Sýringa - Schizomenés and back

Evaluation: This is a short hike, which could be combined with the hike from Sýringa to the beach of Lía – the latter is also a short hike and it also departs from Sýringa. Once in a while the hike is indicated by means of yellow-white trail markers [4]. It deserves an evaluation of **.

Estimated time: The actual walking time only takes 30 minutes for the way out and about 35 minutes for the way back.

Route description: [It is a good idea to rent a car and to drive to Sýringa. From Ermoúpoli you first go in the direction of Ano Sýros until you see the sign "Archaic places of Apáno Meriá". You then follow the narrow asphalt road off the right, past the mountain Pýrgos with a lot of aerials on top. You soon arrive in the "ágrio méros", or "savage area", as called by the inhabitants of Sýros. You drive past the turn to Chartianá/Papoúri and you take the second road off the left to Sýringa. After about 1.5 km, near a few houses, the asphalt road continues straight ahead, while there is also a gravel road to the left. This is where you can leave the car behind.]

(0h00) You take the gravel road off the left and you follow this road for about 5 minutes. You keep to the left again and when you reach the deepest point, after another 2 minutes, you see an obvious path going to the right – in earlier times this was probably a beautiful kalderími.

(0h07) About 2 minutes further down, your road curves to the right sharply and then it gradually descends while going straight ahead all the time. Far away in front of you, you notice the obvious line of the road.

(0h26) After some 20 minutes, the road narrows to a path [4] and a few minutes later you go through a hole in a wall [4].
Inside the wall you keep to the right and by climbing down carefully you get to a narrow and deep crack, the Schizomenés, literally “the cracks” or "the fissures".
A little back and more to the left the "spiliá Lentínou" is situated, the "cave of Lentinos".

(0h30) For the return road you first climb for about 7 minutes on the narrow trail and then you follow the larger track again.
You should have a look at the endless wall on the slope of the mountain on your right-hand side. Also the complete loneliness is remarkable here!