Gávrio - tower of Agios Pétros - Gávrio


Evaluation: This hike goes from the beach of Agios Pétros until the Hellenistic tower of Agios Pétros, and then rises even higher to the left of the village. It then gradually descends to the valleys beneath Ano Gávrio and finally returns to the port of Gávrio. The tower is worth a visit, but the roads and trails have little interest. Deserves *.
[10th of May 2016.]
[The translation of this walk was made with some help of Google translate - so, please, do not mind the mistakes...]

Estimated time: The climb up to the tower requires a little more than half an hour, and it takes a little less than an hour to return down to Gávrio, after a few detours; finally, the return to your starting point lasts for another 20 minutes. This actual walking time of 1h50 means a total walking time of about 3 hours (TWT) ...

Route description:
[Since this is a circular walk, you can arrive by car to the starting point, unless of course you stay in Gávrio or you leave from there. The proper starting point is located some 20 minutes on foot from Gávrio, along the road to Batsí, to the right of marble works.]

(0h00) You start on a concrete path between houses to the right of a small bridge and a marble company - there is a hiking sign Tower Agios Pétros 2 km / Panagítsa Gávrio 5 km / Moní Agía 6,1 km / Batsí 8,7 km + [15]. Already after 20 meters, you take a left to follow a dirt road ([15] on a pole) - and soon, you see in front of you the tower, halfway the slope. Some 4 minutes later, you continue straight (picket [15]) and after another 5 minutes, you keep to the left, where a brownish road goes up to the right (a little further a [15] on a picket).

(0h09) You follow now a very stony path between oleanders, it is more like a river bed; pay attention, after 3 minutes, there is a narrow path that goes up to the left, on the bank (picket [15]). The trail is steep, then you get to the left of some walls. After 3 minutes, you arrive on a reddish road, where you continue straight up ([15] on a picket).

(0h17) Two minutes later, you still climb the steep slope to the left, in order to find the continuation of the path [15] - this is a difficult and steep stretch, but later, you still arrive next to a wall and the rocky trail gets better. After 4 minutes, you arrive at the top, again on a dirt road - and after another steep climb of 2 minutes, you again get to the wider dirt road, which you left it a few minutes ago.

(0h23) You follow this road up ([15] on a pole), but after 1 minute  you climb for the 3rd time to the left on the steep and rocky bank in order to follow the path [15]. You still go up and so you arrive underneath the asphalt road, but you veer right and you still go up slowly until you get to the road (picket Agios Pétros [15]). You follow the road for 25 meters to the right - with a beautiful view of the tower - and then you take a small road on the right (sign Agios Pétros tower 400 m + [15]).
After 2 minutes, you step over a chain [15] and you continue until you arrive next to the impressive tower. You descend to the right side of the powerful basis, but the entrance is closed by a metal gate. You enjoy a beautiful view of the sea, with the uninhabited island of Giáros and, to the right, Kéa.

The tower dates from the Hellenistic period (4th - 3rd century BC) and has a diameter of 10 meters and a height of 21 meters.
It is assumed that it was a watchtower, but perhaps it also served to transmit messages by means of fire.

(0h33) You retrace your steps a bit and you follow a recent staircase in masonry [15] - you first keep to the left, then you veer right and so you wind up to the top. You arrive between houses and after many steps and a total of 4-5 minutes, you reach the asphalt road (sign).

(0h38) You go right (there is a sign [15] after one minute) and – pay attention - you go for a while to the right on the concrete slope and then you take the somewhat hidden stairs to the left (sign Gávrio): you go up next to a house and the paved staircase-path arrives at a crossroads.
Straight ahead, the trail continues to Gávrio (sign 3 km + [15]), while on the right, you could go to Agios Pétros, Moní Agía 4 km and even Batsí 6,6 km.
You continue straight and the paved path gets to a wide staircase which leads up to a concrete road from where you enjoy a wide panorama.

(0h42) You follow the road straight and down (picket [15]), you again walk high above the tower and after a few minutes you get to an asphalt road that you follow to the right [15].
You climb up to the ridge, where there is still a crossroads of trails, with many signs [15] and [15a]. You descend straight on the bare ridge ([15] and [15a]), with on your left the bay of Gávrio, and you are now following a clear path that veers left [15]. You cross a paved road after 3 minutes [15] - you now should go down to the right of the angle of a wall [15]: you continue to the right of a wall, but after 2-3 minutes, you again get to a concrete road. On the right you can go up to Ano Gávrio (sign [15a]), but you take a left towards Gávrio [15].

(0h53) You follow the concrete road straight ahead until you arrive down, in a bend of the road asphalt - but fortunately you can follow a trail between walls to the RIGHT (sign Gávrio 2 km + [15]). You now continue straight to the beautiful wide valley of Gávrio. The trail becomes very wide, it veers left, and after 7 minutes, the bay seems already close. Two minutes later, there is a small road that comes from the right, you continue straight ahead [15]. The very rocky road arrives after a few minutes down in the first valley and gets to another road, where you turn left [15].

(1h08) You still go down, you arrive on concrete and further on concrete roads that you always follow straight. You veer to the right and you get to the asphalt road in the main valley.

(1h12) You take a left of course - to the right, there is a sign for walks [14] and [15a]. At the fork, you keep to the right, but further you veer left (2 X sign) - and for a long time, you proceed straight ahead.

(1h22) You  again get to the main road, after 10 minutes, and you keep to the right (sign); one minute later, you arrive at another road - you go left, then right (sign) and so you reach the seaside.
You go left, along the water (sign) and you arrive in the harbor and next to an information board of Andros Routes.

(1h27) To return to your starting point, you follow the water, then the paved road that veers left towards Batsí. You follow it for 7 minutes, then begins a nice paved sidewalk along the road. You come next to a small beach, you go up again, and the trail stops there.

(1h43) You follow the asphalt road to the top, where you have a beautiful view of the wide beach of Agios Pétros. If you want to avoid the asphalt road, you can go down to the beach by following a pleasant footpath. Finally, you follow a sandy road to the left, towards a gravel plain and the road, where you left the car, next to the marble works. (1h50)