I’ve been overwhelmed by volunteer applications for this period. If only I had the resources to accommodate and feed everyone who wants to help; we’d get the trails cleared in no time at all.
The clearing will start on Monday 5 September. I have our first Swedish volunteer, Elisabet, arriving 3 September, followed by Jack and Emily on the 15th then Cindy and Theresa from Canada on 11th October. Photos of our progress will be posted as and when.
If you will be visiting during September or October and would like to donate a day or two, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Gloves and tools provided!!
TRAIL CLEARING AND BOOK/MAP MAIL ORDER SERVICE
I think we can safely say that the trail clearing season has well and truly closed. No more volunteers until 1 September. It was a very successful spring and all the volunteers were marvelous. Thanks to them progress is being made.
Throughout July/August I will be away walking the Camino de Sandiago. The mail order service for the map and guide book will be suspended during this period so if you think you may want a copy by mail order, please order before 13 July as it will be your last chance until 1 September.
HAVE A GOOD SUMMER!
ILLEGAL FENCE
Somebody is erecting an illegal fence on The Resina Trail. The portion is on Anania Hill. They are blocking the top, near Ag Nikalaus and the bottom near Ag Paraskavi. It’s very make-shift and easy to dismantle so don’t be put off. It has been reported.
GEOCACHING
If you don’t want to buy my book but still wish to hike, get the www.geocaching.com app and try to find where I have hidden a cache. Using the gps co-ordinates I have put on the site, you can easily find them but they will always require a hike. At the moment, I have hidden two but will be adding to the collection as and when. Take a pen with you to add your name to the scroll and put it back where you found it for others to find. Happy hunting!
THE BOYS FROM NEW YORK
Michael and Matt left this morning. They were great volunteers and did an excellent job of clearing the trail from where the others had left off, up to the church of Ag Reginos. So this section is now totally open and ready for use.
The next couple have cancelled and I’m now wondering whether to bother getting replacements as it’s getting rather hot and I’ve been working nearly solidly since the middle of April.
The only remaining section is not clearing but creating; from Platanakia down to Elios. We’ll see!
VOLUNTEERS
Three volunteers have just left and two more will be arriving tomorrow. It was particularly sad to say goodbye to Sylvan and Morag from New Zealand. Sylvan was a dab hand with the chain-saw.
We have now cleared the calderimi on Anania hill and down to where it meets the asphalt road at Pirgos. The Ag Reginos portion was cleared in April and the section down towards Elios was cleared last October. We will be now working on a portion just below the church which has been closed for quite some years by new tree growth. It will then be only the recreation of the trail (no calderimi unfortunately) down to Elios itself from Platanakia.
OLD RESIN COLLECTORS TRAIL
Trail portion Ag Reginos Pirgos is now open.
TRAIL TO PANORMOS
Today was spent clearing the forest trail of fallen trees from Ag Ianni Skleri towards Moutero. It is now clear and open for use.
WE’RE THROUGH
Walk 18 to Elios. The portion of trail from Pirgos up to the tiny church of Ag Reginos, page 63 picture 69 of Skopelos Trails, is now open. It’s about 1km long and took the two of us 5 days to clear. About 3/4s in, the path disappears. I believe there must have been a landslide. So we had to create a new track; but you’ll have to make your way up a rather step incline to join the main road and the church. HOWEVER, upon inspection of the track FROM the church down towards Elios, there are many fallen trees, so we have to make a start there now. Our work is never done! Thank goodness for the chain saw. This type of clearing would not have been possible without it. Thank you so very much again, to all the people who donated. The balance of the money is being spent on fuel and oil for the saw.
SPRING 2016 TRAIL CLEARING HAS STARTED
Together with Henni from Germany, the first volunteer of the season, we have made a start on clearing a beautiful stretch of calderimi that runs in the forest at Pirgos towards Ag Reginos. The stones are in very good condition but the trail is very overgrown. Tools were purchased from the donation money collected via the crowd funder; a chain saw, long handled loppers and sheers. Thank you very much to all the backers and thanks also to Nikos Orfanos for providing gloves and fuel free of charge.
