|
The end of the road near Omalos in the White Mountains.
|
The last store before the Samaria Gorge.
|
|
|
Warnings in many languages
|
The start of the Gorge walk
|
The White Mountains
|
|
The mountains are rugged
|
The track heads downhill
|
It is steep and rough, despite the cobblestones.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looking up into the White Mountains.
|
Lookout point.
|
|
|
|
Warning - Great Danger Walk Quickly.
|
Wire netting covers the track in case of rock falls
|
|
|
Passing some of the fallen rocks
|
|
|
Arriving at the first watering hole
|
Emergency evacuation service - not local taxi service
|
|
|
The path goes ever downwards
|
The 2 Kilometre peg...
|
...and on the reverse it reminds you there are 11 km still to go...
|
|
The next rest area
|
A welcome break.
|
|
|
The people who stop here have time on their hands...
|
The river did not do this.
|
|
|
|
|
Its a long way to walk just to read a book!
|
|
|
Finally we reach the river bed..
|
and can look up to the White Mountains.
|
|
Another rest stop.
|
Cypresses are unique to this gorge.
|
and some of them are very old.
|
|
|
|
This plant looks a bit odd....
|
|
It is one of the carrion flowers that smells of rotting flesh...!
|
I don't think the river put these stones in here.
|
A Cypress growing out of the rock.
|
|
|
|
|
|
This sign means the same in any language.
|
|
|
|
We were warned about the local goats...
|
but did not expect to see one.
|
The river starts to widen out.
|
|
The bridge across to Samaria Village and lunch!
|
Looking upstream from the bridge.
|
Looking downstream
|
|
|
The lunch stop at Samaria
|
|
|
|
Remains of the houses at Samaria
|
Fire is a major risk in summer. One of many small "fire stations" on the walk.
|
|
The track is now much flatter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Example of the limestone.
|
|
Approaching the narrow part of the gorge and the "Gates of Iron".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 km mark - 3 to go to the end of the gorge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another hardy Cypress.
|
|
|
Crossing a large rock avalance area
|
|
|
|
The last rest area
|
A small bird resting here as well.
|
Another pack horse at work.
|
|
Entering the Gates of Samaria.
|
|
|
|
Looking back upstream.
|
|
And out the other side
|
|
Walking through the oleander bushes.
|
Crossing the river on bridges...
|
|
|
|
and on stepping stones.
|
Past the last of the oleander bushes..
|
|
And out through the checkpoint..
|
|
|
|
Where we found a waiting beer... or two..
|
at the small cafe.
|
|
|
|
|
You mean to say there is more walking yet???.
|
|
Some people took the bus.
|
But most people walked the last 3 km through the small village.
|
|
|
|
down the valley.
|
through more oleanders
|
|
until the coast was in sight.
|
The final destination.
|
The south coast of Crete.
|
|
A ferry lay in wait - but it was not our one.
|
Tetrapods protecting the beach
|
|
|
It was blowing a gale on the coast
|
but a few hardy people braved the waves.
|
|
|
Part of Agia Romeli
|
Souvenir shops...
|
and trattoria.
|
|
|
Late in the afternoon and the crowds assembled.
|
Our ferry arrived...
|
|
And pulled into the jetty.
|
The crowd rushed aboard
|
only to find that many of them were on the wrong ferry.
|
|
Those left behind.
|
|
Then we were clear of the jetty.
|
|
Samaria Gorge from the ferry.
|
Most were tired and footsore.
|
|
|
We travelled east towards Sfakia in the last of the sunshine.
|
|
|
|
We called in to the small village of Loutro.
|
|
|
|
and on to Sfakia in the distance.
|
|
|
|
Approaching Sfakia.
|
|
|
|
Disembarking.
|
Climbing the last hill .
|
to the waiting buses.
|
