Ormos Korthíou - Rogó - Lardiá - Gianniséo - Mésa Vouní and back

Evaluation: This hike explores the region between Ormos Korthíou and the hill ridge that separates the deep valley of Dipotámata from the wide valley of the Megálos Potamós - this is a hill crest with summits such as the Gerakónas (719 m) and the Tsirovlidhi (722 m). The hike then also goes up via an endless number of steps and with a great panoramic view on the bay of Kórthi, all the way till Mésa Vouní, situated at an altitude of 600 metres. This hike is fairly well indicated with the trail marker [5]. Unlike the hike to Exo Vouni (see the walk Ormos Korthíou - Exo Vouni), in this hike you have to go back the same way you came – all the way to the point of departure. This hike deserves the maximum evaluation of ****.  
In spring-time the many wild flowers and the streaming water are really an added value!

Estimated time: According to the sign at your point of departure in Ormos Korthíou it takes 40 minutes to Lardiá and 1h35 till Mésa Vouní, for a total distance of 4,82 km. We walked for 1h45 until the church of Mésa Vouní. The way back took the same amount of time, so the actual walking time (AWT) took about 3h30. Taking into account the breaks and a picnic, we hiked from 10.30am to 6.45pm, so a little over four hours (AWT).
In May 2011 there was a bus from Chóra at 10.30am, and it takes this bus one hour to reach Ormos Korthíou.

Route description: (0h00) At the bus stop in Ormos Korthíou you follow the pedestrian street, the main street between the bar Centro and the information and taxi office. Slightly further you get to a first little square with an information sign on the hikes. It is better, though, to continue straight ahead to the picturesque little square called Alíki Psálti, with the café Sea Satin and a nice outdoor terrace under the mulberry trees – on your right-hand side there is a shop where you can buy some supply of drinks.
You go left here, next to the church you take the first street on the right and then the first street on the left again, at the pharmacy. At the following crossing you can see the post office on the corner; there is also another hiking sign with the following information: Mésa Rogó 15' - Lardiá 40' - Gianniséo 1.05' - Mésa Vouní 1.35' - Exo Vouní 2.05'.
You proceed straight ahead, on a concrete street. At the T-junction, about 1 minute further down, you take a right, you go down and there you can find the first trail marker [5]. You follow the narrow concrete path for about 5 minutes -  and already after 3 minutes, you can see the little village of Rogó on the green slopes before you. You then cross a grassy, almost dry bed of a river (there was still water on the 13th of May 2011) and you go left immediately on a larger concrete road [5]. According to the side stones this road clearly follows the trajectory of the ancient trail. You pass a small stream and you continue straight ahead; on your left-hand side you can see some pigeon towers. After about 9 minutes, just past a coloured bench, you arrive at a junction. Over there, the real paved trail continues to the left, running alongside the brook all the time – there are no trail markers at this point.

(0h18) A little further you get to a bridge. You go up the bridge by means of a staircase on the right and on top you can see some steps continuing to the right, indicated with a trail marker [5]. You pass a couple of houses of the village of Rogó and after another 2 minutes - and 110 steps - you go up another staircase on the left [5] – a wooden sign tells you that the trail straight ahead leads to Exo Rogó. Yet another 3 minutes later you go straight ahead of course [5], because you can already see Lardiá in front of you. Slightly further, at a rocky three-forked junction, you go up on the right (a little later you can notice a [5]). The following climb of almost 10 minutes is rather strenuous; first you walk on a rocky trail, later on on a concrete staircase with a marvellous view on the bay of Kórthi behind you.

(0h37)Just before the village you take a left on a staircase [5] and you thus arrive at Lardiá. At a corner with white houses you go left (there is a painted over [5]) and you then walk on a flat concrete path + balustrade, with a great view on the valley on your left-hand side. You then get to a staircase with many, many steps leading to the higher part of the village. You follow this staircase until you reach a beautiful spot – have a look at house no.16 with the patio full of flowers. You take a left and immediately thereafter you go left again – there are no trail markers at all. You keep right after 44 steps, you pass a little church and at a beautiful living tower you keep to the left (no trail markers). You go down a little and after 2 minutes you go up a staircase on the right [5].  

(0h47) You leave the village via a number of staircases, leading to a narrow earth path. Watch out: after walking on this earth path for 1 minute you note an ambiguous [5] on a boulder. In our case the arrow was pointing down, but you have to continue to the right – you first climb up for a short while and you then get to an asphalt road. You take a left for about 10-15 metres and then you go up the staircase on the right. A wooden hiking sign tells you that it will take another 1h20 to your final destination. You keep on climbing concrete or stone steps and after about 8 minutes you cross a concrete road and you continue straight ahead. 

(1h05) In the village of Gianniséo you keep to the right first and then to the left (twice there is the trail marker [5]); after about 30 steps you continue on a short stretch of concrete and then there are again some 145 steps… After another 3 minutes you get to a T-junction at the bottom of a house; there are no trail markers and you take a right. A little later you reach a small asphalt parking lot, where you proceed straight ahead on the steps. You thus walk through the hamlet of Paleokástro, past the municipal office. We asked somebody whether we were still on the right track and, indeed, this is still trail no.[5]. In this way you continue straight ahead, leaving the village already. There are again some concrete steps and after a total of 170 steps, you arrive at a gravel road – there are no indications anymore. 

(1h15) You have to follow this road to the left - watch the flowers on the edge of the road. First you walk towards a prominent hill with a flat top, but then you veer a little to the right until you reach a side road - you can already see Mésa Vouní in front of you.
A path continues straight across and a little further it passes on the left of a metal gate: it descends between walls in a green, flowered valley. You cross a fast-streaming brook in a green river bed (on May 13th, 2011) and then you climb again on concrete steps (a little further there is a [5]), between many flowers. The following stretch is flat and really beautiful, sometimes shaded by beautiful Mediterranean maples, and after four minutes, you keep to the left [5].

(1h25) One more minute further down you take a left again, although it seems as if some one has tampered with the trail marker. The trail straight ahead seems to lead more in the direction of Vouní, but it runs to a dead end after 6 minutes! You should also have a look at the beautiful valley with the cultivated terraces on your right-hand side. You thus have to go left, which means that you walk again in the direction of the flat rock. Later on, the trail curves to the right and after some 3 minutes you get to a modest church with a stone roof – the church is open. 
The trail splits up and you have to go right [5]; slightly further you take a right again and the following stretch is flat – you should remember that the monastery of Panachrántou is not very far from here, only at the other side of the hill in front of you (with an aerial and electricity poles).
After 5 minutes you go right (no trail markers); you walk through a small valley with a well on the left and you thus get to the village of Mésa Vouní.

[If you would go a little higher up in the village and to the left, you would arrive at a large house with a wonderful tree. Over there you would find the concrete road which leads over the hill to the left, to the monastery of Panachrántou – if you are really adventurous this could be a way to return to Chóra on foot via hike no.[1] ...]

Today, though, you have to keep to the right in the village. Slightly further, at a junction and next to a rounded corner of a wall, you go left (a little further you will find a trail marker [5]) and so you walk in a northeasterly direction on a concrete little lane. This nice alley gets to a concrete road, but it goes further on the left of a bunch of oak trees. You arrive at the left of the church and, where you can have a picnic and then commence the return route.

[If you would continue to Exo Vounií see the walk Ormos Korthíou - Exo Vouní.]

(1h45) You thus return on the concrete path that passes next to the beautiful bunch of almond trees. The trail runs on the left of a concrete slope, and in this way you get to the houses again; you keep walking straight ahead and higher up. In the end you go down a concrete staircase and past the last house you descend into the valley: you arrive next to the well and then you curve to the left on the very overgrown path. A little further you go left again ([5] on a grey wall) and what follows now is a nice, flat path between walls - a beautiful stretch straight to the flat hilltop and to the chapel of Agia Anastásia.
(2h03) The magnificent trail continues [5], but after a while it is overgrown. After a left curve you take a sharp right, before a little gate, and again one minute further on you a right again - of course, along a tall wall [5]. First you pass a few Mediterranean  maples, later on the path gets overgrown and very green, and finally you descend into the very green valley with running water.

(2h11) You climb up a lot and after a short stretch that is horizontal, you get to the gravel road: you take a right for a short while, and then you take the little side-road off the left, on the left of a concrete post. The valley of Vouní disappears behind you.
Watch out: after 1 minute you DO NOT take the path to the right, but you curve to the LEFT on the gravel road. Further on you have a magnificent view of the bay of Kórthi . After 3 minutes, close to the parking lot, you take the new, concrete steps between the grey concrete walls. You descend for about 76 steps, then you continue straight ahead (and NOT to the right); if you keep going straight ahead, you will pass the municipal office and arrive at the parking lot.

(2h22) You continue under a pine and after about 25 steps, you take a left. You descend now on about 180 steps and then you have to be careful again: you do NOT take the large "street" on the right, but you take the narrow staircase straight ahead, under a wisteria; after 95 more steps, you reach a little concrete road. Diagonally opposite you find an even narrower staircase going down, alongside a concrete railing. Another 125 steps further down you arrive at a junction where you keep left. The following stretch is and overgrown, and then you go down even more, keeping to the right under an olive tree and between ruins. A little further there is a trail marker [5] on the cliff, and you descend again by keeping to the right. The path and later on the steps are now really overgrown, but then it gets better and so you finally reach the asphalt road.

(2h34) You go left, but after 15 meters, just between the broken sign and the crashbarrier, you take the path down on the right. It is really a bit of a scramble, but then you get to a nice little path to the left: at first, it continues horizontally, but soon there are again a lot of steps, until you reach Lardiá. When arriving at a tall and dark wall and before a white house, you take a left.

(2h47) You pass between the church and the tower and you descend again: after going down for some 80 steps you go right of course, and - watch out - a little further you turn sharply to the right again [5] - before the house no. 16. You go down many, many concrete steps until you reach the flat stretch with the railing, after a total of 340 steps (since the highest part of Lardiá). Then you climb a little bit, you go left and then immediately to the right and down on a staircase. A little further, you descend again to the right and you continue on uneven rocky steps, but always with a wonderful view of Ormos Korthíou.

(3h02) This brings you to a rocky spot [5], where you keep to the left. You now reach a pretty, flat, but overgrown stretch - note the beautiful green valley on the right with the many picturesque cypress trees! After again some concrete steps you reach the houses of Rogó – at a rough estimate you have descended some 400 steps since the lower part of Lardiá.
You go right here, before a house with a blue door, and so you come to the bridge over the fast-streaming river.

(3h11) You descend on the left of the bridge and then you have to follow the stream for14 more minutes. Some 15 meters before you would reach the coast, you take a right to cross the bridge on the right and you follow the main street. So you finally come to the roundabout with the ship's mast, with the bus stop and the taxi rank, your starting point. (3h29)

https://www.routeyou.com/en-gr/route/view/8440049/walking-route/andros-ormos-korthiou-rogo-lardia-gianniseo-paleokastro-mesa-vouni-and-back