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| Propan |
Time: 3--3,5 hours
Altitude: from 390 m. (Milies square) to 340 m. (Propan square)
Total elevation gain: 318 m. Total elevation loss: 393 m. (south route)
Total elevation gain: 250 m Total elevation loss: 329 m. (north route)
Signed with red paint marks and metal signs
Drinking water on walk: no
Start: Milies square End: Propan square
Download GPS track: south route north route
Propan used to be the very last Pelion village to remain without a connection to the walking route network. This is no longer the case, as in spring 2019 the kalderimi to Choreftra junction and, ultimately, to Milies was traced and reopened by volunteers after many years of neglect. A connection to Lambinou is on the way. The kalderimi from the square to Kalamaki beach also remains viable. At the square the cafe-restaurant is open all year round, along with a couple of guesthouses.
A few words about the village name: In 1954, state officials decided to rename it "Kalamaki" after its homonymous beach at the Aegean sea, because the old name Propan (which is of unknown origin, probably non-Greek) was considered undesirable. However, in 2014 at local people`s request, the original name was officially reinstated. All the road signs and most of the maps however, are slow to change.
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| Οld house at Propan |
There are two ways to get from Milies to Choreftra junction and from there to Propan. The north route, which is a little shorter, starts from Milies square and follows initially the kalderimi towards Tsagarada. After about 40 min. walk, we come to a kalderimi junction and follow the right branch on even ground, rather than the uphill left branch which goes to Tsagarada. Eventually we join an earth road and follow it downhill to the asphalt main road. After 20 meters on the asphalt, we find a downhill path which gets to an abandoned orchard and then walk on an abandoned earth road parallel to the asphalt. This gets us to Horeftra road junction. From here, the last section of the walk is the same as described in the south route below, and we arrive at the square of Propan in a little less than 3 hours total time.
The other (southerly) way, which is described below, initially follows the route Milies to Neochori. Setting off from the square in Milies, we follow the asphalt road downhill. Ina hundred metres, at a right hand bend in the road, we branch off to the left onto a wide paved track that goes gently uphill (the sign indicates to ''Neochori'' -''Agios Nikolaos''). Reaching a crossroads, we take the track to the right. Further on, this becomes a kalderimi, then a downhill cement road and we cross the main asphalt next to the last house of the village. We now walk on beautiful old kalderimi, which continues opposite, descending to a ravine with lush vegetation.
Further down, at a left bend of the kalderimi, there is a branch to the right that used to serve people using the train station. For information, this branch leads to the main road Milies-Volos at a sharp bend, 200 metres below the junction to the train station.
The kalderimi we are following, which is clear and in good condition, crosses the stream bed (Kakorema) and climbs up the opposite side with an olive grove to its right. When we reach the top of the ridge we meet an earth road. We cross the road and, descending gently, the kalderimi opens to another road. This leads us after a hundred metres down to the old church of Agios Nikolaos, a remnant of the monastery that used to operate here. It`s a good place to have a stop. Unfortunately, we don`t have the opportunity to admire the notable frescos inside the church, as its doors remain locked.
Retracing our steps back, we easily find the continuity of the kalderimi on the other side of the road and follow it to the east. We cross two small stream beds, pass by an old hut and eventually the kalderimi ends, where it comes out onto an earth road, along which we walk uphill. The wider area is called Pavlakia.
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| Agios Nikolaos chapel |
Retracing our steps back, we easily find the continuity of the kalderimi on the other side of the road and follow it to the east. We cross two small stream beds, pass by an old hut and eventually the kalderimi ends, where it comes out onto an earth road, along which we walk uphill. The wider area is called Pavlakia.
Further up, we come to join the wide earth road that comes from the settlement of Stavrodromi. We follow this road uphill, ignoring any junctions left and right. The road brings us to Choreftra junction after 2,5 kilometers.
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| Path in arbutus forest |
From here, an easy and beautiful 1-hour downhill walk remains to Propan. So we cross the asphalt and walk initially uphill on a narrow earth road. After a few meters (attention left!) we spot the path entrance on the left, entering an arbutus forest. On our way downhill there are sections of kalderimi. We come to cross the stream of "Arkouda" (''Bear") and continue on the other bank on an earth track, passing from an orchard with large chestnut trees on our right.
After about one kilometer on the earth road, as it goes uphill to meet the asphalt road that runs above us, we leave it to the right, watching for the red marks and the signs. We now walk on a wide earth track, which later becomes a descending kalderimi. Further on, we walk on the upper limit of a couple of orchards. As we go past a small landslide, the earth path becomes kalderimi again.
Finally we come down to the chapel of Agios Ioannis and walk now on road. We go straight past a junction with an asphalt road to the right going down towards Kalamaki beach and at the next junction we leave the asphalt and take the stone-paved track to the right, which leads to the square in five minutes.
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| Propan, view to the Aegean sea |
Finally we come down to the chapel of Agios Ioannis and walk now on road. We go straight past a junction with an asphalt road to the right going down towards Kalamaki beach and at the next junction we leave the asphalt and take the stone-paved track to the right, which leads to the square in five minutes.
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| Propan square |
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