, then there is another gate. You climb again, you pass a reservoir, you go through another gate [11a], then a little further through a fourth gate. The dirt trail becomes rocky and goes through a fifth metal gate – and suddenly you get to a gravel road.

(5h06) A little later – pay attention – you continue to follow the small road, while veering to the right [11a], and not the path that goes down - you already see Batsí. After 5-6 minutes, when the road becomes reddish and veers right, you go left on a cross road [11a], but after another 80 meters, you take a right on an obvious path, well signposted by [11a] .

(5h15) After a few minutes, you arrive along a wall, first on the left, then on the right – with a nice view of Batsí – and you see the beautiful white path far in front of you. A marvelous pavement follows now, for many minutes, it is the plakotós drómos, the "paved road".

(5h25) After 10 minutes, you veer right and you follow a wall; the pavement continues - after 4 minutes, you cross a gate made of reinforcing steel.

(5h30) After again 5 minutes, the pavement ends and you arrive at a brownish road that you follow straight through a wide gate [11a]. The trail becomes narrower, turns right and becomes paved for a few moments.

(5h35) You descend in this way to the itinerary of hike [11] (hiking sign [11] Katákilos 2,3 km / Arní 6,9 km and [11a] Ano Aprovátou 3,4 km). You descend to the left and the descent becomes quite steep on an uneven staircase; further, it becomes easier and after 5 minutes you keep to the right [11]. You descend again on a winding staircase or path, while crossing a small road [11].

(5h44) You arrive at a side road, where you take a left - but, pay attention, a little further, a small path descends to the right [11], which becomes a nice staircase or path. After 4 minutes, you cross a gravel road and you follow again a path that is well paved, which after 3 minutes gets to the asphalt road (hiking sign Batsí 880 m / Katákilos 3,1 km / Arní 7,7 km) .

(5h51) You go to the left, you pass a path on the right side, despite the signposting, and you take the concrete street to the right after another 4 minutes; at the end of this street, you descend white steps that wind to the right and to the left [11] and finally arrive at the beach. (6u01)

Gpx-files:


https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/andros-chora-lamyra-strapouries-ano-pitrofos-ano-aprovatou-batsi-32100984


https://www.routeyou.com/en/route/view/5944519/walking-route/andros-chora-lamyra-strapouries-ano-pitrofos-ano-aprovatou-batsi