Mylopótas - Sapounóchoma - Klíma and back
Evaluation:
This nice hike follows the
coast between Mylopótas and the bay of Klíma: it
offers beautiful trails and very nice views of the coast. Deserves ***.
[The
translation of this walk was made with some help of Google translate - so, do
not mind the mistakes...]
Estimated time:
It takes 40 minutes (actual
walking time) to get on top of the small beach of Sapounóchoma, then you need
another 35 minutes to reach the beach of Klíma.
The way back takes about 1h20 (AWT), so that the actual walking time amounts to
a total of 2h35. As usual, the total time (TWT) can amount to the double or even
more - we walked from 10.30am to 4.30pm, which is six hours ...
Route description:
[There is unfortunately no
path from Chóra to Mylopótas. You should therefore take the bus in Chóra, on the
right side of the large platía which lies between the two hills of Chóra, next
to the Dimarchío (the town hall) and the Tourist Information Center. In May
2010, there were buses every hour + 5 minutes. The first part of the beautiful
beach of Mylopótas is pretty quiet, but to start the walk, you have to continue
until the last stop, near the Far Out Village. In summer, we were greeted by the
loud music as Far Out is very popular among young people who like loud music and
night life.]
(0h00) At the end of the beach, you
see on the left side a rocky slope, with an electricity pole in the middle - at
the edge of the road, there is a road sign 30 km/h and "slow-argá," and another
sign "Health Care Center".
You climb the slope to the left and you quickly find a staircase, with now and
then concrete steps. You quickly get a splendid view of the bay behind you, with
the Far Out Village and the camping - if you look well, you can even see, on the
ridge to the right of Chóra, the silhouette of the theater of Elytis ! After
about 6 minutes, you arrive in a little valley: from there you have to climb
without visible trail up to the gravel road - the last bit is quite difficult
because of the stone rubble.
(0h10) Going a few meters to the
left, you will find on the opposite side
the continuation of the walk, a narrow rocky path that moves away from
the road. The trail climbs quickly, straight to the south, and in this way you
cut a large bend of the road – to which you get again after 4 minutes. You
follow the road to the right, for about 5 minutes, and you pass between heavily
eroded rocks, with some beautiful taffonis. It is in the next bend to the left
that you see on your right a narrow gravel road with a goat path to the left of
it – it runs straight to the south (several red marks).
(0h19) You follow the small road, but
it comes to a dead end after a few minutes: a beautiful rocky path continues
between walls (red marks) – to the left, you see also a nice alóni or threshing
floor. You descend into a valley, where you see the trail continuing on the
other side.
(0h25) You cross the river bed, to
the right of a gravel track or on the track itself - it is here that you must
pay attention on your way back! You get again between walls, the marks are blue
now. A little later, you arrive in front of a deep valley: you go down and
again, you see a staircase on the other side.
While climbing, you keep a little to the left, and at the top you still keep to
the left - and in this way, you arrive to the right side of a wall.
[Here again, you will have to pay attention during the return: you should take
the vague path to the left of the eroded rocks - it is a good idea to look about
already now ...]
You take a narrow passage between walls, then the path bifurcates: this is a
very beautiful spot, and often, many goats are here - also notice the beautiful
taffoni on the right!
You go left while following a very eroded path, you find the normal path and for
a few minutes, you walk around a very rocky valley shaped as an amphitheater.
(0h35) Once arrived at the
culminating point, you enjoy a beautiful view over the valley, the sea and the
continuation of the trail. Your monopáti is very nice and clear now - and there
are many red marks and crosses. You go around the valley to the right and you
arrive at a beautiful cape, with again a splendid view of the small beach of
Sapounóchoma and the island of Síkinos. A great spot to take some rest...
(0h41) You continue as on a balcony,
a very nice stretch, then you descend into a narrow valley leading down to
Sapounóchoma. You go up again and a little further, your path seems to split up
- but the two branches join later, near some rocks and some ruins of stables.
(0h48) Be careful, because you should
continue on the LEFT side of the green bushes and the ruin - and you pass in
this way through a narrow passage between a wall on the left side and the
greenery – in front of you, you are already seeing the bay of Klíma and the
islet in front of the coast.
You always continue as on a balcony and you see the line of the obvious trail
down to the beach.
The trail is very rocky now, it descends quickly and gets to the gravel road
that leads to Sapounóchoma - to the left of the blue gate that can block the
road.
(0h56) You go a few meters to the
left and you find there the continuation of your trail (red mark). It descends
into a little valley and goes up again, first on rocky steps, later on pale
eroded rocks – this is the white trail you had seen from afar. At the top, you
descend slightly to the right, then you see a little to the left how the path
continues horizontally (blue and red marks). Shortly after, there is a
bifurcation, where you can keep to the left or the right, because a little
further, the branches meet again. You pass a final height and you thus arrive
just next to the road.
(1h05) For a short time, the path is
completely obstructed by vegetation and you make a small detour to the right.
Very soon, your path becomes very nice again, with a beautiful view of the
beach.
You descend faster than the road - but do not go too soon to the right towards
the rocky part of the bay. Finally, you descend to the beach without a visible
trail. You are almost always alone on this beautiful beach, but there is only
one shed that can get you some shade ...
(1h14)
Your way back follows the same route, but you should keep in mind that there are
three difficult passages where you have to be careful and follow the directions
carefully!
(1h14) The first difficulty is to
find the trailhead for the return: starting from near the shelter, you ascend
the slope towards the highest peak that you see in front of you in the distance.
For a few moments there is a gravel path, then you continue almost horizontally
above the rocky coast, while keeping to the LEFT of the two tufts of green
bushes. It is not until afterwards that you go further to the right in the
direction of the road - and automatically, you arrive at a clear path, bordered
on the left by upright stones (there is also a cairn).
After 10 minutes, you arrive at the left of the road, where a large green bush
stands in your way: you go left, then
right back to the trail that continues to the left of a wall. You can take a
last look at the beach...
(1h25) But almost immediately, you
should continue to the right of the wall, because the trail itself is overgrown.
Pay attention: after a little less than 2 minutes, you descend to the left
(there is a cairn) and you continue again on the obvious monopáti - from time to
time, there are red marks or cairns.
After another 6 minutes, you descend on the white eroded rocks and you arrive in
a sandy riverbed, full of oleanders.
(1h33) You go up a little and you
arrive next to the blue gate on the gravel road that leads down to Sapounóchoma.
A large cairn indicates, more or less opposite, the continuation of the trail.
The following section is splendid: at first, you climb fast, then more slowly
while continuing as on a balcony. During the last part, you follow a wall and
you get in this way to the culminating point, where you should pass through a
narrow passage between the wall and bushes (red marks).
(1h43) Again, you have a beautiful
view of the coast and on a clear day, on the island of Santoríni.
A short time, the path is obstructed by vegetation and you have to continue to
the left of the trail. But soon, your monopáti becomes better and you descend
into the narrow valley that leads to Sapounóchoma. You go up on a steep slope
and you arrive at the marvellous panoramic view on Sapounóchoma, next to a
photogenic little tree.
(1h51) A few minutes later, you reach
the cape with the eroded rocks: in front of you lies the valley shaped as an
amphitheater - your trail will surround it in 6 minutes. After this beautiful
stretch, you do not continue straight, but you descend slightly to the left
(cairn); after about 1 minute, the trail forks to the left and the right of a
wall: you should take the RIGHT branch, because that passage through the hollow
road is so beautiful. You discover now on the left and in front of you a strange
rock in which you can distinguish a human head ... Two minutes later, the two
paths join again and you will now descend on pale rocks without obvious path.
(2h01) It is here that the second
difficulty appears: your path continues to the LEFT of a group of dark rocks,
through a breach in the row of rocks. You then descend into a valley full of
oleanders, you climb and descend again, then you cross a river bed on a gravel
track or next to it.
A little further on, the trail seems to fork again - and here comes the third
difficulty: you should absolutely NOT go to the left and follow the path that
seems attractive and will pass after some time next to a sharp rock - if you see
this rock, you have gone too far and you should retrace your steps!
Note that here there are marks and arrows that are quite disturbing ...
The right thing to do is to climb the rocky slope to the RIGHT: the trail is
more or less invisible, but sometimes there are red marks. Already after a few
minutes you will get to the gravel road, which after a few minutes, leads to the
main road, where you take a left.
(2h14) You follow this road through
an eroded landscape, with some beautiful taffonis. You pass a few quite
abandoned farms, but soon you have beautiful views over the bay of Mylopótas
and, in the distance, on the chapels of Chóra.
You opt for the easiest route and you do not seek for the vague trail that you
followed during the way out. You thus continue to follow the gravel road and you
arrive without any problems and after 19 minutes on the beach of Mylopótas.
(2h33)