Trekking in Greece. Tim Salmon
SECTION 1 DHIAKOFTÉ TO TRÍPOLI
Méga Spíleo monastery: the fortress (Stage 2)
The first half of the Peloponnese Way crosses two massifs: rugged Khelmós, which we skirt beneath its ski station, and Ménalo, whose uplands are cloaked in evergreen forests. Between these is a lower stretch among maquis-covered hills and sleepy shepherds’ hamlets: this has its own Arcadian charm, despite some stony paths and one section of road (but you could hitch the road section or take a cab).
Location
Dhiakoftó is on the north coast of the Peloponnese, facing the Gulf of Corinth. It is 160km (2hr by road or train) west of Athens and 55km (45min by road or train) east of the city of Pátras.
Maps
Anávasi Topo 30 (1:30,000) 8.2 Mt Chelmos
Anávasi Topo 50 (1:50,000) 8.5 Mt Mainalo – Arcadia
Lyhnia (1:25,000) Ménalon Trail (http://menalontrail.eu/maps)
For the side trip after Stage 5: Anávasi Topo 25 (1:22,000) 8.51 Lousios
Bases
Kalávrita has banks, shops (including outdoor gear), restaurants and hotels. In Klitoría you will find Mont Helmos Hotel (tel 26920-31221, http://monthelmos.gr), rooms, restaurants and a few shops. Vitína has a bank, shops, restaurants and hotels, including the Hotel Sinói (tel 27950-22354, mob 694-5632241, www.sinoi.gr).
Access
Regular daily buses run from Athens (Kifisoú Street terminus) to Dhiakoftó – not all buses to Pátras will drop you in Dhiakoftó, so ask first; buses to Aigio will drop you in Dhiakoftó (www.ktelachaias.gr in Greek only).
There are four trains a day from Athens (airport or Akharnés SKA station) to Dhiakoftó, using the proastiakó (suburban) train as far as Kiáto and the rail replacement bus from Kiáto to Dhiakoftó (www.trainose.gr/en).
Regular daily buses go from Trípoli to Athens (Kifisoú Street terminus) (www.ktelarkadias.gr in Greek only).
Zakhloroú hamlet (Stage 1)
STAGE 1
Dhiakoftó (0m) to Méga Spílio monastery (1000m)
| Start point | Dhiakoftó |
| Distance | 15km |
| Difficulty | 1 |
| Walking time | 4hr 30min |
| Height gain | 1000m |
| Height loss | 0m |
| Waymarks | E4 (yellow + black) to Zakhloroú |
The first day of the trans-Peloponnese hike could hardly be easier, at least in terms of route-finding: you simply follow the narrow-gauge railway line from Dhiakoftó on the coast, up through the impressive cleft of the Vouraïkós gorge, to the tiny hamlet of Zakhlοroú, halfway to Kalávrita (12km/600m climb). Passing some spectacular tunnels and galleries, you walk between or alongside the tracks. There are only a few trains each day and they chug along at a gentle jog, hooting as they go.
At Zakhloroú, you could stay in one of the small hotels, including the Romántzo (tel 26920-22758), Káto Zakhloroú (tel 26920-22789, mob 698-3125616) or the swankier Olympios Zeus (tel 26920-22595, www.olympioszeus.gr). Alternatively, to get a useful head start on the next day’s long hike, follow the path up to Méga Spílio monastery and sleep in its guesthouse or the nearby Grand Chalet roadside motel. The former is more atmospheric, but you’ll need to nip down to the Grand Chalet for dinner and back by sunset; the latter is easy but soulless; both are bookable (tel 26920-23357, [email protected]).
A few tips: be aware of train times in both directions and keep a torch handy for the tunnels. If a train does come when you’re in a tunnel, don’t panic: stand hard against one side of the tunnel and shine your torch towards it. Cross bridges on the side with the iron boardwalk and handrail, and don’t worry about the ‘no pedestrian’ signs!
Take a stick: underfoot is chunky gravel, with the occasional girder to trip you; and carry plenty of water: the stream is not drinkable, and there are only one or two springs en route. Avoid the second Sunday in May, when thousands of Greek hikers descend the gorge.
From Dhiakoftó railway station, follow the tracks heading S. After about 3km, a dirt road appears alongside, which makes for easier walking; it crosses the tracks again about 2km further. Here, resume along the railway tracks S past the abandoned Niámata station (1hr 15min) and into the wild section of the gorge. Clumps of purple cistus, yellow Jerusalem sage and pink valerian spring from orange-grey cliffs; crag martins and falcons flit overhead; the roaring stream is hidden by oleanders, Judas and plane trees below. The gradient steepens; rack-and-pinion cogs appear between the rails, and the tunnels start.
Entering the Vouraïkós gorge
At the 8km mark, the gradient levels out and, 2km later, you pass the small guards’ hut of Trikliá (unlocked in 2016) and a weak spring in the trunk of a plane tree. At 10.6km, the track splits to cross a narrow defile (the disused L fork is easier) before passing through the tunnel gates known as Pórtes, designed to keep livestock out. Look out for wagtails, dippers, freshwater crabs and even otters in this stretch of the river. Soon, walnut meadows appear on L and R – possible campsites – before you reach Méga Spílio station and Zakhloroú (3hr 30min).
In the hamlet of Zakhloroú, shaded tavernas and rented rooms await, if you have not managed to book the Méga Spílio monastery guesthouse or the Grand Chalet motel.
For Méga Spílio monastery, from the station, walk through the second café terrace and find a path signed ‘Great Cave Monastery/Méga Spílio’ with a green circle and blue triangle (and suggesting a generous walking time of 1hr 30min). You are leaving the E4 trail. A broad gravelly path climbs steadily between huge composite boulders, spiny broom and juniper saplings. After 15min the path bears L and levels out briefly; up ahead, a crag towers above the monastery guesthouse. Some 10min later, you join a dirt road at a hairpin and keep L (up). After a further 5min, you meet the main road by a yellow-and-black signpost (‘Zakhloroú 20mins’) and turn L along the road.
You pass a covered spring bedecked with icons (R) to reach a large stone-clad building (L), the Grand Chalet motel, whose owners currently run the monastery guesthouse. Méga Spílio monastery itself is a 5min walk up the paved road R (4hr 30min). It is open daily until sunset, with an hour’s closure at lunch. The guesthouse is at the R (S) end of the complex, on a prominent outcrop.
To visit Méga Spílio monastery, ensure your shoulders and legs are covered, then enter through the huge door guarded by sculpted lions and head upstairs.
The frescoed hall tells the story behind the monastery, starting with the discovery in AD361 of a miraculous