Milina-Kidonies-Piges

Distance: 6,5 km
Duration: walking time 2 h, total time 2,5 h
Altitude: from 0 m. (Milina) to 290 m. (maximum)
Signing: small round signs, red paint marks
Drinking water on walk: no

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     This is an easy circular walk starting and ending in Milina, half of which is on a recently opened path (in 2013) between the settlements of Kidonies and Piges. It would be better to do this walk between the autumn and spring, as the low altitude and sparse shade give little protection from the heat of summer. 

 

      Setting off from the church on the seafront at Milina, we initially follow the asphalt road that goes towards Lafkos. After about 600 metres on the asphalt, we turn off to the right onto an earth road and cross the bridge at Koumanorema stream. We continue uphill in a southerly direction, passing a five-a-side (5X5) football pitch. At a crossroads about a kilometre further on, we turn left onto the road towards Kidonies and continue uphill. However, before we take this turning, it is worth walking 50 metres along the road to our right to visit the chapel of Aghios Nikolaos (the key for the church door hangs in the top right-hand corner).

Agios Nikolaos chapel at Kidonies

     Returning to the crossroads and continuing up the road, we soon reach the settlement of Kidonies: a few houses amongst olive groves, a spring water drinking fountain and a water tank with a plane tree. We continue gently uphill on the road to the left. Higher up, the road bends to the left and immediately afterwards we turn right uphill at a crossroads. From this point, we can see the villages of Milina, Horto, Metochi and, further to the right, Lafkos.

Looking down to Milina. Chorto and Metochi at a distance

      The earth road ends in an olive grove and we continue to the left on the newly-cleared path, which initially has a dry stone wall on its right. In a short while, we enter a stretch shaded by trees, going uphill in a southeasterly direction, and cross a small stream.
 

A recently cleaned section of the path

      We soon reach an open spot, from where we can see Lafkos opposite. Continuing on the path, we reach a crossroads with a signpost. From here, the path straight ahead to the south leads to Hondri Ammos and Mikro beaches, while that to the right appears to lead towards the top of nearby hill Sila (326 m). We choose to turn left towards Piges and soon start to go gently downhill in a northerly direction. In the distance we see the Pagasitikos Gulf and the village of Milina. 

View of Lafkos from the path

 

  We pass next to a ruined building (possibly used for making lime) and come out into an olive grove. Continuing in the same direction for a few metres, we reenter the path which, a little further on, is bordered by dry stone walls. The path eventually comes out onto an earth road, which we follow downhill to the left amongst olive groves.
 

Spring at the olive grove

 We pass the small church of Aghios Georgios and the spread out houses of the settlement of Piges and in a little while cross the Koumanorema stream and find ourselves on a narrow asphalt road, which leads us to the main asphalt road Milina-Lafkos, a few metres further up from the point at which we left it at the beginning of our walk.