Chóra - Lámyra - Strapouriés - Ménites - Lámyra - Chóra |
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Evaluation:
This hike is a variant of the direct hike to Ménites,
as it passes by the village of Strapouriés. It also offers
you a great view on the broad valleys above Chóra, with beautiful
panoramic views on the little town itself. You get to know the
marvellous trail of hike no. [9] in the direction of Ano Aprovátou,
till the turn to Ménites. In this way you walk through one of the most
watery areas of the island, with the wonderful valley of Ménites. All
the way long, the monopátia are again some of the most beautiful of the
island of Andros. This hike deserves an evaluation of ***. [Update by Raymond on October the 1st, 2012, by Dany Boute on April the 17th, 2014 and again by Raymond on May the 3rd, 2015.] Estimated
time:
To hike to Strapouriés takes about 1h25 of actual
walking
time
and
the
beautiful part to Ménites will cost you also
1h25. To go back to Chóra
via Lámyra,
you will walk for about
2 hours (AWT).
All together this makes for 4h50 of actual hiking time. The
breaks - there are so many beautiful spots to have a rest on this hike!
- and the picnic or lunch (for instance in the nice tavern of Pigés Karidhiés in Ménites) will turn this day into a full hiking day of
about 7-8 hours.
The hiking sign for walk [1] in Chóra.
(0h08) 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 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 [1].
[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].]
(0h11) 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 four 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. The marvellous path
to Ypsiloú, with a bridge built with flat stones. 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 rood and the bended walls!!.
Always those beautiful paths to Ypsiloú...
(0h28) A
couple of minutes later you get to a beautiful stone staircase, wonderfully
shaded – this shade is so characteristic for Andros! 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, you turn left [1], following the
water pipe. After a nice stretch in between (dry) water-shoots and 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 - during the last
stretch, you should keep to the right on the paved path. 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". A nice source in Ypsiloú.
(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").
You then get to another well,
a “paradosiakí kríni Ypsiloú” from 1842.
You continue straight and descend slowly and – pay attention – , 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. The inscription on
the third source of Ypsiloú. 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, you go down to the left and pass another building with
abundant wells – there is also a fourth sign “PROS LAMYRA” [1].
The hiking sign for
walks [9] and [10] in Strapouriés.
So you continue obliquely to the left (hiking sign), at the foot of a
large rock;
you veer right between some houses and soon you reach a nice old trail
with beautiful steps.
After 3 minutes, you keep to the left ([9] a little later), but a little
further, there is a barricade of branches.
The beautiful trail continues flatly and as on a balcony above the
valley, with nice views of Chóra and the valley.
At first a nice climb, then a
flat path...
After a little more than 6 minutes, you get for a while on concrete, you
cross a small road and the old trail continues straight, to the right of
a ruin [9].
Shortly after, you keep to the right at a bifurcation [9] and the nice rocky
path climbs gradually between fairly high walls.
Path [9] to Ménites.
Once arrived in a depression, you continue straight [9] and after 5
minutes, you reach a wide triangular spot between walls: the walk [9]
continues here in front, in the right corner.
The hiking sign [9b]
near Ménites. |
After 45 concrete steps, you see on the right the source of Vrysára, but you should take the concrete path on the left [9b].
The source of Vrysára, near Ménites. This trail always continues straight, first to the left of some houses (2 X [9b]) and then with a beautiful view of Ménites and its church and on the entire valley.
View on the church of Ménites.
You go down and then you take a sharp RIGHT (no mark!). You get to many
steps and you keep to the right of a house [9b]. You zigzag between the
houses and descend again, until you arrive next to a nice bridge.
You veer to the left and, near a house, you get to a cross-staircase
([1b] on a pole) - it is here that you get to the path of walk [1], and
you go up to the right .
If at the top you keep to the right, you will get after some steps
underneath the church of Ménites. But the signposting [1b] sends you
to the LEFT on a concrete lane. Further on, you take a right [1b] and, after a
vaulted passage, you go up a staircase and get to the asphalt road (bus stop and
hiking sign). You take a left, you pass the tavern Fountana and arrive next to
the marvellous source with the six spouting lion heads. On the right you notice
the wonderful outdoor terrace of the tavern Pigés Karidhiés. Next to it, there
is also the taverna Drosiá. (2h48)
These
terraces
are
great spots to sit down for a while
– underneath the large trees and midst the gurgling of the water
coming from the wells and from the small river in the deep valley. If
you consider having lunch here, you should try the fourtália, an omelet with potatoes and sausage.
The church of Ménites.
(2h48) For the
way back, you go down the stairs on the opposite side of the church (hiking sign
[9b], because this is the beginning of the walk to path [9]); after 5 + 12
steps, you continue straight ahead – walk [9b] goes here to the left, without
signposting… You continue your descent [1] and past a house – with to the right
the little waterfall – you veer to the right, but immediately after, you take a
sharp left on the stairs [1]. Later on, you keep to the right ([1b] on a pole)
and you keep going down, but past some houses you take again a sharp left on a
paved staircase [1b].
(2h53) You thus get
to the bifurcation, where you should take a LEFT (hiking sign [1]).
A nice bridge from 1912. Further on, you cross a small
gravel road and continue on the opposite side between houses [1]. You keep to
the right, the concrete or paved trail continues to meander between the houses
of Lámyra and finally leads to a bend of the concrete road.
Another old bridge of the famous Empiríkos.
You get to the road again,
where you continue on
the opposite side face [1]. Shortly after, you veer left on the concrete
path along a gutter [1]. You continue straight along a nice row of cypress.
Chóra in the evening sun. [You can possibly turn
left to continue in the bed and on the path towards the bridge and the
beach of Nimborió. (sign [1a]) with only the text in one column, click here. |