Fállika - Panachrántou and back |
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Evaluation:
This hike is a variant of the long walk from Chora to the monastery of
Panachrántou
via Ménites
and Messariá, or of the shorter walk to Panachrántou starting in
Messariá. This walk begins in Fállika and it is the shortest way to get to the monastery at the summit: it takes only one hour, indeed, while the walk from Messariá lasts 1h20. The second part - from the place where the path gets to the main trail that comes from Messariá - is well marked with a trail marker [1]. We give this hike an evaluation of ***. Estimated
time:
From Fállika it will cost you only 15 minutes to arrive at the main
path [1], the stunning climb to the monastery then takes three quarters
of an hour. The actual walking time is a little less than one hour and
for the descent we count approximately 50 minutes. Road
description:
[Fállika is only reachable by car, there is no bus: on the ring road of
Messariá you take the turn to Aladinoú and Fállika. In passing, you
can take a look at the beautiful bridge of Aladinoú - see the short
walk around Aladinoú; further on, you take the side road to the left
and then the first little road left to arrive down in the village of Fállika.
You
leave the car at the small parking lot, where the road comes to a dead
end.] The nice stairs below Fállika. (0h05)
After about 5 minutes you arrive at a nearly flat
side-path where you take a RIGHT. This beautiful and clear path turns
sharply to the left after two minutes; it crosses a small bridge and
then it proceeds to the left under a beautiful row of cypresses. The green valley below Fállika. High
left behind you, you see the church of Fállika and much higher also the
monastery. You pass a house, further on also a newly cleaned gutter and
then you walk to the left of a small chapel that is open. The hiking sign next to the crossing of the paths to Fállika and Messariá. (0h16) You go right and a beautiful rocky path with steps leads you higher and higher: you keep going straight, following the marks [1].
The monopáti with in the background (to the left) the monastery, your goal. Sometimes
you have a nice view of Chóra on the left; shortly thereafter you keep
to the right and after 9 minutes you get to a clear crossing where you
take a right as well [1]. A little later, you keep to the left - the
path on the right goes the ruined A nice spot to have some rest! (0h31) Beneath you, you notice the ruins of the deserted village of Petriás, to the left and nearby you see Fállika, and far away, across the wide valley, you can see Pitrofós and its church, high up and to the left; a bit lower there is the village of Aladinoú, then Menites among the many cypresses; more to the right you notice the row of houses of Messariá (with the blue dome and the residential tower of Kaïri), further on there are the villages of Lámyra and Ypsilou, with Chora to the far right! |
You continue your climb for nearly half an hour – the monopáti is exceptionally beautiful; sometimes you walk amidst the yellow broom (in spring), usually straight towards the monastery. After 16 minutes there is a turn to the left, and then to the right [1] and then you continue straight up again, often with a beautiful view of the monastery. This photo was taken in Spring - a lot of flowering broom... After
one last turn to the left and to the right you arrive at the new asphalt
road - it used to be a gravel road and now there is also a large parking
lot. The courtyard of the monastery. The
Iera Moni Panachrántou - sometimes also called Agios Panteleimonas –
is located at an altitude of 500 m; one of the 6 monks who live there
receives you with fresh water and loukoúm and shows you around. He says
that the monastery dates from the 10th century, but the oldest
historical evidence goes only back to the 16th century. In the church
you can see a beautiful icon and a beautiful wooden ikonostási, dating
from the 18th century. In the courtyards there is flowing water from the
wells and also the large dining room and the old kitchen are very
interesting. Unfortunately, the rich library is not accessible. The beautiful wooden ikonostási in the monastery of Panachrántou. When walking around, you definitely have to climb to the very top: the view on top of the terraces is really beautiful. View from the dome of the church. Chóra lies down under. (0h58)
For
the return route you take a left sharply, beyond the entry arch, in order
to follow the asphalt road along the side and the back of the monastery.
In the curve of the road, with a well on the right, the path continues
straight on, under the trees (hiking piquet [1] and an old sign Fállika
45’ / Messariá 1h25) after only 10 steps there is a small path to the right – walk [18] continues here to the right, to Vrachnoú and Chóra (hiking sign). You make here a sharp turn to the left (dots and [1]) and you now follow a rather long stretch with 225 steps which brings you to the overgrown side path off the left that should bring you back to Fállika. [A little more than one minute further along the main trail, there is the obvious crossing between walls: the path straight ahead goes to Messariá - see the walk Chóra - Ménites - Messariá - Panachrántou and back -, while the path to the right leads to Livádia and Chóra ([17a] and hiking sign Livádia 2,4 km / Chóra 4,5 km) ) - see the walk Chóra - Livádia - Petriás - Panachrántou and back.]
(1h36)
Today, you take a LEFT, the trail is easy and flat; after 4 minutes you
pass the chapel. You can now see the monastery high in front of you; you
pass next to the house, and after another 5 minutes you get to the
bridge, where you continue sharply to the right.
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