Alogoporos-Anisvales-Theriakodas (circular)

Theriakodas

 

Distance: 6,9 km

Time: 3-3,5 hours with stops

Altitude: from 0 m. to 244 m. (max)

Total altitude gain/loss: 265 m. 

Signing: red paint, round metal signs

Drinking water on walk: no

Start/end: Alogoporos beach

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       Centered around Alogoporos beach, we combine the Trikeri-Alogoporos and Trikeri-Theriakontas trails to create a three-hour circular walk. Long pants are recommended, as the path to Theriakodas is narrowed by overgrown vegetation, but still remains passable (and beautiful). 

        Starting from the beach of Alogoporos, we first walk on the asphalt. A little further up, the asphalt makes a right turn and we continue straight ahead through an olive grove. We cross a dirt road (it's the same one that goes to Theriakontas) and climb continuously on a clear path, from some parts of which you can see the sea.  

            We reach a small clearing, where the climbing ends. This location here is called ''Vlachi'', according to Nikos Haratsis. There used to be a pen here. We now begin to descend on the path heading south. Finally we reach a long and narrow pit with grass, called ''Anisvales'', again according to Haratsis. If we cross it transversely, we will find on the other side an uphill path that goes to Trikeri.   We do not do this, but turn left descending to the pit, and from its lower end we find a path on the right that descends smoothly to the east, crosses a small stream and, climbing a little, meets on the other side a path that runs parallel to the stream. This is the path that goes to Theriakontas and we follow it to the left (north). 

        The vegetation is quite overgrown, but the path remains passable, pending an initiative to clean it. In any case, long pants are recommended for the time present. 

The hut near Theriakodas

        Walking along the nice unpaved path, we pass by a hut and have the stream right next to us on the left. We follow a fence and finally come out on the pebbly and deserted beach of Theriakontas. There is no tourist development here, nothing to disturb the tranquility of the landscape.

Theriakodas

       At the left end of the beach begins a road that climbs roughly parallel to the coastline. We follow it, and after about 700 meters, paying attention to our right, we find a path that faithfully follows the coastline and takes us to the eastern end of Alogoporos beach.

Seeing Alogoporos

       A cafe with rooms for rent operates here. From here you can also take the water taxi to go across to the island of Paleo Trikeri. Here lies the monastery of Evangelistria, as well as a few rooms for rent and two cafe-restaurants at the seaside.

The water taxi to the island

Τrikeri island

Hania -Profitis Elias chapel-Plakotoura waterfall (circular)

 

Distance: 7,3 km.

Time: walking time 3.10', total time 4 h. with stops

Altitude: from 1200 m. (max) to 754 m. (min)

Total altitude gain/loss: 437 m.

Signing: small yellow signs and red paint

Drinking water on walk: no

Start/end: 1st parking lot of Hania ski center

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        This walk uses two new path sections, which give the opportunity to create a circular walk. One path connects the Plakotoura waterfall with the main road, at the level of Prophitis Elias chapel. The other one was used by those going from Zagora or Makrirrachi to Agios Lavrentios, making the route shorter, as they didn`t have to pass unnecessarily through the center of Hania.

        Starting from the lower left side of the first parking lot of the Hania ski Center, we walk on a downhill path with red markings, which at the beginning has twenty meters of cobblestone (kalderimi). On our left (attention!) another path marked with red markings on  a white background branches off. It  belongs to a mountain running race (UTP-we don`t take that). 

            Our path descends, crosses two small streams and comes a bit awkwardly to cross the main asphalt road. Climbing on the other bank, we soon come across the Zagora-Chania cobblestone kalderimi, at a point where there is a vandalized metal signpost. The cobblestone is in good condition and descends smoothly through the beech forest. 

On the old kalderimi to Zagora

        We cross the asphalt 9 times consecutively, always to the left, finding the continuity of the kalderimi, and on the tenth time we arrive at the chapel of Profitis Elias, which is a suitable place to have a stop. 

Arriving at Profitis Elias

        We continue our walk by returning to the main road and follow it downhill (to the left). Further down, at a sharp turn of the road, we leave it and go straight ahead on a dirt road, following the signs. At the first V-junction we take the left branch and at the second, where there is a signpost, the right one. Soon the road ends and continues as a downhill path, which brings us to the waterfall of Plakotoura. A place of intense natural beauty, with running water all year round from its two streams, which converge here. One forms a small pond, while the other falls from a high rock, creating a slim waterfall that you can't get enough of looking at. The magic of Pelion touches all the senses and the feeling is hard to describe with words.

The waterfall at Plakotoura in early September

         Leaving Plakotoura, we follow uphill the path of the Waterfalls and reach the Hunters' refuge hut at the location called Nisaki. 

Hunters hut at Nisaki

        Continuing to climb steeply on the path of the Waterfalls through a beautiful beech forest, we finally come out on the asphalt and in a few meters further down, we return to the 1st parking lot, from where our walk began.