VOLUNTEERS

posted in: The Retsina Trail | 5

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.
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Emily, Sylvan, Morag, Pamela
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.

WE’RE THROUGH

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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

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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.

MESSAGE FROM JOHN

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I have also FINALLY finished my mad quest to reopen the old calderimi to Taxiarchion on Palouki. This is the section from the big goat station, which branches off the newly opened track up to the top of Palouki at the white cross, all the way past Triada (branch off there is also open now) and ends at the start of the new calderimi going down to Agios Anna and Taxiarchion. It’s taken about 5 years in fits and starts! I couldn’t bear to leave it there all closed up, as most of the way it is really clearly defined. The last section nearly defeated me, as that was not at all clear – but by working from both ends with several false starts I suddenly found the route running straight and its now clear!! Marked it with your signs! I hope a few people use it.

BRAVO JOHN!!!

FIRST VOLUNTEERS FOR 2016 ARE BOOKED

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I’m happy to report that the first Workaway volunteers have been booked for next Spring. They are Matthew, Michael and Anthony from New York and they’ll be arriving 22 May and will stay until 31 May. It will be good to have some actual ‘man power’ as until now, with the exception of my very first volunteer three years ago, I’ve only had girl power! We’ve managed but sometimes, only just (we had to move a lot of fallen trees recently). I’m assuming I’ll still get help from the Hotels Union as three strapping lads won’t fit in my little house!