Lesvos Sunflower Walking Guide

Since 1983 people out walking in sunny climes have been relying on our ‘little blue books’ to follow the trails – and to make friends with other walkers. Sunflower started by exploring the Atlantic Islands, but has branched out: we still love islands – from the Azores to Zakynthos – but we cover many mainland destinations too, like land-locked Switzerland and the coastal Basque Country. All our guides have the familiar mix of car tours, walks and picnics. More recently, we introduced restaurants and recipes in our ‘Walk & Eat’ series, which explores around cities from Stockholm to Avignon.

‘Excellent walking guide, which, as with other Sunflower guides, gives you a few walks in every area of the island, Therefore these guides are the perfect starting point for planning any walking holiday. Lesvos was our spring holiday, this year, and the Lesvos guide was very helpful. Descriptions of the walks were correct. Directions were clear and the maps of each walk gave useful information.'

• Preface 5Acknowledgements 8Getting about 9Further reading 9A country code for walkers and motorists 10Touring 11Picnicking 13Car tour 1: WAY OUT WEST AND PETRIFIED 14Car tour 2: THE NORTHERN SCENE - MONASTERIES, MONOLITHS AND MARAUDERS 19Short walks for motorists (Skala Sikaminias) 22Pentapolis 24Car tour 3: AGIASSOS AND THE TWO GULFS 25Cheeses 26Short walk for motorists: the Kasteli from Agiassos 27Short walk for motorists: the Pesas Waterfalls 28Car tour 4: MYTILENE — EASTERN PROMISE 32Plan of Mytilene 36Walking tour around Mytilene 37Car tour 5: A WETLANDS WANDERING 38Hot springs 39Walking 42The walks 43Grading, waymarking, maps, GPS 43Weather 44Walk wisely 44Photography 45Things that bite or sting 45Where to stay 46Greek for walkers 48Organisation of the walks 49THE WALKS (n see explanation of symbols on page 43)1 Karini circuit 502 Loutra • Koundouroudia • Skala Loutron circuit 533 Thermi circuit via Panagia 55Tower houses 574 Lambou Mili • Roman aqueduct • Karini • Lambou Mili 585 Circuit from Ag Dimitrios via Agiassos and Karini 616 Two circuits from Ag Anargyri 647 Circuit from Agiassos via the Sanatorio 678 Ascent of Mount Olympos 719 Agiassos • Asomatos • Agiassos — eastern circuit 7410 Southern ridge circuit from the Sanatorio 7611 Asomatos mountain circuit 7812 Ag Anargyri • Asomatos • Ag Anargyri 8013 Ag Anargyri • saddle above Mixou • Ag Anargyri 8314 Mixou — Ag Theologos circuit 8515 Paleohori circuit 8716 Circuit from Skamnioudi via Lisvori 8917 Circuit from Vatera via Paleopyrgos and Vrissa 93Some reptiles and mammals on Lesvos 9418 Circuit from Vatera via Profitis Ilias and Cape Fokas 9719 Exploring Molyvos 10020 Petra • Petri • Molyvos • Petra 10321 Skala Sikaminias from Eftalou 10722 Alexander’s circuit 11023 Circuit from Petra via Lafionas 11224 Ag Paraskevi • Klopedi Temple • Moni Taxiarchis • Ag Paraskevi 11525 Moni Mirsiniotis • Moni Limonas • Metochi • Kalloni 11826 Moni Limonas circuit 12127 From Anemotia to Skala Kallonis 12428 Anemotia circuit 12729 Anaxos to Ambelia Beach 13030 Skala Eresou (Eressos) circuit 132Index 135Bus information 136Fold-out island map inside back cover