2 Jul 2025

BITS & PIECES

by | posted in: General Announcements, Uncategorized | 2

Guided hikes have had to be suspended due to the intense heat; even evening time doesn’t cool down enough. I’m sorry to all those who have contacted me wanting a guided hike but I really don’t think it’s a good idea. And to those who want to see the bridge at Kriavrissi – there is no phone signal in the Gorge, the narrow trail we created is crumbly and should you fall, you will certainly break something or worse, as it’s a long way down. The bridge itself should not be walked upon.

The Trail project for signs and maps was submitted in 2021. After the field work, a study was created and went through the various government departments for approval and in September 2024, €600,000 was allocated. In January of this year, it went to auction to see who would carry out the required work. The result was supposed to have been published by the end of June. That has been and gone and I still haven’t been informed of the outcome.

In preparation for the next Skopelos Trails publication, the theme of which will be Mammals and Bats of Skopelos, we are looking for images of any mammals, dead or alive. So that would include, hares, hedgehogs, martens, rats and other rodents. A GPS location of where the image was taken would also be very handy. A photo credit will be given for any images used. Also, a reminder that any horned viper sightings are also required for use by the University of Thessaloniki Biology department.

Learn some local names: Dymaka – near Ag Reginos Pirgos. Vothana – the pond near the Skopelos Experience, Loutsa

Thanks to George Papalapas who has repaired and restored the vandalized bench at Michalakis. What to say about the brain-dead idiots who damaged it. …

3 Jun 2025

JANUARY-MAY NEWS

by | posted in: 2025 Clearing, Karia trail, path clearing, publications, The Retsina Trail, Uncategorized, Volunteers, Volunteers, Wildlife conservation | 0

At last our latest book about the amphibians and reptiles of Skopelos, over a month later than expected, has arrived and is on the shelves. We are very happy with the result, after putting in a lot of hard work plus toing and froing between us and the printer. We have already started on our next publication which will hopefully be ready by Easter 2026.

We started trail clearing this year on 24 January and stopped 23 May. In spite of a lot of rain in February, altogether, I worked 42 days and with the help of three Workaway volunteers throughout that period and six others, we reopened and carried out maintenance on the following trails:

Vouno Glossa, The Gorge, Klima to Kosta, Ag Marina, Anania, Dymaka, Platanakia, Abuzali, Myli spring, Moutero, Petrovrissi, Prof. Ilias church, Djelili, Karyia and Skleri.

I’d like to mention and thank my Workawayers: Chris Stofel from Austria, who played a huge part in reopening the old Gorge trail from Djelili to Kriavrissi, Sina and Jana from Germany plus local helpers Marko Kazandzic, Thomas and his wife Andrea, Chris and his wife Angela plus Johan Uthus.

We start again in September.

6 Mar 2025

Tzilali/Kriavrissi Karya (part II)

by | posted in: 2025 Clearing, Ancient sites, Karia trail, path clearing, Uncategorized | 2

Together with Austrian Workaway volunteer Chris, nine days were spent working on this 1.40km Gorge during February. If there was man-made trail, we cleared it; even one portion that is sandwiched between two huge landslides, thus rendering it somewhat redundant for the moment.

Trees too fat for my chainsaw had to be left so you have to crawl under, slippery waterfalls have to be navigated, a narrow path had to be dug out (don’t look down!) and every time the landslides dictate, we direct you into the valley floor. There are lose rocks everywhere.

All along the route, we found many scarlet coloured Elf cups (Sarcoscypha), colbolt blue Terana and multi-coloured turkey-tail (Trametes versicolor) fungi as well as Greek Anemones (Anemonoides blanda) plus beautiful natural sculptures, rock formations and ruins of what I assume were water mills.

The bridge is very delicate and under no circumstances should be walked upon. In fact, the whole Gorge is walked at your own risk. There is also one portion without a phone signal.

In spite of the above, it is absolutely stunning.

Hikers can now walk from town to Ag Konstantinos/Glysteri, continue up to the XTA, cross over and trail up towards Efstathios, dirt road to Karya then use the Gorge to return back towards Glysteri and town. Or from town trail to Anania, asphalt towards Sendoukia and circle round to Karia. Both great day long hikes.

Enjoy!

3 Sep 2024

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE!

by | posted in: General Announcements | 13

After waiting some four years, having assisted with the initial field work, I thought the hiking project was a gonna! Not so! Feeling particular disheartened one day recently, I asked the question of our mayor, Stamatis Perissis, and this was his reponse:

“In September, we were informed that the large project of E600,000 for the paths of Skopelos we had submitted from 2021-2022 would be approved.”

I then asked Stephenos Psimenos, owner of Terrain, who GPSd and prepared the proposal and this is his response:

“My latest information – directly from the Ministry of Environment – regarding the project is that the Trails Signposting Study carried out by Terrain, which had been submitted to the Ministry of Environment for funding, HAS BEEN APPROVED. However, as it was not approved by the Forestry Agency of Skopelos, the Municipality put pressure on them, got their approval/signature on the Study and resubmitted it to the Ministry. Now that everything is OK we are expecting to have the official announcement of the approval and the funding, by late October. If everything goes according to plan, before the end of the year, the Mayor will announce the implementation of the project and the work will start early Spring 2025.”

This project not only includes signs but also three years maintenance. It has also highlight ‘hotspots’ where land owners have attempted to close or deter hikers from using ancient trails near their property. These trails were naturally included and they have been passed as officially existing. The owners will therefore have to come to an agreement to either let pedestrians pass as they have done for hundreds of years, or officially redirect, as near to the original as possible, not just verbally, so conflicts can finally be put to rest. Furthermore, since the study was first carried out, many portions of trails have sadly been asphalted.

The study can’t be made available for general viewing until after the auction for a contractor has been completed. Dimitris Papadimitriou at the town hall should be mentioned for his efforts in expediting the final approval.

2 Jul 2024

SKOPELOS IN RUINS

by | posted in: Ancient sites | 1

It all began with Stafilos, who was probably a Cretan prince, sent to Skopelos by king Minos in the 16th century BC. He is believed to have been the son of Dionysos and Ariadni, brother to Oinopion, Thoas and Peparethos. Only Peparethos joined him in the colonisation of Skopelos and gave the island its name, which fell into disuse in the 2nd century AD. They brought with them vines and olive trees.

In 1936, contents of a rich grave were found by chance in the neck of the headland between the beaches now known as Stafilos and Valanio. They included a gold sword handle, the biggest ever to be found in Greece, plus many artefacts, including a double edged axe, the symbol of the Minoans. They can be found in the National Museum in Athens. It isn’t certain that the grave was that of Stafilos himself but it was undoubtedly that of royalty, as only a leader would have had such precious funeral offerings.

Believe it or not, there are the remains of a Mycenean wall at the end of Stafilos beach (1600-1100BC).

The remains of Roman defence walls can be found at Kastro (castle) Milos, *Panormos, Kanaka Laka and Loutraki (ancient Selinus). There’s also a very interesting looking wall next to the road to Moutero. It’s mentioned by archaeologist Diamantis Sampson, but no details documented.

Temples: Asclepius the demi-god, Artimis/Diana goddess of hunting (within the walls of private Episcope monastery), Eefastos/Vulcan god of fire and metal (Ag Konstantinos), Athene/Minerva, goddess of wisdom and war (Raches) to name but a few. Others existed, their remains having been recycled into the walls of the Christian churches that took their place.

Sarcophagi were also upcycled where possible and used in the building of Christian churches (eg. Ag Michalis Sinadon, *Panagia Eleftherotria). A complete sarcophagus is literally sticking out of the wall in the house of family Kosma. Even older are tombs honed into the rockface at Sendoukia, Aloupi, Alikias and Mavraki, Glossa.

*Roman Baths/Loutra at Katakalou, Loutraki.

A network of beacons/Phryctoria were built on hill-tops across the island, each visible to the next. A prearranged semaphore was used to convey messages. Ruins can be found at Mavrangi, Helenico, Cape Prionos, Mavraki, and Panormos. There must have been others in the Palouki area but none have been documented.

3 Apr 2024

Who cares?

by | posted in: path clearing, Uncategorized | 0

The last month’s have been spent removing cut down trees that have been abandoned thus blocking the trails. In this situation, we take pictures and GPS and send to the Forestry department. Not expecting a result I then tell them I will remove the blockage myself unless they contact me. I then get a message saying to go ahead. First all foliage is removed so we can see what we are dealing with. We remove with a chainsaw the branches facing upwards and outwards but leave the downward ones in case they are load-bearing. The owner is also contacted if possible to ascertain why the trees were cut in the first place and to inform them of the consequences of their actions. This has happened in Pera Karia, Potami, Vouno Glossa and Moutero.

1 Nov 2023

iNaturalist

by | posted in: General Announcements, Uncategorized | 2

You don’t need me to tell you how many apps and publications exist that help us identify the flora around us. We all have our favorites. Ours is iNaturalist. It is based at the California Academy of Sciences and is an independent nonprofit platform. Skopelos Trails is a donor, contributor and supporter. Confirming contributions, iNaturalist is used as a reference by study groups from all over the world. They can now suggest an astounding 80,000 species of plants, animals and fungi. I log our flora even when I know what I’m looking at. I do this for our records, for the use of others as well identifying unknown species.

It is through this platform that we were contacted by Spain’s department of Biogeographical Eco Botanical facility at the university of Savile who invited us to contribute towards their project on the study of the cytinus rock rose paracite. Over a period of a month, we collected samples of the female and male flowers (inflorescences) and dried them in bags of salt before sending them off in the post. For our efforts, we received a surprise donation which was about the same amount as the donation we had already made to iNaturalist!