Gavdos, Agia Roumeli
Gavdos 2019
This holiday completely differs in comparison with these which I usually spend in Crete. When one is at a top of a summit in Levka Ori with a good view of the southern sea, or also from the southern shore under mountains, from all these places there are rather well visible two islands – Gavdos and its smaller sister Gavdopoula. Very often it came in my mind to visit these islands, especially Gavdos because this one was/is visited in the season rather often. And at this year (2019) I – finally!! – set off to this destination. A problem could be reaching Gavdos. It is serviced by ferries from Crete, until this year just from Sfakia (or Agia Roumeli, respectively) or Palaiochora (or better from Sougia). However, from this year there is working next connection to/from Plakias but this service is not a ferryboat (for cars as well) but a "common" ship for about 30-50 persons (as I guess). And to be the transport from home to Gavdos more complicated we bought flight tickets with departure from Vienna which brought the necessity to get there from Prague.
Nevertheless, we (my "mountain's" friend Honza accompanied me again) started our holiday at 18th SEP, on WED. We found rather a good connection - a train toward the Vienna Main Station (4 hrs) and a shuttle to the airport (less than 1 hour including waiting for it). So we were at the airport Schwechat having enough time to boarding and therefore, also time for dinner and beer because in Ryanair's planes any foodservice used to be disposed of as included in the price of the ticket and prices onboard use to be astronomic. The flight itself was the direct one toward Chania. Due to the fact, the middle of September is slightly after a season our plane was the only one which landed at the airport and therefore, our backpacks appeared in the luggage room early enough we succeeded to catch a good bus to the city. Now we are in the Chania and our first step is as usually - to buy the first gyros and the best Greek beer – Mythos (as we say – G+M combination). And eat it up sitting on a bench in the park on 1866 Square. Nice warm weather and rich life shortly before midnight as usual. And after dinner to leave for overnight to Neo Chóra beach where we sleep as a rule.
In the morning on the next day (THU), we enjoyed our first sea bathing and after it left to the city to buy breakfast, a cartridge for a gas-stove and after lunch (second G+M) we took a bus to Sfakia (at 1400). The journey lasted for about 2hrs. We had to spend here next night because the first ferry to Gavdos was leaving on the next day at 1030. Having two possibilities where to overnight (my favourite place in the Ilingias gorge or beside a small church just above the harbour) we chose the latter one because to get to the gorge (from the centre of Sfakia) takes almost one hour, whereas the chapel was much more closely. And overnight at the terrace of the church has one more advantage - there is sticking out from a rock a tap with water.
To coast eastward by ferry (named Daskalogiannis) from Sfakia is a very scenic journey we could see (FRI) all for us the very know places but from a different angle, from the sea: the mouth of the Ilingias gorge, the former fishing village of Loutro/Fínix (the ferry stopped here), the second mouth of a gorge – of the Aradhéna, the long beach of Agios Pavlos and finally, landing in Agia Roumeli where we can observe and do a visual inspection how the informal camp-site near the village is full, or empty (after one week we should spend here several nights as well). And just then the ferry turned from the coast and headed for Gavdos over the open sea. Surprising was the fact Gavdos wasn't shown up despite the day was sunny and clear (due to a haze above the sea). Boating to Gavdos takes a couple of hours and as far as we were roughly in the middle of the journey the island came in view finally. However, roughly at the same time when the island came in view, the wind got up and waves were higher and higher. The main (and the single) harbour of Gavdos – Karave – is well protected against waves by a mole made of huge concrete ingots. As soon as we got from the ferry two buses were waiting here. The one which went to Agios Ioannis (our destination) did a stop in Sarakino such a large village (or even a small town for island's conditions). After about 30mins we were at the end. The driver of the bus takes out a fare (€2.50, a uniform price) and gave us a paper with a timetable of bus connections throughout the island. The terminal bus stop is just beside a tavern in which a small "supermarket" is as well. Here, there is just one more tavern a little bit low, a small house for a generator of power, two public showers and a not very large complex for accommodation a little bit up and these all objects create the whole Agios Ioannis.
When we had picked up all information before setting out to Gavdos we decided to settle down on the beach of Lavrakas which is about 2.5km far from Agios Ioannis. It seems it is not very long trek but because a part of the way is through the sand of these two beaches - Agios Ioannis and Lavrakas (walking in rather deep sand with rather heavy backpacks on shoulders is hard work) and the connecting footpath between beaches runs across a slope of a hill reaches about 30m above sea level, the overall route is not very easy. The Lavrakas beach has one big advantage – there is a water source year-round: two wells on the beach and also such cutting into the sand with a pool at its lowest end. Because the wind was blowing more and more we were looking for a place hidden both against this wind and against the sun as well. Such a place we found at the western end of Lavrakas and about 50m from the shore among single clumps of junipers (Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa). Among these, there are many paths in sand and there are many single "shelters", tents and other types of "dwelling" everywhere inside the large growth of junipers (all the low cost between Agios Ioannis and roughly the Pyrgos beach is covered by junipers from about fifty as far as one-two hundred meters from the sea).
The first day of our stay in Gavdos (SAT) we considered being the day of rest. To be on the coast, to bath, to swim etc. but the sea wasn't very friendly and showed us its worst face - waves, waves, waves and although the northern coast (facing Crete) roughly from Agios Ioannis is – generally – flat and sandy, on many places there are rocks in the sea near the coast, and as waves hit them they were lifted upward even for almost two meters and swimming/bathing here wasn't very safe.
For the next day (SUN) we had in an itinerary a walk along the northern and then western coast across several beaches. It was a really easy and nice walk, we could bath on each occasion, and wearing almost nothing we took a sunbath as well. We missed beaches Stravolimni, Pyrgos and Potámos. The latter two are on the western shore. Pyrgos is one of the nicest beaches but with the worse access because the beach is deep under cliffs. Nevertheless, these cliffs are created by sand or rather sandstone which is not very hard and it is not very difficult to climb down along the footpath. The beach is sandy only and the sea bed is very shallow, one can go far into the sea and water is still just waist-deep. Spending here for about one hour we climbed up and continued toward the next beach - Potámos. Following a marked footpath among junipers, we came on a slope from which Potámos was well visible much farther below than Pyrgos. But the problem was the path disappeared step by step, the slope got steeper and as we wore sandals to go on it seems to be a little bit risky. Therefore, we return to the place where the path disappeared, climbed a little bit up and found another footpath (marked by cairns) which was the right one. The path put us on a flat area above the beach. Here, the path turned and started climbing down over an edge of almost vertical sandstone cliffs. Not a very difficult path led us down on the almost empty beach. We found a good place in the shadow under junipers having here lunch and a generally good time. According to the application Mapy.cz, not so far from the shore there should be a water source. To get there, one has to follow a very stony watercourse (now dry, of course) for a certain distance and then, along with cairns and the well visible path to turn to the left. After about 100m, the path comes under a big vertical rock on which there are wet parts at places where water seeps and is collected into small metal troughs to be afterwards carried off by pipes into some barrels and to a shower. But this water source is not very yielding and one should save water. The way to the next beach was starting at the opposite (southern) side (in comparison with the approaching path): It is well built, furnished with wooden railing and winding up the slope. On the top, there is a parting of ways. The one is descending the very steep slope on the next beach with a little bit strange name – Bo, the second one goes on along the coast and the third one is heading inland. We chose this latter one. The way is a very good and well-tramped footpath which led us to ruins of an old building named (according to the Mapy.cz application) Neveli but according to the table just beside it Metochi Eveli. It should be ruins of a castle but it remained me rather a large mitato, a building very well know from mountains in Crete. This object is built as a large house in the ancient style typical for Gavdos - the kéntis-house. There are many terracing fields around as well. Not so far from this, the way reaches an edge of the village of Ambelos. But it is a strange village – many ruins of houses, maybe many only partly built houses and it seemed just about two-three houses were inhabited. Above the village in a distance, the top of an old and disused lighthouse (it is said – with a museum inside) stuck out above trees. All the ways in the village are well built and new, often with solar lights built-in lower walls following these ways. The outgoing way down to "our" beach and home starts near the corner of a new small church and it is yellow marked. It is also a very good track, almost just for Sunday's walk through a pine forest, thus in shade, and only slowly descending. Here and there some remains of buildings (walls, terraces etc.) are in view sometimes just beside the way, sometimes in a distance. When we got into the open terrain without trees we did a mistake: heading for a big obvious cairn standing on the top of a range just in front of us we didn’t note the yellow track turn sharply right to reach a small church in a valley far from us. As soon as we got at the top of the range we detected our fault and had to descend along own way down to a forest to meet a track well visible below. As soon as we reached it, we got on the shore and to our home in a short time.
We decided to attend the following day (MON) to rest again. We were on the beach and in the evening, also visited the tavern to drink beer (signs of our abstinence symptoms were showing :-)) ). On TUE, two-day trek to Tripiti, the southernmost point of Europe (with a big wooden chair standing on the top of the ridge) was waiting for us. Packing the suitable equipment only (documents and money, cameras, sleeping bags, mattresses, a tarp, windproof jackets, head torches, food, bottles of water and the gas-stove) and leaving the tent with other things at their place we set off in the morning. The first part was the ascent in an easy gradient through a dry and sandy watercourse of an occasional stream which has its lower end not so far from the shore under our home. Nice weather and the nice way. In the sandy stream bed, there is a small pool as well but with water hardly usable without filtering. After a certain time, we left this small ravine to join a marked footpath which led us to the small church of Agios Giorgis standing higher up the floor of a valley. It is a wonderful place, in the valley under the church there are two pools with slowly running water which could be used if necessary but better after using a water filter. The next way runs slightly ascending roughly southward above the valley, first through open terrain to hide later under scarce trees. In such conditions, the track comes to the branch up to the next church, Agios Nikolaos. After a short visit, we went on along the "main" track but it was the wrong option because not so far we got on a tarmac road which wasn't what we needed. So, to return and find a different way (the footpath in front of the church) which runs through a very strange and as well sad area which looked like a strip mine of almost white rocks (and sand). The path became less apparent for a short time but then a wide dirt road appeared which brought us to the next branch to the next church. This one has a little bit strange and infrequent name – Agios Paleonto – but we met later its much longer name on a direction label. This was our third church and still one should be in front of us. To reach it we left this third church (must say, this one was the most cherished comparing with the previous ones – maybe the newest one?) and in a short distance from here (less than 10mins of walking) we met extensive ruins of a former village of Galena and for about next 10mins, there was the branch to the last church – Agios Antonios. This very small church is for about 30m higher above the track. It is almost stuck into rocks and because it is obviously one of the oldest, its colour as though blend with the colour of the rock. And for 10mins (again) we were at the edge of the main island's village of Kastri. As we were approaching the village, the weather changed. A nearby (highest) top of the island (of the same name like the island – Gavdos, 350m – at least, according to the map) caught a cloud. The sky got suddenly grey and moisture started to come out of it. All things were sticky. In the village, we found a tavern and had a good time with beer and a local pet in the form of a domestic mantis which walked on the hand of my friend without any effort to fly away. Here we also obtain important information – in the next village/settlement (Vatsiana) there is an open tavern where can get water. Our next way runs along the bitumen road as far as the tavern above mentioned. It looks like a farm, with many children, many hens, many turkey-hens, several cats and a horse roped near several tables for visitors, all these on a court. We asked for a beer and for "tzatziki", one of the typical Greek meals (yoghurt with garlic, cucumber, dill and spices). But the man who served us (the owner) understood wrong, he thought we would like to have "katziki" and for a longer time of waiting there were on the table in front us plates with pieces of a goat and baked potatoes. Namely, "katziki" means a goat. Oof!! Not tasty but when it was on the table we ate it up however, this food lay in our stomach until the evening.
The way from the tavern to Tripiti is always descending along the dirt road. The first important point is the next former village in ruins. According to the map, its name is Aliki but again – at the small table in front of ruins, there was the different name (Pateridon). And there were two more tables with names – Korfu and Tripiti. Tripiti was our aim for that day and Korfu was the place where we were going to go/to get the next day. The descent to the coast was nice, the path was excellent and during about 15-20mins we were at a strictly flat sandy area near the sea. As the wind blew from the sea we found a partly hidden place behind trees and pick up our tarp to overnight here.
The next morning (WED) was sunny and thought the wind turned in the night and blew from inland now the temperature was still nice. After breakfast, we set off toward the chair. Our backpack left lying under the slope and to the top, we ascended just with cameras. The big chair is wooden and is standing on a small concrete platform, with a note on the backrest it is the southern point of Europe. So, it could be right just from a geographical point of view, thus in the case when any overseas districts of European countries are not considered. (The Canary Islands which are under Spain administration, overseas districts of France in the Caribbean Sea, or even Falklands Islands which are under the UK authority.) Not so far from "the superchair", there is an automatic lighthouse which is, to tell the truth, iron construction with light at its top which is fed (probably) by solar energy. To return, we had to ascend back to Aliki and head for Korfos. This footpath is also excellent, well-tramped and in easy gradients both up and down as well. After about 1km of walking, we could see another beach far below, called Lakkoudii to which one can get by foot or by a boat only. The way down is well marked (cairns). The beach is nice, access to water is comfortable and pebbles on the margin of water are so colourful one hardly can withstand not to pick them up. For climbing back on the "main" footpath we chose another path, from the western side of the beach. This path is well built, with sections of stone steps and finishes near a strange object - it is a rectangle made of stones, I guess its size of about 20x10m and about 2m high, which is without any openings - neither doorways nor for windows... It looks like rather a big platform for something but I don't have any idea for which one... The way as far as Korfós is nice but rather boring. A partly important place is a rest area with benches and tables and far lookout on the sea, all in shade under pines. I think it could be used for short overnight very well. Korfós is a group of three houses, one beach and a small square with a bus stop and a nearby area for waste containers. The bus should leave at a certain time but as we came to know in the tavern any bus would have left on that day (despite the statement in the timetable which we got when arriving in Gavdos/Agios Ioannis). The reason was the bus had brought anybody in the morning (to the beach), thus there is no reason to come here in the afternoon again. Therefore we had to go by foot along the bitumen road to get home but about 7 or 8 km was easy walking. Having dinner in the tavern we got to our place with head torches. The day of our departure (Friday) was approaching and we decided to spend last night more closely to the bus stop - on the beach of Agios Ioannis. Therefore, on THU shortly after noon, we shifted to here to find a place for the last overnight. Doing it we pitched the tent, left to the beach, spent there almost the whole afternoon and in the evening left to the (closer) tavern for a drink. We had a bad experience with walking along the marked way in the dark, therefore we used stones to build a cairn at the right place where branching is necessary to find/get to our tent (well hidden behind/under junipers). The last day, the day of departure (FRI) was coming. After our last breakfast in Gavdos, we shifted to the tavern to take a shower (two public showers are disposal around) and having coffee and beer we were waiting both for the ferry (whole the sea between Crete and Gavdos is in the view from this place) and for the bus. More people were waiting for the bus to the harbour here as well and the waiter made sure us the bus will come, ...don’t worry... So we were quiet drinking beer and coffee... However, the ferry was not visible still and we started to be nervous because it should be... Especially when we noted here is fewer and fewer persons around who were waiting for the bus formerly with us. At last, the ferry appeared but not the bus and we were the just only three persons waiting for it. Others disappeared... So, what to do now. The third waiting person was a Greek and he helped to ask a driver with a big SUV car if he could give us a lift to the port. He agreed (at the end, together four persons were on the loading area of the SUV car) but when the car descended to the port we could see just a rear part of the ferry leaving the harbour. We had a reserve, our plane should take off for 5 days later but the next ferry should leave until MON and if the weather did not allow the ferry connection on that day... Now, how to decide. In the port, a ship (not the ferry) was anchored by a pier and as we learnt it should set sail for one hour later but to Plakias (not toward Agia Roumeli) which is indeed on the southern coast as well but far from Agia Roumeli where we were going to get. Nevertheless, there were not more possibilities what to do and due to the fact our return ticket from Gavdos was admitted (of course, with extra money as this line is longer), we accepted this possibility and left to Plakias. According to the words of the woman in the cash desk, there should be a bus connection from Plakias to Rethymno (on the northern coast) which could be an advantage for us because we needed to get to Chania during that day, at least. However, when the ship landed in Plakias, we learnt the centre of this small town (with a bus stop) is far from the port and we couldn’t catch this bus in any case. But trying to catch hitchhike we succeeded and a kind man brought us to the stop just at the time when the bus started to leave. He blocked the bus by his car and we could get in. The journey to Rethymno lasted for about one hour (even maybe less) and at the bus station here, there was another bus ready for leaving to Chania. So, we got to Chania at the end and after an almost obligatory gyros+Mythos, we could leave for overnight favourite Neo Chóra beach to spend here next night. On the next day (SAT) we took the bus at 1100 to Sfakia and here was a good connection with the ferry to Agia Roumeli. We repeated the way along the southern coast and around the noon we were – finally!! – in Agia Roumeli. Indeed, for one day later but now all can run according to our former plans. In our itinerary, there was alternating of nothing-doing with walks or treks for SUN, MON and TUE. In Agia Roumeli, we tried to change and explore for us new taverns and concerning walks/treks – we were on the Agios Pavlos beach where we met a group of four women (from Czechia, our countrywomen) whose we had met one year ago. And the trek – I tried once in the past to reach so-called Eastern forts above Agia Roumeli and did not succeed, so now I would like to repeat the attempt once more with my friend. We set off in the morning, did a stop for short bathing under the mouth of the Eligias gorge and went on upward through the gorge. After about 20min of ascending, just on a scree field, we turned left and along an old kalderimi reached Angelokambi, an open area of former fields/vineyards. I had in my mind (and – to tell the truth – I don’t know why), we should go up along a wall bordering this area but it was rather hard work to ascend here choosing our own way. The slope was steep and forested, only goat's paths appeared from time to time and as soon as we were higher and higher there were more and more rock parts. Finally, we reached ruins of the first (northern) fortress and were rewarded with excellent views of the opposite rocky wall of The Gorge (Samária) which reached (in the summits of Gigilos and Volakias) over 2 thousand meters, as well the old village of Agia Roumeli deep below (for about 600m lower), and behind us, the magnificent and light summit of Zaranokefála sticking out above lower ranges above the Eligias gorge. And at the same time, above our heads, a couple of lammergeyers rang and even they got sometimes lower, almost under our feet. To get to the second (southern) ruins, it took a short time and after a short inspection, we could start to descend. Descending was almost the same hard work as the ascent was. Nevertheless, at many places, we hit the remains of former kalderimia, ancient connections among an object lower down not so far from former fields (Angelokambos, this object could be a watch-house) and both fortresses on the top of the range. I must say, this "trip" was rather difficult and we were lucky when reaching the sea to bath and wash off sweat and dust from bodies. It was our last day on the southern shore and the next day (WED) we should leave – the ferry (at 1030) to Sfakia and the bus toward Chania. Here, to spend the afternoon (on the beach, and to do the shopping and having the last gyros and Mythos). At the evening we took a bus to the airport, repacked backpacks and check-in them and were ready to shift home. Thus – the flight to Vienna, spend several hours at the airport, to take a train shuttle to the Vienna main train station and at 0739 (THU) we could get into the fast train home, to the Prague main train station. And here, after lunch in a nearby restaurant, our holiday closed up.
