Skopelos Greek Island Holiday Walks - Monastery, Church and Hill Walking.
If you enjoy visiting monasterys and churches whilst on holiday in Greece then the first Skopelos walk below is perfect since it visits lots of both.
Other Skopelos Greek Island holiday walks described go to beaches including Stafilos naturist beach where you can strip off and have a nice peaceful swim and sunbathe if you wish.
The Greek Island of Skopelos has lots of tracks and paths up in the hills
and apart from areas close to the main road between Skopelos Town and
Glosa/Loutraki you do not find many houses etc., just some isolated farms and
small-holdings. There is quite a network of tarmac roads as well, but these are
mostly very narrow and twisty country lanes, often lined by brambles and other
vegetation which spills right onto the roads so sometimes it's like going
through a tunnel. Also there are hundreds of birds, bees and butterflies around
- we only wished we had had the time to walk some of these inland lanes more.
We had a Roadmap Edition map and found this to be quite
accurate as far as tracks and country lanes were concerned but this does not
have all the footpaths marked, however in Sciathos we got a TOPO hiking
map of Skopelos (this releif map has paths and tracks and is gps freindly) -
there is also an Alonissos version of this which may be worth considering since
having experienced the delights of Skopelos you may, like us, then want to visit
Skopelos's close neighbour another time - so apart from a little dithering now and again - getting lost was not an issue, in
fact with the quality of the maps, making up and then doing the walks was straightforward.
Probably the main thing to consider when out walking on Skopelos (especially between June and September)
was the heat. For instance when we walked the Monasteries trail (above Skopelos Town) we ended up going on
to the aerial masts (these masts on Greek Islands are a pest in that once you spot them them you just have
to go up to them .. going to lighthouses is the same problem for us as well) - anyway this walk was mostly
up and was around 10km long and pretty thirsty work. Although we had started quite early and had the benefit
of shade of sorts most of the way - on our return trip there was very little shade and the temperature was
in the mid 30s. The result was that although obviously we were walking back down, the return 10km's took
longer and were more tiring.
We had a GPS receiver with us and some readings (WGS84) have been included with the walks in [..]s
This walk is very straightforward and simply
involves following initially a tarmac road and then a gravel track for about 10kms or so, and then a
retrace most of the way back. We decided to take a taxi (9 euros) up to Moni Metamorfoseos because we had decided
to walk as far as the aerial masts making the potential walk quite long, but you can simply walk up the tarmac
road from Skopelos Town to the Monastery and cut some of the road's corners off with various paths too if you wish.
From the monastery continue up the tarmac road take note of a small track on your right at a hairpin bend
(which will be used on your return route and also where you get a distant view of the Moni Evangelistra) -
the road eventually becomes a dirt/gravel track and winds on up high above the Moni Metamforoseos.
When the track reaches the top it veers to the right (there is a small track on the left which goes to the tiny church of Epano
Panaitsa - quite a nice little diversion if you wish). Continuing up the main track you will eventually arrive at the Monastery of Agh Varvaras and
then Moni Prodromou. At the Moni Prodromou there are also two small churches nearbye. Continuing on the main track after about 2kms there is a
track down to the small church of Agh Traida but there is not a lot to look at down there really. Continue along the main track until you come to
a sharp bend, where the track to Moni Taxiarchon is marked if you wish another (longish/steep) diversion. Otherwise the track just carries on to
the Aerial masts on Mt. Palouki, it was quite nice and cool up at the masts but very very windy, also good views of a lot of the Island from here.
Return the same way you came until you reach the previously noted small track on you left
going off the tarmac road, take this track and follow it down - when it forks keep right. When you pass a house on your right ignore the track
going off the right beside this house (its a dead end), just go straight on until the track goes close by a farmhouse and ends.
Here you will spot a very narrow path in the undergrowth, take this as it winds down into the valley and
eventually arrives at a small streambed, cross the stream, bear right and keep on the path until you come to a
junction with a wall on your right.
Go on here through the quite heavy vegetation and eventually come out by a church - go round the front of the
church and then bear right and continue down the road into Stafilos Town.
The walk starts off with a pleasant stroll through the
valley but then involves quite a trudge up a steepish tarmac road and at
the end a steep and slippery scree-path down into Agnontas.
Starting from the harbour by the bus station take the main road out of town, past the
Amalia Hotel and up to the junction, turn right and then immediately left
to go alongside the streambed on a small road opposite. Keep on this road
- which eventually reverts to just a track - and follow it for about 20
minutes, you will see on the right the Monastery of Ag. Riginos and also a quarry comes into clear view.
Simply stay on this track until you eventually join the main tarmac road [
N39°06'07" E023°43'18"], turn left here and now for the harder bit -
follow this road as it zig-zags up the hill - after about 2km just as the road bends right
see a rocky/dirt-track on your left [N39°05'40"
E023°43'02"], take this track up through the trees to meet a wide gravel
track, turn left here and head towards the goat station. The path you need to
go down to Agnontas is a little difficult to spot, but as the track starts
to bear left around the goat station your path is on the right - anyway
the people in the goat station will always yell out the way since they are
obviously used to people wandering around helplessly looking for the way down.
This path is quite steep in places and you really have to watch you don't
slip on the scree and rocks. You come out right in the harbour at Agnontas and its tavernas,
supermarket, bus stop and of course the beach.
Option 1 - C. Amarandos: Facing the beach, turn left along the road and follow it uphill out of Agnontas
until you come to a wide track on the right, follow this track through the woods. It goes above the bay and sometimes very close to the sea and their
are quite a few places to climb down onto the rocks for a picnic. As you walk along you will see a couple of trees on a white rocky outcrop
[N39°04'29" E023°42'25"] (C. Amarandos) in front of you, when
you get to a very sharp bend on the track you can climb down to the rocks and find a small path which leads along
the edge of the sea to this outcrop. Return the same way back to Agnontas.
Option 2 - Limnonari Beach: Facing the beach, turn right along the road and follow it
- guess what?? UPHILL as with knee-aching zig zags up to the Limnonari junction
right on a sharp bend. There are good views of the coast on the way up (good excuse to stop and "admire the
views" ) and these views continue as you walk the 1km down to Limnonari Beach. Again the return is a reversal.
A Around one a km out of Panormos on the main road back towards
Stafilos/Skopelos Town there is a very sharp hairpin bend, and leading off this is a track which is where you can
have a great little stroll down to the coast and back, around 3kms in all walk.
Simply park nicely a few yards down the track making sure that you leave enough room for tractors and maybe
fire-engines to get by, then it's just a question of following the really nice woodland track along until
it comes out in a clearing. At the far side of the clearing there is a narrow path
which you can if you wish follow on down to reach the coast at B. Amouditsa.
Skopelos Tracks and paths walking to Perivoli, Sendoukia Graves, Old Klima, Mount Delfi, churches, beaches, a lighthouse and Monasterys.
The map we used for our Skopelos walks was a Roadmap Edition map and
we found this to be quite accurate as far as tracks and country lanes were concerned but this map does not
have all the footpaths marked. We did find whilst in Sciathos a TOPO hiking
map of Skopelos - although we never did see this for sale in Skopelos itself though
- (Topo is a relief map with paths and tracks and quite good gps capability if you want to use one).
If you are off wandering the island do take account of the heat - sometimes the weather does not feel as hot as it really is due
to the wind but you do need to take a good supply of water with you plus of course a nice wide brimmed hat. n.b. We had a GPS receiver with us and some readings
(WGS84) have been included with the walks in [..]'s
B. Perivoli to Lighthouse
We did this as a short walk to give us a break and leg stretch during a day's sightseeing by car - it was a
pleasant 7km leg stretch in all and easy going. If you look at a map there are several obvious
opportunities to make a longer circular - for instance you could start at Glossa, head
towards the lighthouse (there is a path from the track down to it but it's difficult to locate), then round to Perivoli and then back on the road and
track to rejoin the track and then on back to Glossa.
Park by the (closed) small drinks-kiosk at Perivoli, then walk back up to the track junction and turned right.
This is then just a case of following the track as it goes through a wooded area (lots of butterflies and bees around here) and then
goes into the open and follows the coastline round to the lighthouse. Have a drink and/or picnic and then return the same way.
Sendoukia graves and Mount Delfi
This walk is around 10kms total and takes you for a look at the graves and then a wander up to the highest point on
Skopelos Island. On the Skopelos Town to Ananias road around 1.5kms past Ananias there is a junction with a track to Pirgos,
but ignore this and keep on until the tarmac ends just past this junction and park here for
the walk. Walk on up the track until you come to a very wide t-junction, take the track on the right which is the HIGHER
of the two and is also marked for the Senoukia graves.
After abound 1km you come to another junction and on your right you can easily see (it's marked) the
track going up the side to Sendoukia. This track winds around a little and eventually arrives at the
rocky top - take a leftish direction and follow the markers to the graves.
[N39°08'11" E023°41'28"].
Retrace your steps to the junction and take a track almost opposite the
Sendoukia path and follow it up into the Vathia Forest. Around 1.5 kms
along this upward but quite easy to walk track turn left onto another
track which then zigzags up for half a km and then comes out on a dip by
some ruins which are on your right.
The path to the mountain top goes behind these ruins and is well trodden to start with, however things
become a little vague and after about half a km spot a small cairn [N39°08'41" E023°40'16"]
- the mountain top is left up the slope here and not very far but you may need to pick
your own route if you lose the upward path because fallen trees etc are all over the place.
The mountain top [N39°08'42" E023°40'12"] and
674m high] has good views and also a disused /delapidated firemans' watchtower which some of us -
who should know better - then proceeded to climb up. Retrace your steps to your start point.
Old Klima to Panormos
We really liked this straightforward 12.5km walk and would loved to have done it's reversal if we had had the time - it also has great possibilities
for extended it if you want to walk further. The walk starts at Old Klima - on the main road heading towards Glosaa find a
dirt road which is signposted Delfi. [N39°09'41" E023°37'38"]
Follow the main track for about 2kms - ignoring two tracks going off to the left and a footpath
going to the right - until you come to a main T-junction where you go right. After around 1km another track comes in from the right but you
should continue on the main track which bears slightly left here. This track then winds it's way round the base of the mountain - with views to
the sea on your right and after a while also a view of Elios way down below. After about 4kms the track becomes quite rough and also turns
quite sharply right and joins a very wide "white" track.
Note on this junction we were really plagued by hundreds of wasps which were a real nuisance and made it
impossible to stop for a breather or even a quick drink. If you turn right on this track you can walk back down into Elios, however on our walk
we turned left and went up the "white" track until after about 1km we reached a smaller narrow rubbly track going off to the right.
Take this track and stay on it as it winds it's way down to the main road and emerges by a bus stop (Milia Beach).
We turned left and followed the main road into Panormos with it's tavernas and beach.
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