Evaluation: This hike combines the beginning of the official hike [3] with hike [4], which actually leaves from Episkopí. A few parts of the monopáti, especially between Episkopí and Tría Maderiká, belong to the most beautiful trails of the island. After the descent, you can have a great swim on the usually deserted beach of Sykamiá.
This hike deserves the maximum evaluation of ****.
[Update by Raymond on April the 29th, 2012 and on April the 27^th, 2018.]

Estimated time: The way there of this hike (7,82 km) takes 2h50, in actual walking time (AWT). If you would like to return on foot – with a difficult climb in the beginning -, this will turn out to be a long hiking day, so you better start early in the morning. Indeed, the way back takes the same time, about 2h50 - so the total actual walking time rises up until about 5h40. As usual, the total time (TWT) can mount up to nearly the double of the actual walking time.
We hiked from 10am till 6pm (total walking time), including a small detour to the height of Episkopí.
An alternative to this very long walk could be to start the walk on the asphalt road to Elliniká, where there is a small road on the left to Episkopí. There, you can take the trail [3] on the left for a few minutes (i.e. towards Ioulída) and soon you will reach the junction where the walks [3] and [4] bifurcate, see (0h49) below. In this way you can shorten the hike by about 1h20 AWT.

Route directions: (0h00) For all hikes departing from Chóra you leave from the upper parking lot (with bus stop). You walk on the left of the small shop of Kianos, through the picturesque arched passage (the stóa). In this way you arrive at a tiny square, the Piátsa, with the outdoor terrace of the café/estiatório I Piátsa.

The Piátsa.

The stóa that leads to the Piátsa.

The small street on the left leads to the Kástro (hiking sign [2]), but you take a right (hiking sign for the hikes [1], [3], [4], [10] and [1]), through a modern vault, to the centre. After some 20 metres you keep to the right: in front of you, you can see the church with the red dome of the Agios Dimítrios. You pass the nice bar + outdoor terrace En Levkoó and via the Odós A. Lazarídi it takes you a few hundred metres to get to the central square, the "platía", with the "dimarchío" or town hall.
You continue while veering to the left in between two tavernas and almost immediately, at the small shop Baxes, you keep to the right; you then go up the staircase street (a small sign points to the "archaíos léoon", the "old lion"). After some 2 minutes you get to the junction of the important hikes [1] (straight ahead to the Lion and Otziás) and [3] (on the right to the Profítis Ilías and Karthéa – hiking sign).

The hiking sign in Ioulída, at the beginning of walk [3].

(0h06) You thus take a right into the Odós Ilía Malavózou, which is a nice staircase street. After 14-15 steps you go up straight across and to the right [3] and further on you keep to the left [3]. After 77 steps you pass a chapel [3]: the street continues to go up and by means of a small, climbing concrete road, you leave the village after 4 minutes; on the left you have a nice view on the site of the Lion.

View on the site of the Lion and path [1].

Another 2-3 minutes later you pass a nice well + washing-place; from here, the view on the location of the Lion and on the trail of hike [1], which runs past the cemetery, above the Lion and then further on, is the most beautiful. The following climb up is really steep and then you arrive at the asphalt road; the staircase continues on the opposite side [3].

(0h19) The beautiful path, which is in the beginning a broad and paved staircase, later on an rocky path and a little road, passes a few houses. Some 4-5 minutes later it gets to a little asphalt road, where you go diagonally to the left and you arrive at the asphalt road after about one minute.

(0h27) A gravel road continues straight across ( [3] on the left-hand wall). Almost immediately, the monopáti continues on the right [3], and it is nicely paved now and then. After another 5 minutes, at a tall electricity pole, there is a junction: trail [3] continues on the left. The path is now narrow and  stony and it descends gradually for about 3 minutes; it then continues as a grassy and flat monopati [3], dug in between walls.

(0h38) At a bifurcation, the trail goes up to the left [3], but past some ruins, it goes down again; you reach in this way a road that ends here [3]: you take a left for a short while, but immediately, you take a sharp right [3]. The beautiful path descends between walls for about 4 minutes, it goes up again and it arrives at a wonderful well with clear, potable water - the sign indicates the year 1879.

The well in Messariá.

(0h47) You take the nice staircase going up on the left and after 2 minutes already, you reach a clear three-forked junction, where the hikes [3] and [4] split: walk [3] continues up on the right, and straight ahead your walk [4] continues to Sykamiá.

(0h49) You thus keep a bit to the left ([4] and blue dot) and some 2-3 minutes later you get to a well-indicated side-road (hiking sign): this is the path to Episkopí.

The beginning of the path to Episkopí.

You now will make a slight detour and follow this path to the right; you reach in this way a gravel road, which you follow to the left and then to the right. 
At the sign "Náos Episkopís" you open a little gate and you continue to the remnants of an old tower (some ancient construction elements are incorporated into this tower) and the impressive (but closed) church of the monastery. These ancient construction elements (also the altar has assimilated a Doric capital) indicate that an antique temple used to be situated on this spot. Unfortunately, though, the view is limited to the Profítis Ilías and its summit is covered by aerials. Notice how the tower is built on a natural rock platform.

The site of Episkopí.

The beautiful church of Episkopí, with some ancient elements in the wall.

You retrace your steps: you thus go down on the concrete slope, you take the gravel road on the left and then the path on the right (sign and [4]) - and you get to the main path of the walk [4]. There, you take of course a right.]

(1h01) The trail to Sykamiá is shady, but it is also somewhat overgrown.

The path just past Episkopí. 

The cobwebs over the trail tell you that it is not often used by hikers...

After 3 minutes, you reach some ruins and walls, and in front of you lies a deep valley. You should NOT descend to the left, but you must turn right - a mark [4] and a clear blue arrow show the right direction. The trail is now obvious and continuously flat and continues grassy under the shade of trees. After another 5 minutes, you pass a house, and 2 minutes later, you pass to the left of another house (little gate) over a short stretch of gravel - you go down on a paved staircase towards a concrete road that you follow a short time - but, fortunately, this road becomes, after again one minute, a beautiful trail [4], to the left of that road.

(1h16) Your monopáti is now paved, first it goes down; at a bifurcation, you descend to the left (blue marks) and you pass a path towards the source of Sotíras.

[Again, you can make a small detour to the source, which is dated 1955.]

You continue straight. The stretch that follows is really beautiful: after a flat part, the climb becomes quite difficult, but there are also two enjoyable flat sections. After a wonderful path that continues for nearly 18-19 minutes without interruption, you get to a gravel road. You go to the left for a few moments [4], but at a fork in the road, you turn right (well marked with a mark [4]).

(1h38) You follow this gravel road for 5-6 minutes, then you reach the asphalt road, next to a metallurgical plant. You are still at an altitude of 440 meters ...

(1h44) In front of you and slightly to the right, the path continues next to a small chapel - there is a wooden sign with the inscription "Tria Maderiká 20 '/ Sykamiá 55’ ". You go down next to a tank ([4] and blue mark) along a beautiful trail: the first 6-7 minutes, the pavement is really beautiful, further, there are nice terraces and the path descends gently between walls.

A marvellous path! 

After a quarter of an hour, you you reach a rocky terrain between walls ([4] and blue mark).

(1h59) From now on, it is more difficult to follow the right path - you should in any case remain as close as possible to the left wall (blue mark), even if that wall veers away to the left. Take no account of the vague path on the right!
After 4 minutes, the descent becomes more difficult, but you see further a dirt path that passes on the right side of a big rock: you suddenly descend – pay attention – to the left towards a sign that you see next to a lower path, then you continue to the right [4]; shortly after you keep to the left (signposted "Tría Maderiká"). You arrive at a photogenic place, with trees bended under the effect of the wind; you continue to go down between the rocks, then the path becomes paved and beautiful.

The bended trees...

(2h11) A few minutes later you pass the source Tría Maderiká (with the date 1955) and you continue to follow the rising wall on your left, you follow this wall yet when there are few vague bifurcations. Then, suddenly, you see in front of you the bay of Sykamiá.

During the walk to the bay of Sykamiá.

(2h16) You come to the right of another low wall, near a mark [4] on a triangular rock, and later, you continue again to the right of the first wall. You veer right onto the vague path, but you see already to the left and below the two walls on the rocky ridge, between which you will go down. So you come against a high wall and you veer left ([4] and blue mark). The descent is steep and follows tight turns, and twice you get between narrow walls.

(2h27) You pass a lonely tree and the ridge becomes very narrow: you already see the beach and the following steep descent.
After 8 rather difficult minutes, you come against a wall, just in front of an alóni (threshing floor) that you had spotted from afar.

The monopáti to Sykamiá.

(2h37) You step over the low wall to the left ([4] and blue mark) and you continue now on a very vague trail, which winds down - this trail descends first more or less towards the beach, but then you veer to the right, so that you arrive after 2 minutes against a wall. You go left and so you zigzag toward the left side of the slope, while following the many signs [4] and blue marks.
The descent becomes less clear and you are now aiming to the left of the bay. You arrive in this way against the wall on the left, still following the blue marks. You go right again and the rocky path suddenly becomes more evident; it goes left again and will end again against the wall [4]. After a few zigzags, the path goes again to the far right, in the direction of the beach; you zigzag a few more times and finally you arrive again against the left wall. You pass with some difficulty through a double gate and descend cautiously along the wall on the rocky slope – and finally, you come down on the road. You go right for another 3 minutes, following the gravel road towards the beach. (2h53)

The descent to the bay.

The water is amazingly clear, but quite cold until early June - because of the bay that opens out to sea. The beautiful beach is shaded by some large tamarisk and some umbrellas.

The beach of Sykamiá.

[If you do not want to walk back, you need to call a taxi - if he is willing to drive down the bad gravel road to the beach, there are no problems. The taxi will cost about € 20 (May 2006).
Optionally, you can agree with some friends to take you down in jeep.]

(2h53) But it is of course equally possible to return on foot.
You begin this way back on the beach, to the right of the tamarisks, and you follow the little sandy road, which continues to the right of a wall surrounding a beautiful house. After just over 3 minutes, before a right turn and near the fourth power pole, you go left on the rocky slope ([4] on a low wall). You climb up in order to arrive between the wall and the fence and you follow this steep slope up to the double gate made of reinforcing steel ([4] and blue mark).

(3h00) Pay attention: you cross the gates, but very soon a path starts to the LEFT, just at the end of the fence on your left. You zigzag rights and left,  while carefully following the signs [4] and blue marks. You come against the wall again, you follow it up for a few moments, then you go left again (cairn and blue mark), then right again, between the terraces in ruins. You arrive again against the right wall, then you cross the slope across its width, while the path becomes clearer. You arrive against the left wall, you follow it for a short time ([4] and blue marks), and then you go again left and right until you arrive again the right wall - the path has now border stones, but later it becomes less clear. You go up to the left, while approaching the other wall.

(3h15) You come in this way against the transverse wall to the right of the alóni, and you should pass over the wall ([4] and blue mark).

Just make some notes...

Here you can enjoy a beautiful view over the sea, with to the left the vague form of Andros, then Giáros and to the right Kýthnos, with behind it Sérifos and Sífnos.
You leave now behind you the most difficult part: your trail now climbs on the ridge between the walls and is very obvious. The climb is steep: first, you go straight, then you zigzag between diverging walls. After 11 minutes, the walls come closer again and you arrive at a first height.

(3h26) You continue on the ridge: first the climb is less steep, but later, past a stable, you climb much faster and after another 12 minutes, you arrive finally at the top, next to a barn.
The vague trail continues to the left of a low wall [4]: ​​you veer slowly to left and you arrive to the left of another wall [4]. Further, you come again along the first wall and you continue on the ridge that often is windy. You then start the descent towards the source of Tría Maderiká.

(3h46) You then climb a nice staircase and you thus arrive at the top of a steep rock face.
After the stretch with the leaning trees, you have to pay attention: the trail forks and you should go up to the  LEFT in order to follow the wall going up [4]. The vaguer path winds to the left of the wall going up, and you arrive just next to this wall [4]. Pay attention: do not descend to the right towards a ruin, but past a breach you continue to the left of the rising wall. This brings you on a rocky plateau, where you veer right again - you thus arrive between the converging walls.

(4h00) After another 4 minutes, you arrive in an idyllic landscape with green terraces and beautiful trees - a very pleasant stretch that continues almost flat, then another 7 minutes where the trail is paved or with steps.

A truly idyllic landscape.

(4h16) You get to the asphalt road, next to the tank, and you take the dirt road, in front of you and a little to the right, right of the metallurgic plant ([4] and sign "Episkopí"). After 3-4 minutes, there is a fork where you hold left [4], and the trail starts a little farther, diagonally to the right [4].
The 19 minutes that follow are beautiful again: the path is very varied, sometimes gently sloping, sometimes paved or with steps, sometimes flat between slopes planted with trees, and finishing with a long descent.

The path is always very obvious...

(4h36) You pass the path going down to the source of Sotíras (sign) and you mount straight ahead. The climb continues under the trees until the trail becomes a small concrete road. You follow it only one minute, because a little further, you can take concrete or paved steps to the right [4]. You pass a house and you find again a nice and flat trail. Further, you see suddenly the height of Episkopí and your very green trail, which is sometimes overgrown, now continues to the right of this height. Shortly after, there is a path that comes from the right side: you go left [4] and continue again under beautiful trees.

Between Sotíras and Episkopí, a beautiful stretch!

A little further, you pass the path leading to Episkopí and two minutes later, you arrive at the junction with the trail [3].

(4h54) You go right of course and then down on a wonderful staircase and you soon reach the beautiful source of Messariá.

The well of Messariá.

You curve to the right and a little further you continue your descent to the right, into a small valley – and soon you go up again on nice steps.
Pay attention now: after another 7 minutes – and at the beginning of a little concrete road next to a house – you get to a broader little road, where you also have a nice view on Episkopí: over here you have to go to the far LEFT [3]. You arrive in front of gate and you pass on the right-hand side of it: the path is now really idyllic: continuing under oak trees, with green terraces on the left. After 4 minutes you veer to the right, you climb up – in the past, the path was really overgrown here – and you get to a side path, next to a heavy electricity pole, where you descend to the right [3].

(5h12) You now follow another beautiful and nicely paved stretch, and then you go up to a little asphalt road. You arrive at this road after again 4 minutes, and you keep to the left. You soon reach the main road, where you follow the little asphalt road straight ahead ([3] and signpost Ag. Paraskeví / Míli).

(5h20) A little bit further your path continues obliquely to the right, to the left of a small ruin, and soon it becomes a nicely paved staircase. After another 5 minutes you get to the main road again, but a little concrete road descends straight ahead.

(5h28) A few minutes later, next to a relatively modern source from 1952, you have a beautiful view over Ioulída and the kástro, and on the right over the site of the Lion. After a little over 6 minutes, the steps begin and you descend always straight ahead; after 91 steps, you get to the main street, where you take a left of course in order to return to your starting point on the Piátsa. (5h42)

Gpx-files:


https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/kea-ioulida-episkopi-tria-maderika-sykamia-25376769

https://www.routeyou.com/en/route/view/5375980/hiking-route/kea-ioulida-messaria-episkopi-tria-maderika-sykamia