Kámbos - Diapóri and back

Evaluation: This is a fairly easy hike, on some flat terrain and in a very remote corner of Sýros. From time to time this hike is indicated by means of a red-white trail marker [5]. The hike gets an evaluation of ***.

Estimated time: The actual walking time takes 2h20: some 70 minutes for the way out and another 70 minutes for the way back. As usual, the real walking time is about twice as long – we hiked from 11am to 3pm.

Route description: [It is a good idea to rent a car and to drive to the far end of the asphalt road in Kámbos. In order to get there from Ermoúpoli you first go in the direction of Ano Sýros, until you see the sign "Archaic places of Apáno Meriá". You then follow the narrow asphalt road, past the turns to Chartianá/Papoúri and to Sýringa, until the asphalt road becomes gravel, at the second sign "Kámbos".]

(0h00) The hike begins at the far end of the road, without any special indication, although you do notice a red dot or a blue arrow now and then. You follow a great trail, almost flat, with right in front of you and deep below the see and the islands of Andros and Tínos. After some 11 minutes you cross a hill crest on your left-hand side; the sea appears on the other side, together with the islands of Sérifos, Kýthnos and Kéa. A little further you walk through a wooden gate and your trail continues on the left-hand side of the wall (notice a trail marker [5] on the wall). 

(0h12) Watch out here: immediately after the gate the trail splits up: the path on the left descends to the beaches of Gría Spília and Grámmata (this is a hike indicated with the yellow-white trail markers [2] and [1]); today you have to go straight ahead, though.
After a few minutes the trail really runs on top of the hill crest, with the sea on both sides. Later on, you go up on the right hand slope of a small hill, which means that only the islands of Andros and Tínos remain visible. Right in front of you, you can also see Giáros, all of a sudden. This is really a wonderful hike, especially since it is so quiet. 

(0h29) About 17 minutes after the gate you see a deeper depression in front of you. You descend on the left-hand side of the hill crest, towards the next ridge and over here you also find a trail marker [5], for the first time in 23 minutes.

(0h35) Slightly further, your trail continues on the right-hand side of a wall with small wooden poles on top of it – you should watch out here: you do not take the vague path alongside the wall; instead, you continue towards the right, but without going down. After about 20 seconds you should find a cairn and after exactly 1,5 minutes a trail marker [5], otherwise you are wrong and you should turn back in order to find the right track.
You thus continue almost horizontally, on the right-hand side of the next hill top. Also here the trail can become vaguer, but you should definitely not go down. You continue until you reach a metal gate between two stone pillars [5].

(0h44) For another 6 minutes you walk on the right of the hill top, with a nice view on the rugged coast on your right-hand side.

(0h50) You then cross the stony depression between the previous hill and the next one.  

(0h54) In this way you get to the other side of the slope again, and the beautiful west coast appears – there is also a lonely boulder with the trail marker [5]. The following stretch is flat, so very easy and it runs in the direction of the beautiful coast. You pass on the left of the summit of the Príonas (165 m) and after another 16 minutes you thus reach the stony and circular cape of Diapóri. 

(1h10) You can notice a few cairns and below there are also some very nice rock formations. From this point you can distinguish a whole lot of islands as well: all the way to the right the tip of the island of Andros, then the island of Evia, very vague, and the uninhabited island of Giáros, very nearby. Further to the left you notice the isles of Kýthnos, Sérifos, Sífnos and Páros on the far left.

For the return route you depart from the cairns. You have to be very careful, since you do not have a visible aim as a point of reference. You walk horizontally, with sometimes a cairn or a trail marker [5] to guide you. After 14 minutes you have to watch out: when you reach the depression you have to cross it towards the left – when you get too close to a metal fence with a gate you have to turn back and keep more to the left.
Some 3-4 minutes later you arrive at the other side of the hill crest. You continue on the left-hand side of the hill until, about 24 minutes after your departure, you get to the stone pillars and the gate. You can take some rest in the shadow of the wall... the silence is so overwhelming – you only hear the splashing of the waves.

(1h34) It is now easy to follow the red-brownish trail and after some 8-9 minutes you arrive again at the far end of the wall + small poles. 

(1h44) Slightly further you get to a vague junction where you have to keep to the left – a little thereafter you also notice a trail marker [5] on a protruding rock. You then climb up the slope, on the right of the following hill. At a junction, some 6 minutes after the wall, you keep to the left again [5] and you climb up the depression between two hills. On top, you can see the path continuing, far away and going up a small hill. Another 4-5 minutes later you arrive on the top of the hill and from this great viewpoint you can see the islands of Andros and Tínos.