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Evaluation:
This hike takes
place in the northern part of the island of Sérifos and the goal is the
lonely beach of Sykamiá. It follows beautiful trails that are well
marked – during the way there with red markings and the number [6],
during the way back with the number [5].
Deserves ***.
[Update by Raymond on October the 5th, 2015.]
[The translation of this walk was made with the help of Google translate
- so,
please, do not mind the mistakes...]
Estimated time:
The duration of this trip is approximately 2h40 (AWT): it indeed will
cost you 1h10 to reach the beach of Sykamiá and the return route [5] to
Panagiá takes 1h05. Finally, the way back from Panagiá to Pýrgos will
cost you half an hour.
The total walking time (TWT) depends on how much time you will spend on
the beach – but often, the total time is approximately the double of the
AWT.
Route description:
[As there are very few
buses that connect Chóra and Livádi with Kallítsos (Kéndarchos) via
Pýrgos, the best solution is to rent a car (30-35 € / day).
If you leave the car
on the road below Pýrgos, you will see that the start of the hike is
well marked by a sign [6], to the left of the road.]
The hiking sign for walk [6].
[Possibly, you
can first take the stairs up to the right of the road, to visit the
village of Pýrgos and go up to the church of Agios Nikólaos. This
elegant and very small church is often open.
The little church in Pýrgos.
The interior of the church in
Pýrgos.
After this short
visit, you have to retrace your steps down to the main road where walk
[6] begins.]
(0h00) Next to the obvious
hiking sign [6] you take the very clear and beautiful rocky trail that
descends to Galaní. The descent is a bit difficult because of slippery
stones, but you are accompanied by many figures 6, painted in white on a
purple circle. After 6-7 minutes, the path gets to a rocky gravel road,
next to a stable - on the left, the road leads to Panagiá. Straight
ahead, there is also a trail, but your path [6] continues to the right.
(0h07) You always go down
fairly quickly, the numerous [6] are superfluous. After about 5 minutes,
you pass under some eucalyptus trees next to a house, the first trees in
a dry landscape - there is probably a source not far from here. You wind
down toward a chapel with a bright blue roof, with a palm tree on the
right. You pass to the left of the chapel, on a kalderími, a path with
heavy curb stones.
The descent to Galaní.
(0h16)
After another 9 minutes, you get to a gravel road, but your monopáti
continues obliquely to the left (small sign [6]). The valley in which
you descend is green, while the trail is paved. You go up on the
opposite slope and a few minutes later, you keep to the right and you
continue to climb (3 times [6]!). You thus arrive without difficulty
near the first houses of Galaní on a concrete road.
You follow this road 2 minutes to the left and enter the village: you
thus go down and after some 30 steps, you do NOT take the staircase up
to the right (direction village, church and monastery, also marked with
[6]!), but you continue to descend on the street STRAIGHT AHEAD [6]. You
keep to the left and you leave the village.
You arrive for 3 minutes on an asphalt road – but you do NOT take the
attractive path that starts immediately on the left ...
You describe a left turn, and after 7 minutes, you see a hiking sign +
[6] that indicates a path down to the left.
The trail head [6] in Galaní.
(0h37)
After a descent of 2 minutes, you follow for many minutes an almost flat
gravel path [6].
The path that descends to Sykamiá
with different way markers.
Slowly, the bay
appears and you can admire in the meantime the valley beside you, full
of reeds and some pigeon houses. This valley rises to the interior of
the island as a narrow green ribbon and winds up almost until Panagiá.
After 10 minutes, you have a very nice view of the bay and the beach,
and the descent begins on a beautiful rocky trail, sometimes paved,
sometimes bordered by heavy curbs. After a beautiful descent of 8-9
minutes, you see in front of you an overgrown
path that continues straight ahead, but you should go sharply to
the left (arrow and [6]), until you reach the bottom of the valley (=,
[6] and little arrows).
(0h57) The narrow trail veers to the right and you thus arrive
at a gravel road along the river bed and you go right of course. You
cross a brook and a little later another one. After another 4-5 minutes,
you keep to the left, but some minutes later, near a low wall with a few
palm trees, you keep twice to the right and continue straight towards
the sea. The beach is very nice and wide and
is usually completely deserted. There are pebbles, but in the
water the beach is sandy. Large tamarisk provide a lot of shade and
there are even some benches.
(1h08)
The pebble beach of Sykamiá.
Big trees and abandoned boats...
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[For
the way back, you can of course return the same way to Pýrgos, thus by
Galani - that is, moreover, the shortest path, see the hike Pýrgos
-
Galaní
-
Sykamiá and back.
I describe below the way back through Panagiá, which is a little bit
longer.]
(1h08) You thus head towards the end of the beach where you saw some houses (to the left
facing the sea).
Some 150 meters before reaching the end of the beach, you take a sandy
path to the interior of the island.
You walk until you pass the tavern and you do NOT take the sand road
that goes to the right.
Later, after 2 minutes, the road forks and you take the road on the far
right towards the houses.
This road veers to the left and then you see, on a rock, the first white
[5] on a red spot - this is indeed the correct way.
(1h14) You follow the gravel
road, which becomes concrete shortly after passing next to a beautiful
house.
You also pass next to a nice trail on your left, but you continue
straight, despite a blue arrow.
You thus stay on the concrete road, but after 4-5 minutes, you take
another small concrete road that climbs sharply to the left - after 20
meters, you see a [5].
This concrete road quickly becomes a pleasant sandy road; after a little
more than 6 minutes, you take a right (small arrow) and you begin a
steep climb.
After a total of 13 minutes, before getting near some stables, you go up
to the RIGHT (red marks), but almost immediately, there is a narrow path
on the LEFT (red mark on a rock).
The narrow path to Panagiá.
(1h32) After 2-3 minutes, you
keep to the right, then you follow a winding staircase (3 times [5]) and
again 2 minutes later, you continue straight of course on the main trail
(red mark).
Some 5-6 minutes later, you pass two dovecotes in the very green valley.
The trail follows the green ribbon of the valley and you enjoy a
beautiful view on Panagiá.
Time for some rest and enjoy the silence…?
Further, you get between the vegetation and you cross the small river on
a large concrete bridge – to the right side, there is a source and a
washing-place (6 October 2007).
(1h47) On the other side, you
go up to the left, but soon enough you slowly veer right, then you go up
again on a beautiful rocky trail.
After 6-7 minutes, you come near a chapel with a blue roof, but 10
meters but BEFORE the chapel, you continue straight ahead (small arrow)
- you neither go left nor right, but you zigzag until you get above the
chapel.
You quickly climb while following the rocky crest of the hill and you
thus arrive in between walls, about 10-11 minutes after the bridge.
About 4 minutes later you get to a gravel road that goes directly to
Panagiá, but 3-4 minutes later, you leave this road in order to continue
on a stony path [5] that goes to the right houses of the village.
Behind you, you have a beautiful view of Sykamiá and on the island of
Kýthnos, you see the entire length of it, with Kanála visible on the
left.
The valley above Sykamiá.
A few minutes later, you keep to the right (arrow) and after a rather
strenuous climb you arrive near the first houses.
You go left and enter the village, then going straight while walk [4]
goes right.
You go left, right and left again and so you arrive on the small square
with the famous church.
(2h13)
This beautiful Byzantine church, dating from the 10th century A.D., is
devoted to the Virgin Mary, with a huge celebration on the 15th of
August. If this church is open you can visit some wall paintings
from the 1300s; there is also a beautiful ikonostási.
You can ask for the key to the lady of the café, situated 50 meters
further, towards Galaní and Pýrgos.
The church of Panagiá.
The church still haves old columns.
The old fresco's are in a bad condition...
[From Panagiá, you could follow walk [4] to Vársamo, Gýftika and Chóra,
but this would mean a big detour.
There is also a shorter path to Gýftika, from where one can follow walk
[2] up to Chóra - see the end of the hike Chóra - Kallítsos - Galaní -
Panagiá – Chóra or the walk Chóra - Gýftika - Vársamo - Panagiá
- Chóra.]
(2h13) To return to Pýrgos,
you continue straight, on the left side of the church and the mailbox.
Soon after, you pass the anonymous café (with store) - it is almost
always open.
Only on Sunday you see a few people, but the beer is fresh and you can
eat an omelette ...
and, as we said, the lady holds the key to the church.
Just after the café, there is a small cemented path that descends to the
left – further on, it continues as a dirt trail.
The slippery stones make it a bit difficult to wind down to a gravel
road, which you follow to the right.
This road now will describe a wide curve towards the cemetery which you
see in front of you.
You also have a beautiful view on the valley of Sykamiá!
Panoramic view on the valley of Sykamiá, from Panagiá.
After a little more than 9 minutes, you get to a concrete road that you
follow to the left, towards the cemetery and a chapel with a blue roof.
But after 40 meters and BEFOR you reach the cemetery, you take the
gravel road on the right hand.
From the cemetery, you can enjoy a really beautiful view of Galaní and
Pýrgos...
Panoramic view on Galaní, from the cemetery of Panagiá.
(2h23) You thus follow the gravel road to the right, with in front of
you the village of Pýrgos, your final goal.
On the left, you still see the beautiful valley of Galaní and, in the
sea, the elongated island of Kýthnos, with behind it the vague outline
of Kéa.
After 11 minutes, you arrive next to a stable with a chapel to the left
- the circle is closed, for it is here that, a few hours ago, you have
taken path [6], in front of you.
You must of course go up to the RIGHT to get to Pýrgos ([6] on a stone).
After a steep climb uphill of 8-9 minutes you reach the asphalt road
below Pýrgos ... Your
car is nearby.
(2h43)
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