Text: Anna Kalatzi
Photos: Maria Lambriadou, Gerard Kramer

Against the weather again, with low temperatures and a strong north wind, we ventured out to hike trail 18 on Saturday, March 19.

After the usual introductory words by the hiking team, at 10.30am, about 20 persons from Andros, Athens, Germany and the Netherlands, began to descend from Vakoni to Chora through Aladinou, its bridge above rushing waters, Falika, the below the monastery of Panachrantos located Petria, its dry-stone buildings and its history reminding us of another era, and Vrachnou with its incredible view to the peninsula of the aristocratic Chora.

8 kilometers of hiking; after the first 2 kilometers, after passing Falika, the wind died down in the wisely constructed path…. There, you reflect on the skill and wisdom of the old artisans, who plotted the island’s routes to head from one village to another and from there to their farming areas and down to the capital Chora to trade their crops.
In a well-calculated way, they managed to tame the weather conditions in the trails and especially the north winds that plague the island.

After 1 more kilometer, after leaving Petria, the group warmed up enough from the hike and the light clearing work. The amazing scenery of wooded areas, the dry masonry buildings, the impressive rock formations that formed natural shelters for the wildlife of the area and the view to the Chora peninsula were only some of the attractions of the route that kept the hikers’ admiration and amazement undiminished.
For some of the hikers, it was the first time hiking on Andros routes and their pleasant surprise of discovering the surrounding natural scenery was evident. Characteristically, one of the Germans spontaneously asked if the other hiking routes in Andros are as beautiful as No 18!!!!
What is there to answer and what is there to say? Honestly, such questions bring again the image of the trail network in front of our eyes and again and again we admire the masterpieces of our ancestors….

Whichever path you hike, Andros pleasantly surprises you!!!! Stay tuned until our next maintenance hiking, which will hopefully bring the spring!!!
But even if it doesn’t… who cares? Andros paths are for every weather and emit what they give us on a different wavelength!!!!