Agios Georgios-Pinakates

Distance: 4,1 km
Time: 1,5 hour
Altitude: from 605 m. (Agios Georgios) to 667 m. (max) to 575 m. (Pinakates)
Total elevaton gain: 86 m.  Total elevation loss: 111 m.
Signed with red paint and round yellow signs
Drinking water on walk: Alexeika (near Pinakates)
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              This route was explored, opened and signed during the winter of 2017-18, thus completing the South Pelion Trail. Agios Georgios is also connected with hiking trails to Ano Lechonia, Agios Lavrentios, Kato Gatzea, Kissos, Hania, Tsagarada and Mouresi. Pinakates is also connected to Kala Nera and Vizitsa.

                Starting from the square of Agios Georgios, we walk on the asphalt uphill through the village. After 250 m, passing by Vogiatzopoulos mansion, a downhill concrete road on the right is the start of the walking route to Kato Gatzea. We keep on the asphalt, exit the village and after about one kilometer we leave it at an angle to the right, watching for the signs on the electricity pole (we don`t take the concrete road).

Signs on an electricity pole

                        

                    We walk now on a downhill earth path in an easterly direction, below and roughly parallel to the asphalt road, that offers some nice views to the Pagasitic sea below. After crossing a small stream, the path keeps on a steady altitude. We join an earth road for 20 meters and continue on the path on the left. It opens to a sharp turn of an asphalt road, on which we walk uphill. A large water cistern is on our right. As the asphalt takes a sharp left turn, we walk straight ahead, cross a concrete irrigation ditch and join the main asphalt, going now downhill. In thirty meters, we come to a spot with an excellent view to Pinakates at the opposite slope.

View to Pinakates

                                                  Here, noticing the signpost, we take the downhill path that comes to cross the Kakorema stream, another beautiful spot of our walk.

Crossing the Kakorema (in spring)

                                                 On the opposite bank the path continues in oak forest, we cross an unused concrete irrigation ditch, then walk around the fence of a grove and join the main asphalt again, on which we walk for 200 meters. At a left turn of the asphalt, we find a downhill path that leads down to the settlement Alexeika, next to a drinking water fountain. 

            We now walk on concrete road. At the first junction we take the right branch and at the next two junctions the left branch. Meeting the first houses of Pinakates we walk on a flat stone paved track, which later becomes a proper kalderimi. Climbing a few steps, we finally arrive to the quiet and picturesque square, with the big old plane tree in the middle and the marble  neoclassical-style drinking water fountain, built in 1894, under the main church of Agios Dimitrios. 

Square of Pinakates