Distance: 10 km
Duration: 3,5 hours (incl. stops)
Altitude: 64 m. (maximum)
Marking: small round signs, red spots
Drinking water on walk: no
Duration: 3,5 hours (incl. stops)
Altitude: 64 m. (maximum)
Marking: small round signs, red spots
Drinking water on walk: no
Download GPS track: from Wikiloc from Everytrail
A tour on the idyllic beaches of South Pelion from Horto up to Lefokastro. Someone called it "the ring of Heaven"! The best time to walk it is in the winter or early spring (the photographs were taken in February), perhaps because it is easier then to resist the temptation of removing our clothes and jumping into the sea of Pagasitikos, which calls us like a siren in her arms. If we have enough strength, we can ascend from Lefokastro to Argalasti and then descend back to Horto, thus completing the circle with another 3 hours of walking (about 6,5 hours total). We can still go to Argalasti earlier, from Kalamos or Paou, saving 1 or 2 hours respectively (see the respective routes). There are places to eat and drink at Lefokastro, Argalasti and Horto.
A tour on the idyllic beaches of South Pelion from Horto up to Lefokastro. Someone called it "the ring of Heaven"! The best time to walk it is in the winter or early spring (the photographs were taken in February), perhaps because it is easier then to resist the temptation of removing our clothes and jumping into the sea of Pagasitikos, which calls us like a siren in her arms. If we have enough strength, we can ascend from Lefokastro to Argalasti and then descend back to Horto, thus completing the circle with another 3 hours of walking (about 6,5 hours total). We can still go to Argalasti earlier, from Kalamos or Paou, saving 1 or 2 hours respectively (see the respective routes). There are places to eat and drink at Lefokastro, Argalasti and Horto.
Starting
from the west entrance of Horto, we walk for two hundred meters on the uphill asphalt
road that leads to Argalasti and then, observing the round yellow signs of
the Friends of the Kalderimi, we go left to a concrete
road that descends between cottages and tourist accommodation. The
road becomes a paved footpath that runs close to the beach Pagania. After the paved section, we walk on earth path through low bushes and
olive trees.
After a while we descend to Megali Paou beach and walk along the seaside. At the other end, at the back of the last house, there is a path that climbs on the slope next to a fence and opens to a concrete road ending at the entrance of private property. Originally, the path would continue through the property towards Mikri Paou, but at present time it is lost, blocked by fences, so we continue uphill on the concrete road that opens to the narrow asphalt road coming from Paou monastery. Walking on the asphalt downhill, we reach Mikri Paou beach.
Halfway through the beach, on the right side of a small stream, we notice the path climbing to Paou monastery and Argalasti. At the end of the beach a narrow earth road continues parallel to the coastline. There is a water pipe underground, bringing water from Panagiotiko dam as far as Trikeri. Unfortunately, digging the earth for the pipe with heavy tools led to the obliteration of the existing path. One wonders, wasn`t it possible to preserve the path by choosing another course for the pipe? Why the authorities did not consider any alternatives?
After a while we descend to Megali Paou beach and walk along the seaside. At the other end, at the back of the last house, there is a path that climbs on the slope next to a fence and opens to a concrete road ending at the entrance of private property. Originally, the path would continue through the property towards Mikri Paou, but at present time it is lost, blocked by fences, so we continue uphill on the concrete road that opens to the narrow asphalt road coming from Paou monastery. Walking on the asphalt downhill, we reach Mikri Paou beach.
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| Megali Paou beach |
Halfway through the beach, on the right side of a small stream, we notice the path climbing to Paou monastery and Argalasti. At the end of the beach a narrow earth road continues parallel to the coastline. There is a water pipe underground, bringing water from Panagiotiko dam as far as Trikeri. Unfortunately, digging the earth for the pipe with heavy tools led to the obliteration of the existing path. One wonders, wasn`t it possible to preserve the path by choosing another course for the pipe? Why the authorities did not consider any alternatives?
 |
| Mikri Paou beach |
Walking
along the coastline, a few meters above the sea, we reach an olive
grove and cross it to find the wide path again and then,
walking aside to a property boundary, we arrive at the concrete path
that leads left to the beach of Belian, a few meters below. On the right
there is a cottage. We walk to the beach and on the other side we
climb a trail that leads us on a rural road next to a newly built
cottage. We follow the road and come on
the asphalt which goes downhill and leads us to the seaside settlement of Kalamos.
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| Kalamos |
Following
the beach, we leave the junction with the kalderimi to Argalasti on the
right, and then walk on the road that runs between the houses. We cross
the stream of Rodia over a pedestrian bridge and reach the beach
north of the stream. At the other end of the beach a path continues and soon becomes earth road heading to the north among olive groves in
the area called Kalogria. Another road joins at an angle from the right and after a while we approach the sea again and come to the beautiful small beach of
Agios Sostis, next to the bulletin board of the local club.
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| Agios Sostis |
At the other end of the beach, we find the path with the red signs
that goes uphill and follow it. The trail brings us to a bar that blocks
the entrance to a property. We walk for a few meters down on a narrow
rural road and turn right. Here we meet again the water pipe running
underground over the course of the trail, having altered it permanently. We pass next to a newly built villa and soon arrive at
another beach which is just south of Lefokastro.
We
descend to the beach on a path and at the other end find a kalderimi
that goes uphill, passing by an old fountain dating from 1777 and reach the
asphalt. On the other side a kalderimi continues uphill to Argalasti (one hour and half to go). If we walk on the asphalt downhill, after three
hundred meters we will find ourselves at the seaside settlement of Lefokastro.
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| Βeach at Lefokastro |
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| On the way to Lefokastro |
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