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Walks in Sfakia, southwest coast CreteThe walking area par excellence of Crete:
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Sfakia in the southwest of Crete is very suitable for making a beautiful walk or hike, either on the available paths, or through the gorges and on the mountain slopes, following the ancient 'kalderimi'. The area is being dominated by the White Mountains ("Lefka Ori"), taking a 960 km² with 20 summits above 2000 metres, of which Pachnes is the highest with 2453 metres.
Pachnes summit at 2453 m
Click the above image for a large overview
of the White Mountains and its gorges
In the south the mountain cliffs drop steeply into the Libyan Sea. The White Mountains are being split by 18 gorges, of which the Samaria gorge is the biggest and most famous one, with steep slopes of 1000 metres high and a lenght of 16 km.
The White Mountains contain several fertile plains, such as the Omalos plateau, the Anopoli plateau, the Askyfou plateau, and the coastal plain around Frangokastello.
The whole area is full of paths of various sizes. Most of them exist since ancient times, and have been created by goats and shepherds. There are also several classical paths from the Roman and Venetian occupation of Crete.
From the west to the east of Crete there is also the famous European long-distance walking path E4, which leads through Spain • France • Switzerland • Germany • Austria • Hungary • Romania • Bulgaria • and finally Greece and Crete, and Sfakia. On Crete it leads from Kastelli to Kato Zakros, about 500 km long.
E4 long distance walking path, Crete section diagram
In Sfakia exist about 50 walks, that are well-known, through the White Mountains and along the coast. Some are easy, some are only for trekkers, or even mountaineers. All need a fairly good condition, no problems in the legs, and none are paved: the constant presence of destabilising stones underfoot is a challenge to everyone. They all need at least some preparation. And one should never forget about the heat, the weather, and water supplies. Always tell people where you are staying that you will do this-and-that walk. And note that your mobile phone will not work everywhere in the mountains, and never in gorges.
Some walks only take an hour, others take several days, when you need to bivvy outdoors.
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Here we will present several walks, so that you will get an idea of what Sfakia has to offer to walkers. For details we are happy to refer to this walking guide by Loraine Wilson. For questions and advice you are welcome to sign up and post on our Sfakia Forum.
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The High Mountains Of Crete Now published as a full colour guide, this new edition supersedes and expands Cicerone's original guide to The White Mountains, with additional routes, photographs and information for the Psiloritis and Lassithi ranges, and new mapping. With an agreeable climate, an amazing landscape and a history stretching back to the start of civilisation, Crete makes an outstanding destination. The beauty of the Gorge of Samaria National Park is well known, but Crete offers many other spectacular gorges, together with numerous peaks rising to over 2100m. There are high mountain plains, forested crags, massive cliffs, and remote beaches. Proud, but also informal, friendly and hospitable, Cretans offer a range of facilities to visitors both in the countryside and on the coast. This work features general information on: walking in Crete; Western Crete: 53 walks in the White Mountains and south coast together with 10 multi-day trekking routes; Central Crete: 17 walks and treks on Mount Ida; Eastern Crete: 12 walks and treks in the Lassithi Mountains; and, E4 Trail across each of these ranges. |
Choose the walks that match your style from these walking areas in Sfakia, Crete:
| • Omalos plateau | • Askyfou plateau | • Anopoli plateau | • South coast | • Mountain hikes | • Gorges |
In Loraine Wilson's book (p. 63) she uses a grading system to classify all walks she describes, from an easy A to a very hard E:
The grading below and the estimated time given are just our indication. Use at your own risk. Each person is different, the weather can change, rain makes even the most easy path slippery, extreme heat and not enough water are very dangerous. Having vertigo will change your options. Take your own carefull consideration.
Omalos plateau
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Askyfou plateau
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Anopoli plateau
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Sellouda, west view
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Please find advise elsewhere. This is beyond the scope of this web site. |
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Apart from the various maps that you can find here, we also recommend these 1:25.000 maps by Anavasi:
These maps are also available in digital form, suitable for your GPS or Google Earth. Here is a sample:
Last update: 20 April, 2013 .
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