A very big THANK YOU to Tam Nightingale for inviting us to his home and for cooking a fantastic meal and to Eva Karras for providing us with a huge pasta meal. Generous gestures of this nature mean a lot to Skopelos Trails and we do not take them for granted. To have this support from non walkers is humbling and saves me from preparing and cooking for the volunteers after a hard day on the trail, so much appreciated on a person level.
If you’d like to donate a meal, please contact me.
We’ve been working very hard with maintenance work but over the last three days have actually reopened a portion of calderimi that has been closed for at least 35 years. I’ve walked by it many times but only recently got to thinking that this portion of the trail just didn’t make sense. So, I started sniffing around and in fact one of my volunteers discovered a wide, cobbled (calderimi) in the bushes. This year I was able to get it reopened. It’s behind the Tzukala spring, Glysteri. The reason it was detoured is because a portion of the supporting wall had collapsed. For hikers this is no problem but I guess if you had a mule it would be more problematical.
Please welcome David from Spain and Jenna from the USA. We’ve been working for several days now, joined on Saturday by local Emmanuel Paleologos, on the trail between the heliport and Prof. Ilias, Kokola. Please be careful at a small holding near the water tank at the Prof. Ilias end as there are some free and rather aggressive dogs.
Sam and Monique were excellent volunteers and we were able to clear all of section 49 of walk 11, although we did have to make our own exit/entrance at the high end of the trail. A few days off now until the next volunteers arrive.
Skopelos Trails is taking a break for July and August although we will still be available for online help and advice. See you in September when trail clearing will begin again. Our first volunteers are already booked in; Debbi and Jay from the USA followed by Cristian and Fabio from Italy.
Delighted to say that Walk 6 section 22-23 IS NOW OPEN AGAIN!!
We worked very hard indeed on this trail, not only removing the fallen trees and shrubs but also widening it. We’ve already started on the continuation of this trail, section 25-26.
After three days of clearing, we have unblocked this trail but it still needs a bit of work and a fence needs attention. However, we’re taking a break today and will finish off tomorrow.
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Marian, Tasos and their 4 very well-behaved children. Marian has a useful travel blog and she has written not only about Skopelos but also about my trail clearing work. You can find her blog here : http://daysofbliss.gr/2017/05/6-things-that-make-skopelos-unique.html
This small, well-made section of calderimi was totally blocked. It is now reopen. Cleared by new volunteer Kristyn Arnold from Santa Fe, USA and Steve Taylor from the UK, who sadly leaves us today (Tuesday 25 April). Steve was part of The Big, Cool Team and made a huge contribution towards getting the Panormos trail reopened. Thanks Steve.
As much as Steve and I miss the other members of the team, clearing goes on. So I decided on Walk 6, section 20. A small section of calderimi leading to Profitis Ilias church near Glysteri. We managed about half of it.
