Walk to Sougia and Paleohora

Walk around Crete in 50 days – Day 31 from Profitis Ilias to Sougia and Paleochora

Steps 39020
Burned calories 1591
Distance 24,8
Hours 6h10’
Pulse at arrival 91
Weather Sunny Average 22c Sometimes cloudy..

Woke up at 06.30 after a quiet night, sometimes animated by owls or goat bells. We cooked some soup and refreshed ourselves at the well, before walking on at 08.00. It is 20C and no wind. It will be warm again today, so we take a lot of healthy water.. The path winds down and is steep and slippery (loose stones).

08.35 We are some 120m on top of the coastline now and passing a forest with lots of carob trees. The ferry Sougia – Agia Roumeli passes beneath us and I wish I could take a ride on the back of my Lybian Lady, towards Africa!

09.30 A small gorge, we hold to the right and find the path again. I follow the gorge about 150 m and the path winds again, climbing towards the mountain top, right in front of us.

10.30 We arrive at an open place and, guess what? Bob was waiting for us! Really nice to see him after so many email exchange.. Bob Tait and his wife Lynn offer me an overnight stay at their house in Paleohora. They took the early morning ferry to Sougia and waited for me to walk all the way back to their place.. At 11.00 we arrived at Sougia where Lynn waited for us.. We had coffee (me elleniko sketto). Alan and Andy decided to stay in Sougia and take the boat, back to Sfakia, the next day. I exchanged my chip (with the last 400 pictures) with Andy. He arrange that they will be on the site very soon.

12.30 I leave Sougia together with Bob and Lynn, perfect guides, for Paleohora. Climbing again towards a fantastic point of view at the Lissos beach.. Bob and Lynn explain a lot about the area and the interesting things to see..I really appreciate that and I am learning a lot..

Downwards to Lissos ancient village now and arrival at the old temple at about 12.40 Another very professional explanation by Bob. We refresh at the all time streaming well and walk on to join Lynn (she walked on looking for some friend ahead of us) at a small beach, called “Thunder beach”.

Bob and I arrived their at 14.30 and took a rest. I met their friend, all enthusiastic walkers. I am looking at my Lybian Lady. .Does she know that I am always around her ? Thunder beach is small (20m x 10m) but oh so private ! Did I enjoy it there, in such a nice company. The weather is perfect, although we had a few spots of rain in Sougia.

We leave the nice beach at 15.00. nice path (E4) towards the “yanniskari” beach or ANIDRI beach, named after the village high in the mountains. Bill, Avril and Norma are waiting there and with a group of 10 people (what an escort !): 6 different nationalities! We will walk together to Paleohora.

Welcomed by Barry from “Calypso” taverna, with my favorite music (jazz) (how did he know that ?) and a cool “Mythos”, my day was successful. Afterwards Bob, Lynn and myself met Gayner and her husband Michael, staying at Paleohora. Gayner brought me some new “stuff”.

After a good conversation, we drove to the “Tait’s” house. Hot shower. superb room! In the evening we were invited, with lots of other friends, at Carol’s house for a fantastic Cretan buffet ! Carol is Greek/American and cooks wonderful ! Great woman !

I also met Peter, a Canadian, walking around Crete in 1996 with his friend and two dogs in about 76 days.. We exchanged experiences and made “rendez-vous” for our next “big walk”!.

Back at Bob and Lynn’s the wind was very strong. I went into a relaxing night, thankful to my perfect guides and superb hosts ! Tomorrow we’ll walk all together to Kandanos..Kalinihta.

Day 32: from Paleochora to Kantanos