Kíni - Delfíni and back

Evaluation: This is another short hike, although it can be extended to Chartianá, or to Varvaroússa and even to Papoúri. From Chartianá, though, the trails mentioned on the Anávasi-map are untraceable or really too much overgrown. The trajectory between Delfíni and Varvaroússa seemed rather dangerous, but Philippe Lutz sent me a better route description!
This short hike between two beaches deserves an evaluation of **.

Estimated time: The actual walking time only takes a little over 20 minutes, both for the way out and for the way back.

Route description: [There are not a lot of bus connections at Sýros, so you should better take a taxi or a rented car to Kíni.]

(0h00) In Kíni you walk to the right along the beach promenade and at the far end you go up the concrete staircase. In this way, you get to a small house with some barking – but tied up – dogs; this is the start of the beautiful path, running all the way above the sea. After a few minutes already you can see the small island of Delfíni; the trail is easy and very pleasant, although the rocky capes are not really inviting.

(0h16) After some 15 minutes the bay of Delfíni appears and another 5 minutes later you arrive at the beach already. The beach consists of pebbles and sand; there is no shadow, but there is a tavern at the far end.

[If you would like to continue along the coast, to the beach of Varvaroússa, you should walk to the other side of the beach. Over there, a little higher up and between the beach and a wall, you will find an obvious trail.
After 4-5 minutes you cross a neck of land, leading to a cape on your left-hand side. You then continue above the rocky coast. Some 10 minutes after the beach you cross a rocky gorge – not without difficulties - and further down the trail becomes very vague.
Tall cliffs rise from the sea – it looks as if the trail continues even higher up and this seems to be fairly dangerous. We did not feel like continuing anymore, so we turned back.]  

[Philippe Lutz sent me in August 2008 his comment with a good route description! He wrote:
" Le bon sentier ne suit pas la mer, mais passe beaucoup plus haut. Le départ du sentier est à l' arrière de la taverne de Delfini: il faut passer une sorte de portail, dont les deux piliers sont marqués chacun d' un point rouge. Le chemin est d' abord une petite piste, puis devient un sentier. On franchit à cet endroit un muret de pierre écroulé. C' est le point le plus haut de la balade. Le sentier descend ensuite vers la plage - sur cette partie, des cairns doublent les points rouges pour guider le promeneur. La plage est magnifique.
Le sentier est très clair tout au long de la promenade qui dure 20 à 25 minutes de temps réel de marche depuis Delfini."

Have also a look at Philippe's wonderful website www.la-photo-du-jour.com]

(0h21) The return route from the lonely beach of Delfíni to the tourist beach of Kíni is self-evident and it also takes about 20 minutes. (0h42)