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Walking on Crete |
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Island
of Crete,
Greece |
See also our Hotel to Hotel
Trek click here
 Western
Crete has long been a favourite destination for British walkers with
many returning year after year to savour this very unspoilt part of the
island. The region offers spectacular, contrasting scenery. The White
Mountains, dotted with remote mountain villages, rise to over 2,400 m
providing some challenging walks for the experienced. Radiating from
these mountains are numerous gorges running down to the sea, the most
renowned being the Samaria Gorge and many lesser known gorges to
explore. Undoubtedly the sea is one of Crete’s main attributes and
coastal paths are enhanced by the Lybian Sea with shades of blue
extending from the c l e a rest pale turquoise to deep indigo blue. It’s
a destination where the people are as pleasant as the weather and the
delicious locally produced foods (a haven for vegetarians by the way).
 In
the far South West corner of Crete the location of our chosen base,
Paleochora, straddles a narrow peninsula linking two beautiful bays. One
side has a quiet sandy beach and the other rockier side offers endless
views of the folds of mountains along the coast. The ferry comes and
goes and the emphasis of Paleochoras’ slow pace of life is on taking a
coffee and pastry in one of the many coffee houses or enjoy delicious
Cretan cuisine of fresh fish, local cheeses, vegetables and honey in a
shady Taverna. The village provides a refreshing and relaxing base at
the end of a day’s walking.
In the far South West corner of Crete the location of our
chosen base, Paleochora, straddles a narrow peninsula
linking two beautiful bays. One side has a quiet sandy beach
and the other rockier side offers endless views of the folds
of mountains along the coast. The ferry comes and goes and
the emphasis of Paleochoras’ slow pace of life is on taking
a coffee and pastry in one of the many coffee houses or
enjoy delicious Cretan cuisine of fresh fish, local cheeses,
vegetables and honey in a shady Taverna. The village
provides a refreshing and relaxing base at the end of a
day’s walking.
Surrounded by lu sh
hills carpeted in Springtime with wild flowers and deliciously scented
herbs, Paleochora has plenty of inland walks to explore. In addition,
the coastal paths winding their way between turquoise bays and shady
gorges and with efficient ferry boats and water taxis accessing further
walking along the coast, the opportunities are endless and varied. Paths
are well marked although often stony underfoot and some routes require
an element of scrambling . Buses are reliable and depart daily from the
bus station in the village including an early departure to the head of
the famous Samaria Gorge from where you return by boat. Small local
shops and bakeries provide the makings of a perfect picnic! Much of the
region is remote and sparsely populated so we would not recommend
walking alone.
We looked at a number of bases and
decided on Paleaochora as the ideal base. We have chosen two hotels that offer
good value family accommodation. Both are bed and breakfast only, the
Finikas
Aparthotel and the Hotel 'On the Rocks'
Walking can be enjoyed for most of the year in south west Crete with the
landscape at its best from February to June. October and November is
perfect as the harsh summer light mellows to a misty warmth with snow
capping the distant White Mountains. From June to September, with a
little caution and frequent swims in the crystal clear sea, walking is
still feasible. Ferry boats are less frequent from the end of October to
Easter.
By Air to Crete:
Chania is the most convenient airport with flights from May to October
from the major UK airports. More distant Heraklion also has flights from
April. You can also travel to Chania via Athens all year around.
Click to see
Crete prices |
