Milies-Niaou-Chalorema ravine-Afissos

Distance: 12,5 km
Time: 5 hours with stops
Altitude: from 385 m. (Milies) to 235 m. ( Niaou) to 0 m. (Afissos)
Total elevation gain:  314 m.  Total elevation loss: 697 m.
Signed with red paint waymarks and round yellow signs
Drinking water on walk: yes (at Pavlakia, Zervochia)
Download GPS track: from Wikiloc

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          This is a fullfilling and varied walk, lasting about 5 hours, that leads from the village of Milies to Abovos beach at Afissos, through the ravine of Chalorema, also crossing several other streams on our way. If one wants to make it shorter, it can stop at the village of Niaou (Afetes). In that case, the time is 3.45' and distance 9,9 km. Other walks connecting Milies to the Pagasitic sea are Milies-Boufa and Kala Nera-Milies. There is also a walk from Niaou (Afetes) to Neochori. 

         Regarding to the name Afetes, we should have in mind that the village in question has always been called Niaou, a Slavic name meaning ''pen, corral'', until in 1955 the authorities decided to rename it as Afetes,  after an ancient seaside settlement which, however, is unrelated to the area (archeologists currently assume that ancient Afetai was located at modern-day Platanias). The village`s original name is still in use by the locals and should, in my view, be reinstated.

Niaou (Afetes)

           Starting from Milies square, we walk on the asphalt downhill and after 100 meters we take the wide stone paved kalderimi to the left, going initially uphill. This has also signs to ''Agios Nikolaos'' and ''Neochori''. We soon begin going downhill, exit the village crossing the asphalt and continue on excellent kalderimi.

         We cross a stream, ascend on the opposite bank and, reaching the ridge, we meet an earth road and follow it to the right (attention, we don`t go straight ahead towards Neochori!). We can clearly see the kalderimi inside the road. Further down there is a section of kalderimi on the right through woodland. We cross the road at an angle and continue downhill. Just after crossing the first stream, there is a junction with a path on the left going to ''Agios Nikolaos''. We keep on the main kalderimi towards ''Pavlakia'', cross a second larger stream and continue uphill. Further up, there is an olive grove on our right and the kalderimi becomes earth road, on which we walk uphill (ignoring a path on the right).

            Reaching the ridge called ''Pavlakia'', we cross another earth road and continue straight ahead downhill. At the shrine we turn right. The earth road ends at a cottage. At that spot also is a tiny chapel and a small drinking water faucet. We walk downhill into the olive grove (no clear path here) and, about thirty meters below the cottage, we find the continuity of the path, marked with red paint and a walking sign, which continues to descend in a southerly direction. 

           Further on, we go through an olive grove in a westerly direction, and then the path turns left (to the south) and continues to descend following a small stream, which we initially cross and then keep it on our left. Watching out for the red paint and signs, a little further on we come to a junction and go down to the left, cross the stream again and continue on the path, which eventually comes down to cross the large Platanorema stream. This spot lies approximately one kilometer lower than the Panayiotiko dam.On the other bank is an old building for waterwashing textiles (''dristella''). Here, under the shade of high plane trees and the sound of the running water, is a good place to have a stop.

Crossing the Platanorema stream

           On the other bank we climb up, initially on kalderimi, then on earth path. An earth track recently constructed to access the dristella cuts across the path and we have to climb a few meters on the stones. We cross another earth road and continue straight ahead on a path-kalderimi, having a small stream on our left. The path becomes a narrow earth road, which joins another one and we go right. Attention, at this junction someone takes off our signs and even breaks the stones on which there is red paint. So, if no signs or waymarks may be seen, we must remember to go right at this junction (to the left, the earth road comes to an end at an olive grove a little further on).    

Platanorema stream

             We now keep walking on the agricultural road for a fair distance on a southerly direction and on even ground, ignoring junctions with uphill or downhill roads. We go past a drinking water fountain and then walk through the rural settlement of Zervochia, which is related to Neochori.  After exiting Zervochia, walking on asphalt, we keep watching for the signs on our left and take the narrow earth road ascending gently to the left. Soon it starts going downhill, we cross the main asphalt at an angle and continue down on a straight line. We cross a small stream and then take the first uphill earth road on the left, following the signs. This becomes a wide kalderimi, which opens to an asphalt road next to the cemetery of Afetes (Niaou). This asphalt road leads down to Afissos, but we don`t take it, because if we did, we would miss the best part of our walk yet to come (the Chalorema ravine).

Frangakis stone bridge at Niaou (Afetes)

               From the lower corner of the cemetery we take the road-kalderimi on the left, walk over the arched stone bridge of ''Frangakis'', then on the uphill kalderimi and reaching the parking lot continue to the right to reach the cosy shady square of Niaou (Afetes) with the main church of St. Jonhn the Baptist (Agios Ioannis Prodromos). At the square operate two cafe-restaurants.   

The square of Afetes

         

               From the east side of the square (opposite to the church), we take the downhill kalderimi, watching for the red waymarks at junctions. Constantly descending, the kalderimi comes to an end as we reach the Chalorema ravine. 

        We now walk into the dry streambed, in a breathtaking scenery with high vertical rocky banks, shaded by high trees. It is difficult to believe that we are in South Pelion. Nevertheless, this was a path regularly used by locals to get to their groves near the sea.  

Walking into the ravine

          After a fair distance, the ravine opens and we walk on a concrete road, which leads down to the tourist beach of Abovos in Afissos, at the corner of cafe-restaurant Marabou. An ideal end to such a fabulous walk is to have a swim in the calm waters of Pagasitic sea.

  

Abovos beach at Afissos

Niaou (Afetes)-Neochori

Approaching Neochori

Distance: 6,1 km
Duration: 2 hours (walking time 1.45')
Altitude: from 235 m. (Niaou square) to 470 m. (Neochori square)
Total ascent: 281 m.  Total descent: 52 m.
Signed with round yellow signs and red paint marks
Drinking water on walk: no
Start: Niaou (Afetes) square
Finish: Neochori square
Download GPS track: from Wikiloc

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         In this walk, we follow the course of the old kalderimi, a significant part of which still exists. Its best part is near Neochori, at the old stone bridge. We also enjoy nice views over the sea near the village of Niaou. Only problem is, we have to walk on the main asphalt for half a kilometer. Neochori is also connected with hiking routes to Milies and Siki, and Niaou (Afetes) to Afissos (see respective walks). At the square of Neochori there is a restaurant open all year round, at Niaou during the summer season and weekends in winter. See bus timetables at www.ktelvolou.gr

        Niaou is a slavic toponym meaning ''pen'', and has been the original name of the village from its beginning in the Middle Ages until 1955, when it was unwisely decided to rename it ''Afetai'', after the ancient seaside settlement which, however, is unrelated to that area (it is considered to be situated at modern-day Platanias). The original name is still in use by the locals and should, in my view, be reinstated.

Niaou (Afetes)

          Starting from the square and the main church of Timiou Prodromou (St. John the Baptist), we climb on kalderimi for a few meters and then turn right on the cement road going uphill on an easterly direction. After crossing a stream and passing by a drinking water fountain, we notice the sign to the left and start climbing on a wide earth path which becomes kalderimi and then earth path again. It opens to a narrow asphalt road, which we follow to the right for thirty meters to find the continuity. We climb now on kalderimi on the slope, having a mansion on our left. This section was built in the early 50`s and remains in good condition.

Kalderimi climbing on the slope

        Higher up, we cross the stream to the left and walk on earth road, which opens to the main asphalt. We walk on this for twenty meters to the right and then take an earth track, parallel to the asphalt on its right side, going gently downhill to the east. There is a mansion at a distance of 50 meters to the right. On our way, we can make out bits of the old cobblestone.
        After a while, we cross the asphalt at an angle and continue on the other side. In front of us, we can see the road signs of the main asphalt junction (Delta) to Argalasti and we head on to that. Eventually, we join the asphalt and walk on this for 50 metres. Reaching the junction, we take the old road which runs parallel to the main asphalt on the left. If we look carefully, we will notice some traces of the old kalderimi at some point.
       The old road eventually joins again the main asphalt, which  has covered the kalderimi for more than a kilometer. We will avoid a significant section of asphalt, by taking after 20 meters the narrow earth road on the right, which opens out to the main road again at Agrigiannis winery after about 700 m. After the winery, we have to walk about 500 meters on the asphalt (no way to avoid that) and then we leave it to the right, taking a narrow earth road (at the junction there is a sign with a picture of a stone bridge).

Kalderimi in pinewood

         After twenty meters we leave the road to the left and walk downhill on a path which soon becomes a kalderimi crossing pinewood. We soon come to cross a stream over an old arched stone bridge. According to the inscription on the eastern keystone, it was built in 23 April 1895 on donation by Konstantinos Topalis, an eminent lawyer and politician from Volos.

The bridge of Topalis near Neochori

     Leaving the old bridge in quiet, we climb on kalderimi. Reaching the graveyard, it becomes concrete road. At the junction we go left and soon come to a parking lot. Climbing the stairs we finally arrive at the square of Neochori.

The square of Neochori

Αfissos-Niaou (Afetes)

Niaou (Afetes)

Distance: 5,1 km
Duration: 2 hours (incl. return), walking time 1.35'
Altitude: from 0 m. (Afissos) to 252 m.(Niaou square)
Marking: red marks, round yellow signs
Drinking water on walk: Niaou square

Download GPS track:    from Wikiloc     from Everytrail

      In this route, we climb from the seaside resort of Afissos to the picturesque village of Niaou (original village name of slavic origin, meaning pen, still in use by locals-officially called Afetes) following a dry riverbed, an exciting and beautiful walk, (which, for obvious reasons, is best avoided if the weather is rainy). Then we return to Afissos on  the course of the main kalderimi (stone paved path), most of which is now sadly covered by asphalt, passing by an old stone bridge and the village`s cemetery, enjoying  spectacular views of Afissos and the sea on our way down.

      Starting at Abovos beach just south of Afissos, from the corner of Marabou restaurant, we walk on the concrete road away from the sea, initially heading east. After 700 m. the road takes a sharp right bend becoming asphalt and continues towards Niaou. At this point, we walk straight ahead in a northerly direction on an earth road and at a fork we go left. The road goes by the side of Chalorema stream and soon, following the red marks and the signs, we find ourselves walking into the riverbed, surrounded by the rocky banks under the cool shade of high trees, birds singing and all. It is an exciting experience and not too demanding, although we must exercise caution not to slip on the rocks, especially if they happen to be wet. There are some sections of path on the sides of the stream left or right, and another stream (Kalarites) eventually joins from the right (we go left there).

Chalorema ravine

      After about 1,5 km of walking in these slightly adventurous conditions, we reach stone steps on the right. Using these, we climb on the rock, to find a kalderimi climbing steeply to the right. If we are on the opposite course (that is, from Niaou to Afissos),  we should apply high caution here not to slip on the way down if the stones are wet.

Kalderimi climbing to Niaou square

     Further up, we pass by an old fountain named Karkanteli, then cross a concrete road and continue climbing on kalderimi that leads us to the village square and the main church of St. John the Baptist.

Niaou (Afetes) village square

        A stop at the taverna for a refreshment or something to eat is welcome, and then we continue next to the church on flat stone paved road. As we reach the parking lot, we turn immediately left, to find a narrow downhill kalderimi that leads to the stone arched bridge of Fragakis, over the homonymous stream.

Fragakis stone bridge at Niaou

      On the other side, we continue uphill on road-kalderimi in a southwesterly direction and exit the village.

Leaving Niaou, on the way to the cemetery

      Passing by the cemetery on the right, the kalderimi then opens to an asphalt road, on which we walk downhill, between olive groves. Further down, as the asphalt takes a sharp left bend, there is a small stretch of kalderimi marked with red spots and a sign (attention left), conveniently cutting the corner.
      After another 500 m. on the asphalt, we reach a newly built tourist accomodation (Karavia Lux Inn).

       Here, instead of continuing onto the asphalt all the way down, we suggest to follow an alternate, more pleasant route. So, at the upper corner of Karavia we turn right on a narrow downhill earth road next to the fence. Soon another earth road joins from the left and we continue straight ahead, having another fence on the left, then a low stone wall. We turn left following the stone wall and then right on the downhill path that opens to an asphalt road at the outskirts of Afissos.

Looking down to Afissos

       After 100 m. on the asphalt, we turn left to a concrete road that further down is paved with flat stones. At the end we turn right and immediately left at the corner of ''The Garden of Eden'' guesthouse, into a wider stone paved road that opens to Afissos square, facing the sea.

Afissos square

       Walking now on the coastal road to the left, we will get back to Abovos beach in five minutes.

Abovos beach