Gorge, Track and Path Walking on Alonissos Greece.

Visiting Churches and Kastanarema Gorge - Our Alonissos Greek Island Holiday Hiking Guides and Photos.

We really did cover a lot of distance whilst out walking on this excellent Greek Holiday Island and therefore have split the walks descriptions over several pages - this page contains another series of Alonissos walks and photos - more of our ramblings can be found via the menu at the bottom of this page.
We took a huge number of pictures whilst out walking on Alonissos - for instance on the really pictureseque Kastanarema Gorge walk which was simply full of things to photo - so as is normal with our web pages there are photos scattered around everywhere below.

Kastanarema Gorge The only realistic way to walk this gorge is to either take an organised walk or otherwise you need transport to get you to the start/finish. The walk is not complicated to follow, only involves one climb of any note, but it is very hard work walking through the gorge because of the boulders and rocks. You do really need something decent on your feet for this walk and also definitely need plenty of drinks - it gets very hot in that gorge. Also there are several more significant bends etc. on the path through the gorge itself than that indicated by the Topo map so the walk is a little longer than it looks.

Take the road from Steni Vala to Aghios Dhmitrios and just as the tarmac road ends park just ahead on the dirt track. Start walking along the track -- it bends left and then sharply right and just when it comes off the bend look for a very faint track going up the bank on the left - there is a yellow path-mark post a little way up (path 11). The path starts off quite overgrown in places and quite steep too (no vertigo problems) and then changes to a more stony surface as it winds and climbs up to the top of the hill.

At the top the path levels off and passes through olive trees and bee hives - to reach a track - cross over the track (another path marker here) and continue on the path as it now winds back down to eventually reach another dirt road. The onward track to go into the gorge is a few metres along on your right [N39°14'03" E023°56'22"] but first walk on over to the well on the left and maybe use the bucket to get at the nice cool water.
This area has lots of lizards and there are butterflies flying around everywhere - none of them wanted to pose for photos though...
Below are a series of pictures of the fantastic rocks you can see from the gorge area - we took loads whilst walking through the gorge.

Having refreshed yourself at the well go across to the gorge track - it is not an obvious path to start with and is not way-marked - it basically follows the dry river bed - although it starts off going via a more grassy area into olive trees with the river bed on your left. At a fence go left and over the river bed and take a gate on the right - a narrow path lets you now walk back onto the river bed itself. This is now simply a question of following the river bed with it's very heavy rocks and quite difficult walking surface at times - until it eventually widens out as it gets closer to the sea at Strovili.
From the beach the path continues a little way above the sea shore but it is a little difficult to find - it is there thoughso just keep looking. The aim is to reach a path above a hut which is actually visible from the beach but not once you start walking towards it since the area is quite heavily overgrown. When you reach the top fence above the hut (there is a nice tree to sit under with some very welcome shade) go through the fence/gap and walk half right on a path now clearly going across the field - this then brings you onto a much more defined path which is far easier to walk on - and then this path turns into a dirt track. Follow this track back to the start point.

Melaghakia - Aghios Konstantinos - Aghios Georgios - Melaghakia We had to use a car to do this circular walk since no public transport goes this way, although it should be possible to get a taxi to the start and arrange with the driver to pick you up again at a nominated time - the taxi drivers are happy to do this. The walk is not strenuous and only has one steep descent (to Aghios Konstantinos) and climb - is mostly on rocky paths and has open areas as well as lots of trees and foliage - and plenty of lizards etc.
Park at Meleghakia[N39°13'46" E023°55'11"] right on the hairpin - there is a large parking area here and a notice board and map (path yellow 13) clearly indicates the start of the path (and the path has frequent path markers all along it).

The path goes alongside a dry river bed and is actually more or a track than a path to start with - once the dry river bed ends the "track" changes into a proper path and makes its away down the island towards the church at Aghios Konstantinos. As you walk along you from time to time come into more open field areas (called Lakka) and glades - don't miss the old threshing circles just before Xouna.

From Xouna the path goes through more wooded areas and goes into and out of several deep cuts at the bottom of which are old river and stream beds - it really is very pleasant walking through here. The path comes out on top of the cliffs above Aghios Konstantinos - you then have to wind your way steeply down to the church - there is a fireman's seat/roof here which is a good spot for eating lunch or of course you can sit outside the church along with the lizards etc. From the church continue along a dirt track to reach a track junction [N39°12'49" E023°53'33"] - turn left and after a few metres look out for the cobbled path on the left which is the start of path 12 to Aghios Georgios. The path starts off on a quite rocky surface - at a junction go right (path marked 12) via a more grassy area - keep on this grassy path and continue along soon going through woods and then more open areas.

When you eventually get to an open area with a building in front of you the path goes to the right - the path is lined with high foliage and is pleasure to walk along. The path comes out by a seat and parking area and down on the left is the church of Aghios Georgios. From the car park turn left on the main road and follow it back (fortunately downhill most of the way) to the original starting point. (look out on the right for a very large pond ? which had loads of birds on it).

Remata - Meghalo Chorafi - Aghalou Laka - Remata You either need to have a car for this Alonissos Walk or you can get a taxi to drop you and pre-arrange a pick up time. Take the main road out of Patitiri heading up island and just before the junction to Steni Vala where the road bends a track goes off on the left to Meghalo Chorafi - there is a small parking area and also a path marker board - this area is called Remata and is where the walk starts.

Follow the tree-lined dirt road to reach a junction after around 0.6km, turn left and continue on the main track as it climbs up to eventually reach a 3 track junction - here take the track to the right. Keep going until you get to an open area which is Meghalo Chorafi - there are quite a few tracks and paths marked here - it's sort of like a path-spaghetti junction. Take the furthest path away on the left marked Yellow 7 - take this stony path and follow it as it descends through Toufoto Pournari with views of the coast and the Islet of Stavros. Wind your way on down through the olive groves to reach a main dirt road - turn right here and follow this road as it winds round the coast.

As the track heads inland you can see Aghalou Laka beach down below you. Look out for a map board with path 14 marked on a bend - this will be your return route - but first continue on the track passing a house and immediately take a small track on the left which goes down through olive trees to reach the beach at Aghalou Laka. This small stony beach was really clean - the water crystal clear and ideal for snorkelling - there are no facilities here - little shade on the beach but plenty under the olive trees.
Return to the main track, turn right and go back to the previously noted path 14 board and take this path via a gate and olive trees to another gate. (This becomes quite a hard climb out from the beach - don't believe the 45 minutes mentioned on the path board - what with the sometimes very stony path surface coupled with the heat and then the sometimes very steep path this was quite a difficult climb out back to Meghalo Chorafi). The path is in fact a dry river bed and winds through olive groves and stone walls which you have to zig-zag to pass - when the path comes to the end of the stone walls continue in the same direction climbing out on the now quite narrow path on the left side of the gorge.

As the path nears the top it makes a sharp turn to the right - at last the path is marked again - and although still a very stony surface does start to level out a bit - eventually reaching a water cistern and a track, turn right and very soon you are back at spaghetti junction. Turn left and follow the original inbound track mostly downhill - ignore the two tracks on the right and at the next junction go right to return to the start point.

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