Walk around Crete in 50 days - Day 30 from Agia Roumeli to Profitis Ilias
Steps (I adjust my step at 60 cm today because of the
constant climbing):
34651
Burned calories 1668
Distance 20,7 km
Time 06h12’
Pulse at arrival 108
Weather Cloudy until 13.00, then warm, up to 26C
Woke up at 06:00. A nice evening was spoiled a bit by young people having
a party in Agia Roumeli, so I slept only 3 hours.. No problem, we have to walk on!
It is
06.30 now and slowly getting clear. We wait for daylight to start, as
the walk is very steep climbing and not without danger..We make ourselves
a coffee in the kitchen of "Gigilos" and walk on at 07.15! Behind "Gigilos" we
find the E4 track and start our climb.
08.45 arrival at the top of the
first mountain having walked only in a pine forest ! VERY STEEP and slippery,
because of the many stones. This is only for experienced walkers, strong
on their feet !
08.50 again a steep climb for about 200m, bringing us
to 450m above sea level.
09.30 We are at 510m and going down. It is 20C
and very cloudy, but no rain so far. Some young sheep (I guess just being
born a couple of hours ago) are looking at us. The E4 winds towards my
Lybian Lady now..
09.45 Crossing a valley to the other side of the mountain.
Still on the track and going up and down. The wild "thymion" is
flowering and the aroma of the Pinus Brutus is making me a bit "high" or
is it the adrenaline ?
10.20 I met a shepherd coming down from the beach
and climbing up towards Roumeli. He said he was 68.. but looks very strong..
Another 6 hours to Sougia, he said..We’ll see.
10.40 Spotting Domata
beach and the chapel of Profitis Ilias on the top of the cliffs in front
of us.. but not close !
11.20 We cross the beach towards the Tripiti
Gorge, the sun says hello and it is now 22C. I kiss my Lybian Lady..
We took a rest here and left at about 11.45. Passing a small gorge at
12.50 we are climbing again and arrive at a broken path around 13.00
The path
(E4) is SERIOUSLY BROKEN (at the place where there is a small fenced
door) and almost impossible to cross the valley (big slope of loose stones)..
We sat down and were thinking what to do.. Not too many solutions.. I
wanted to continue my 50 days..My friends felt strong and confident enough
to take the challenge.. Indicating each other where to pass, hanging,
just with our fingers, on the rocks! almost no place to put our feet
and with the heavy packpacks (mine is still 20 kg).. we managed to cross
the slope in about 15’ (distance about 40m).. When I look back
at this! Good for one time..too risky and, please don’t try this
alone, or don’t try this at all! We were just lucky to pass.. Maybe
it is getting worse now, who knows. I informed Yannis (Gigilos) and he
would take action to improve this bit of E4.
The path stays dangerous
until we arrive at a shepherds place and decide to walk on to Tripiti
and higher to find Profitis Ilias. We find no water here and are almost
running out of it. Today I sweat, I sometimes cracked, nearly died! but
went on! and here I am (16.30) at the top of Profitis Ilias.. Don’t
ask me for my feelings.. Can’t tell you. .I am so happy.. The most
beautiful panorama since I left Malia. .I enjoy every second of it.
16.45 I am going down towards the ruins of a Turkish castle to find
Andy and Alan and looking for the well, a shepherd was telling me in
Roumeli.
It is nearly 200 m below the castle and in between both places we decide
to set up camp. We fill our bottles and start "cooking" at
19.00.
Fantastic evening, super sunset, open fire.. no wind, just the
perfect place to camp, protected a bit in the valley, down from Profitis
Ilias (wonderful old church, by the way !). I cooked some rice with mushrooms,
some soup (I ad a bit of fresh origano) and we had a glass of crystal
clear water from the well !
Right in front of my tent I discovered a
pair of "orchis
cretica"! Can’t imagine a better place ! Lost my fork
somewhere, so I made myself a couple of chop-sticks!.That will
do to eat my plate of rice in the middle of a field full of wild ‘thymion’.
Kalinihta !
|