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Alonnisos
through the souls of
your feet
A guide to walking on Alonnisos and
the marine park islands of Peristera
Kyra Panagia and Skantzoura
By
Chris Browne
Published by travelleur 2008
Contents
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Overview map of Alonnisos |
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How to use this book Walk DescriptionsMost of the walks have a “main route” and then several options. I have got no less pleasure from doing a particular walk for the umpteenth time than for the first time, particularly when it involved exploring a new option or diversion. I hope that you will find this useful, perhaps when you visit the island again and want to make your walk that little bit different. The maps are intended to be used as a guide in conjunction with the written description of each walk. Please remember that walking routes may change without warning for a variety of reasons. Text in bold italics like this is additional information or a short diversion. Major options to a walk are included at the end of the main route description. The description of each walk starts with information on route, distance, average time with no stops, terrain, beach stops, beach tavernas and footwear/clothing. Please also read “what to take and wear”. Times are based on an average walking speed of 3km/2m per hour. An extremely useful companion to this book is the “Anavasi” touring and hiking map of Alonnisos available in advance by post from www.travelleur.com or locally on Alonnisos. Every walk is of course entirely different when made in April/May than in say September, but no less enjoyable. Visiting Alonnisos out of season for walking can be a very rewarding experience too. Most of the waymarked footpaths have a short section of paved path at each end and many of the routes are now marked by paint spots, though not always the same colour! Be aware that land boundaries are also marked by paint splodges and some lovely wide looking forest paths come to an abrupt end where the resin collector who uses the path got fed up! Please ensure you read the entire description of the walk you plan to do before setting off Please respect the NO SMOKING and NO FIRES ban when in wooded areas. What to take and wearDay pack, picnic if required, water bottle (1.5 L each is recommended), high SPF sun cream, insect bite stick, sun-hat, comfortable and suitable footwear, zip-offs or lightweight trousers to put on over your shorts in case of heavy undergrowth, swimwear and a shirt to cover shoulders and neck to give protection from the sun and the straps on your day pack. Due to the high temperatures that can be expected it is recommended to walk early or late in the day and avoid walking in the middle of the day. You can plan most walks to include a refreshing lunch time swim stop. Please Note: many of the walks are in remote areas away from medical assistance. You should therefore be in good health and reasonably fit. If you have a mobile phone take it with you but be aware that large areas of Alonnisos, particularly the north, do not have mobile phone coverage. If you need to summon assistance from a non Greek phone you must dial 0030 before the number you require.
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and bottled tuna are to die for!) and the junoir school on your right. You then come to a T-junction with Technokids directly in front of you (Jimmy is the owner of Technokids and it's the best place for internet access). Turn right and then take the road up to the left signposted Chora (old village). Continue up on past the EKO (Esso) petrol station and the road bends sharply to the left outside the entrance to the Atruim hotel on the right. Just outside the Atrium is the privately owned church of Ayios Petros & Ayios Pavlos. Directly in front of you on the opposite side of the hotel drive is a house. To the right of the house is a large concrete wall and a blue signpost reading Megalo Nero. Take this footpath up with the concrete wall on your left. You will quickly come to a T-junction where you need to turn right and almost immediately left and go up between a few small outbuildings where there are usually chickens and kids (the goat variety!).
| The Mediterranean Monk Seal is the world’s largest seal species and is the most endangered marine mammal in Europe. It is estimated that the seas around Alonnisos are home to some 60 of these rare animals. |  |
The wildlife on Alonnisos consists of: many varieties of birds including raptors and game birds; reptiles such as tortoise, snakes and lizards and mammals such as hedgehogs, rabbits.
Birds
Alonnisos is host to a large variety of birds. These range from swallows, shrike, house martins, cuckoos, alpine swifts, hooded crows and ravens, to the exotic Bonelli’s eagle and bee-eaters. At night time if you hear what sounds like a frog or toad, it’s probably a nightjar, and the double high pitched “peep-peep” (which sounds like sonar) will be the little Scops owl. Notable birdlife includes:
 | The Eleonora's Falcon. Around 70% of the world breeding population of this endangered falcon is in Greece. Alonnisos and the surrounding islands of the Marine Park are important protected habitats. You can watch their amazing aerial duels with buzzards and hooded crows which come too close to their nesting site. They can be seen all over Alonnisos and have a distinctive “scri-scri” call and curved wing shape in flight. They nest high up on the cliffs, lay two to three eggs during August and live on small birds and insects which they take in flight. They migrate from Africa to the Mediterranean in the summer. (continued in book) |
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