Strapouriés - Ano Pitrofós - Paleópolis |
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Evaluation:
This hike runs
through a good part of Andros - and if you leave from Chóra , it will
cross the entire island from east to west. The trails are beautiful, a
real pleasure for all those who love nature and walking. Therefore
deserves the maximum of ****. (0h00) Today you keep following the main road – thus in the direction of Ménites and away from the church - until you have passed the small sports field. At the foot of a rock you then see a concrete staircase, which goes up on the right-hand side of the road. There is a hiking sign “Ano Pitrofós 1h45/4,1 km / Paleópolis 3h10/8,7 km / Ano Aprovátou 4h10/11,1 km” and on the rock you note the trail marker [9].
The trail head of walk [9] in Strapouriés.
You go up between some
houses and soon you get to a beautiful old trail with nice steps; you pass
through a little gate and after about 3 minutes you keep to the left [9]. You
continue high above the valley, with a nice view on Chóra and the valley.
At first a nice climb, then a flat stretch above the valley of Ménites.
(0h07)
Slightly further you walk on some concrete for a short while, you cross
the little road and the old trail continues straight ahead, on the
right-hand side of a stable [9]. A little later, you keep to the right
at a bifurcation [9] and the nice rocky trail rises gradually between
rather high walls. You pass a nice shady spot
and you continue to climb the rocky path. You thus walk between
beautiful walls up to the left of the green hill - the view is still
beautiful: in the valley you distinguish
the elongated village
of Messariá, and on the opposite side the monastery of Panachrántou with
the villages of Fállika, Kouréli and Sasá (from left to right).
(0h20) You go down
now, you get on a thick carpet of leaves next to beautiful trees, you
pass through a gate and you descend rapidly in a depression under nice
plane trees - you continue straight up [9]. (0h33) A little further you descend into a little valley – there is still a little water in the bed (12 October 2013 – dry in 2023); you go up again and you get a more open ground, where the trail continues between beautiful walls, which are so typical for Andros – with pieces of normal walls, alternating with vertically erected and sometimes sharp plates [9].
The path continues between splendid walls! Further, you also note on top of the left wall a row of stones set vertically.
A nice detail... (0h40)
A few minutes later, you descend a little to a shady spot under
sometimes dried up cypress and plane trees, and you veer to the left
next to a large rock [9]. Notice also the nice breakthrough into a wall,
which offers a beautiful view of the surroundings, with an alóni below
you. A nice breakthrough...
The trail continues pleasantly and almost horizontally, always with the splendid
view of the valley full of cypress.
Between very nice walls, with pointed stones...
(0h51)
You arrive in this way on an open ground in the middle of a crossroads -
which actually forms a large X - you take a RIGHT and then follow the
other "leg" of the Xto the far left - you arrive in this way at the
continuation of your path, where you go right – so you again can follow
a flat monopáti, southward.
The building with the olive mill in Ano Pitrofós. (1h26) Just beyond the mill, there is a white staircase that goes up to the right (hiking sign + [ 9]), you veer left, then you still walk up a white staircase (2 X [9]) and you arrive next to the Barberi-source with its washing-place. The Barberi source in Ano Pitrofós.
You still go up between
the last houses on concrete steps, and you thus get to a small cemented
path. Attention: when it veers down to the left, near the last house,
you should continue STRAIGHT, climbing a small slope between a stable
and an alóni on your left side [9]. You follow the path road for a
little less than 2 minutes, and then you do not continue to go down, but
you take the rocky path up to the right and to the left of a wall (2 X
[9]).
A splendid little bridge, and then a very nice climb... |
You continue to go up, you pass a gate and arrive between walls [9]; you keep going up, at the end on a splendid staircase, you reach a triangular spot where you keep to the right [9] and you still go up, sometimes on beautiful flat slabs.
Another nice path! (1h54) You continue in the direction of the crest of the hill and the high-voltage line. You slowly veer right, during the crossing of the broad hill ridge. The pavement with the flat slabs is now simply splendid! The end of a beautiful stretch... (2h04) You get in a riverbed, where you step with some difficulty over the water on step stones. After another 4 minutes, you step over a water shoot that comes from the slopes on the right – this is again a splendid stretch.
Always those big flat slabs!
(2h10) A very stony path
continues between walls; you slowly veer to the left and after a few
minutes, you keep following the right wall, then you again arrive
between two walls - and so you continue on a rocky gravel road until you
get to the hill crest.
Here, the path continues to the left. The trail continues at
first in the direction of a high tension pylon, but later it follows a
wall with pointed stones and further, you get again between 2 walls. The hiking sign on the cross-roads to Chóra (Strapouriés), Ano Aprovátou and Paleópolis. The
path
continues for 3 minutes just next to a wall, then you again get to a
gravel road - you continue on the opposite side. You walk until you get
next to a high voltage pylon ([9] on a rock next to the pylon), but just
BEFORE you reach the pylon, you go to the right [9a] until you arrive
between two converging walls [9a] where you can continue to descend on
rocky ground without a real path. (2h28)
After a few minutes, the
path becomes clearer, to the right of a wall. You get to some marram
grass, then you cross some water, but you always continue with the wall
to your left and then again between 2 walls..
The path is nice again...
You arrive in this way at very green spot – sometimes, it is difficult to find a
passage between the vegetation. (2h42)
When the walls diverge
again [9], you follow the right wall, but then you zigzag left and
right, and then - when the walls diverge again - you clamber down to the
RIGHT - and now, finally you get a beautiful view of the valley of
Paleópolis.
A steep descent! (2h56)
Shortly after you pass
through a breach in a wall, near a stable, and then you continue under
beautiful trees bent by the wind - a very nice stretch again!
Marvellous panoramic views! (3h05)
You take a left on a sort of side-path: further
on you need to climb again over some rocks, but down you can continue to
the right [9a] and the path becomes better.
The end - ot the beginning - of the trail [9] in Ano Paleópolis. [You
can return to Chóra by bus - so do not forget to ask for the bus schedules
before leaving.]
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