Walk around Crete in 50 days
Day 9 from Kato Zakros to Xerokampos

Number of steps 30804
Distance 23.4 km
Burned calories 1198
Walking hours 4h 27'
Pulse at arrival 102
Weather Nice, sometimes a bit cloudy, mostly sunny.

 

Woke up at 07.30 and took breakfast in our Hotel Zakros, after a diffucult (almost no sleep because of the cold) night..Eric and Nienke left for Heraklion. Christina drove the support car to Kato Zakros and waited (she walked the gorge in the opposite way for a while) for us. Alan and Andy joined me in the 'death valley'. I'd walked this gorge already many times, but this time it was really IMPRESSIVE ! Lots of waterfalls, flowers all over, green, a real color carpet ! This is definitly the time to walk it ! Remember !

Down in Kato Zakros, Christina and Nikos (Akrogiali taverna) were waiting for us. Nikos was preparing for the new season and painting. We drank coffee, only 'nescafe'. At 01.30 we left for Xerokampos. Christina would wait there for us. If we don't find an overnight place there, we'll return to Kato Zakros and stay at Nikos' appartments (Athina). No sign from Yannis (neighbour of Zorbas), he was ill and in Heraklion, so we were a bit afraid of finding nothing in Xerokampos. We arranged with Nikos to stay at Kato Zakros. Christina should drive us back here, and bring us again to Xerokampos the next day to start the walk towards Ziros..

All set, we could start. Our attention went to the island of Karpathos ! We could see it from the Kato Zakros' beach. Nikos told us that you can see it only a couple of times a year...Lucky us. Amazing view, leaving Kato Zakros ! The sea is colorful and calm...Nice 'turquoise' ! At 14.45 we turned left, at Alex' appartments, straight to Xerokampos. Another 10 km in fabulous nature with olive trees and yellow clover. 16.30 we arrived in Xerokampos. Everything is closed and as we could see, nothing for overnight.

So Christina brought us back with the support car to Kato Zakros. We stopped in Zakros to buy something for breakfast the next day and drank some coffee in 'Neromylos' taverna. What a great service ! I asked for my daily 'elleniko sketto', but this time 'diplo' ! Nikos arranged a nice meal for us in Kato Zakros, at the taverna 'Glaros'. Owners are Georgos and Christina..Lovely people. They prepared a fantastic meal..We were sitting right on the beach, all by our own..Heaven.

This is it, dear readers, if you are in the area, pay a visit to these people, Nikos (Akrogiali and Athina), Christina and Georgos (Glaros)...Just great. Fresh salad, 'soupies', 'xortopitta', 'xorta', 'brizolla' (for andy and alan), raki and a good glass of wine...They even offered us breakfast for the next morning..

We all agreed immediately! Kato Zakros is a real paradise...We will spend a quiet night in nice appartments...Before going to sleep it was time to admire the 'milk way' on the night sky...Mouth wide open and 'waw'...Kalinixta !

 

Ivan van Driessche walks around Crete to collect funds for "The Haven", the Animal Welfare Group of Malia.
The volunteers of the Haven struggle for the protection of the stray animals of Crete and they deserve all the support they can get.

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