Chóra - Vaketa dam - Mountádos - Kechrovoúni - Arnádos

 

Evaluation: This hike follows the fairly recent route of the hike T1. You will probably expect a lot from a new walk, but you will be disappointed. An untidy slope with rubble, trails strewn with rubbish of all kinds, totally sunken paths and even places where the continuation of the trail is very hard to find - all of this makes this hike a real disappointment - so it doesn't deserve mora than **. Fortunately, the great monastery of Kechrovoúni is very interesting and the village of Arnádos is magnificent.
[September the 26th, 2021.]
 [The translation of this walk was made with some help of Google translate - so, please, do not mind the mistakes...]

Estimated time: This hike takes just over 2 hours (AWT), for a distance of 6,36 km. First it takes 1h30 to reach Mountádos, following changing paths, then it is only 20 minutes to the great monastery of Kechrovoúni and 15 minutes to Arnádos. This 2-hour actual walking time means, as very often, a double total time (TWT), certainly if you take, like us, a long picnic break near the Mountádos church or in the courtyard of the monastery; it is also very pleasant to have a drink in the cafe in Arnádos – and it is of course necessary to allow some time to stroll through the many kamáres (vaulted passages). We walked from 11am to 4pm, a total time of 5 hours.

Route description: (0h00) You leave in the center of Chóra, near the small roundabout (the "exedra") at the bottom of the large avenue that goes up to the cathedral of the Panagía Evangelístria (hiking picket for hikes T1: obliquely left Póles / Tripótamos / Xóbourgo – obliquely right Vakéta dam 45' / 2,2 km – Mountádos 1h50 / 5 km).
You take the commercial street Odós Evangelístrias obliquely to the right. Attention: after 2 minutes you have to take a right (hiking picket) and after another 1 minute left (hiking picket + =), to the left of the church of Tris Ierárches.

(0h06) Once arrived almost at the end (sign dead end street), you go right (= on a pole) and then you climb a concrete slope to the left; after 1 minute, there is at the end and to the left of the slope a path between walls (hiking picket + =). Near a fork, you keep to the right on a neglected path; at the end, you have to climb a difficult slope with rubble and you arrive on the left of a house (hiking picket). You cross the asphalt road and continue straight on concrete (hiking picket + =). The concrete becomes a gravel road that crosses the bypass road after a few minutes.

(0h12) On the other side and obliquely to the right, there is the start of a path somewhat hidden between oleanders (hiking picket): it passes to the right of a dovecote and becomes to the right an earthen path, strewn with debris of all kinds. It veers right near a house, descends and arrives near a low tree, where you go up to the right through a very primitive gate (=). The trail winds up and down again to the right (=). At the bottom, you really have to look for the continuation, but you have to continue (with the help of a peasant) STRAIGHT through a fence (no mark!), in the direction of a house. You thus arrive at a road which goes up to the left of this house on the slope of the hill.

(0h23) Near a bend down and to the right, you take a path to the left between walls (=): it is finally a beautiful path that climbs gradually above the green ribbon of the valley – the dam arises in front of you. After 6 minutes, there is a side path, but you continue straight, between a cistern and a very beautiful garden. Further on, you can take a little rest, sitting on the edge of an old gutter, in a shady place.

(0h32) Just beyond a small building with a washing place, you arrive on an open area and you have to turn right (=) on a path which then turns left. You now continue with the wide valley and the peak of Xóbourgo in front of you, then you descend to the right (=) – and after a steep descent you come to a concrete road that more or less follows the bottom of the valley (hiking picket dam Vaketa / Mountádos 2,8 km).

(0h36) You go left (= =); the dam is now behind you on the right, but then you veer completely right, you cross the dry bed and you now continue for quite some time towards the dam, always following the concrete road.

(0h42) Once arrived at the height of the dam, you have to climb sharply to the left, on a concrete slope (hiking picket Mountádos 50’ + = =). About 2 minutes later, you keep to the left, you cross a small bridge meandering to the right and to the left, then the road goes up to the right. During the steep climb, you pass to the right of an elegant but modern chapel. At the top of the hill you get to a dirt road: it branches off and you take the left road (=) which passes between 2 other chapels – the road becomes a beautiful path between walls (=).

(0h49) You continue to climb on the ridge of the hill which also climbs, you still keep to the left near another fork (=) and you continue to climb, sometimes next to some ruins of stables; after just 1 hour, you arrive on concrete next to a house.

(1h00) You continue straight, but luckily you can avoid the concrete road that goes up, because there is a path that goes to the left (=). There are a few difficult collapses and after that tough stretch the trail continues more or less flat. You arrive to the left of a high wall, then in front of a concrete slope which climbs to the left of a wall (=).
Once arrived at a fork near the rounded corner of the wall, you continue straight while keeping to the left – on your left, you enjoy a beautiful view of Tripótamos and the height of Xóbourgo. After another difficult passage, there is a path that comes from the left: you go straight up on steps and you still go up, until you pass on the left and at the bottom of a chapel (=).

(1h16) Suddenly, the houses of Mountádos appear on the right and above, and also the monastery, even higher. You continue on vague paths, more or less flat, then you arrive above a chapel where you go straight up on a dirt path (=).
You arrive next to a wall (=), you continue in the shade of some trees and you climb up until you arrive next to a chapel and the first house. You leave the marked path which continues to the left, but you go up to the RIGHT until next to the church (hiking picket monastery 20’ / Arnádos – Tripótamos / Karýa / Xóbourgo 50’ / 2,4 km).
(1h28)

Behind the church, there are pleasant spots to picnic, in the shade and/or sheltered from the wind. In front of you, you have a beautiful view of a magnificent facade.

(1h28) You go back to the street and you continue there in the direction of the monastery, near the hiking picket – so you go straight up the steps, heading south. You arrive near the second church and on the main square. You continue straight and you arrive at the asphalt road (hiking picket); you follow the road sharply to the left, but after 10 meters you go up to the right (hiking picket) on a ruined staircase. After a rapid climb, you get to a side path: you take a left for a few moments (=), but you go up again to the right (=). Here too, the path needs some maintenance.

(1h45) You thus arrive at the asphalt road below the large monastery (hiking picket). You climb again obliquely and opposite (hiking picket) and you arrive just in front of the entrance to the monastery. (1h48)

This nunnery is in fact a village, with various churches: there is the church of the Zoödóchos Pigí (the Life-Granting Well), with a stone from the year 1760, and there is the church of the Kimísis tis Theotókou (Mary in the Ascension) in particular, with a wonderful ikonostási from the 16th century, originating from Constantinople. There is of course a church in honour of the Blessed Pelagía, whose skull is kept over there. On the 23rd of July 1822 she received a vision from the Blessed Virgin, to tell her where the famous icon was buried. It is this icon that is now worshipped by so many pilgrims in the Panagía Evangelístria in the capital of Tínos. About 50 nuns are still living in this convent.
Opposite these churches and on the right, there is a real village, with some alleys and kamáres (covered passages).
There are still a fairly large number of nuns living here; the monastery is open from 9am to 1pm and from 4pm to 7pm.

Also the forecourt is a pleasant place: there are benches and three eucalyptus trees, there is a tap and there are some stalls with herbs and delicious, dried figs. From here you also have a great view over many of the Cycladic isles: all the way to the right there is the deserted island of Giáros with the island of Kéa behind it; in the middle you notice Sýros with Kýthnos, Sérifos and Sífnos beyond, and all the way to the left there are the isles of Páros and Antíparos. From the road in front of the monastery, the view of Chóra, Tripótamos and Xóbourgo is marvellous! 

[Opposite the entrance of the monastery, there is a nice staircase – there is a wooden sign and from here you could walk to Tripótamos and Xóbourgo (walk [3]) of to Chóra (walk [4]) (hiking picket Mountádos / Arnádos to the left).]

(1h48) If you want to visit Arnádos, you should follow the asphalt road to the left. You pass the tavern Arnádos (=) and after 5-6 minutes you go up to the LEFT on the asphalt road (hiking picket and =). At the top you turn right (hiking picket Arnádos / Triandáros / Dyo Choriá) and you enter the village in this way. You arrive next to a first café and you go down to the right (=) to the church square, with the paradodiakó kafenío where it is very pleasant to have a drink (hiking picket T2). (1h33)

If you continue to the left of the church until the " Laografikó Mousío " (the folklore museum) and if you then go to the left - for example by following the sign "Pros Panaïdaki" - you can stroll through a dozen of beautiful kamáres. If you continue then more or less straight, you come to a small square with a terrace to the right, where you can enjoy a beautiful panorama, and to  left a source with elegant columns. Here, you could continue to Triandáros and Dyó Choriá - see the walk Dyó Choriá - Arnádos - Triandáros – Dyó Choriá .
 Higher up in the village, even before you get near the first café, there are on the left also very nice kamáres!

(1h57) For the return route in the direction of the monastery, you can follow a shorter route: you should take a left near the museum, going down until you reach the asphalt road. (2h03)

[Here, you can wait for the bus to return to Chóra; that bus, that also goes to Falatádos and Stení, passes at about 4.15pm.]

Gpx-files:


https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/tinos-chora-dam-vaketa-mountados-kechrovouni-arnados-95760605

https://www.routeyou.com/en/route/view/10294638/hiking-route/tinos-chora-dam-vaketa-mountados-kechrovouni-arnados