Horió to the Akrópolis (Walk Ic provides for a longer circuit, including the Akrópolis) From the Leftéris café in Horió, head up the Kall Stráta between the Syllogos taverna and the kiosk. Pass a small alley, the grocery, the bakery, and the Jean &Tonic bar, all on the right. By the Gláros (Seagull) bar, turn right up steps facing the bar. At the following narrow T-junction, turn left. At the next junction, by a telegraph pole, go left - where stairs go up to the right and there is a view of a church tower. Follow this street, to join a long flight of steps up to the right. At the top of the stairs, in a small square by the Panagía Haritoméni church entrance, go left and up. At a junction signed to the fortress, go right and up more steeply, to reach the entrance gates of the church of the Panagía tou Kástrou (Panagía Kastriótissa). Originally there was an akrópolis here with a temple to Athená, around which a fortress was built in the Byzantine period. This was enlarged in the 15th century by the Knights of St. John, who, as was their habit, recycled the remains of the ancient akrópolis and temple into the walls. Little remains after the explosion of 1944, but a small armorial shield can be seen set into the remnant walls. Go through the church courtyard, down the path the other side, then go left at the junction just below, continuing around the rocks of the summit. Pass a small chapel (left), then around on the western side, join a path going up to the summit church – that of the Koimísis tís Theotókou (Assumption/Dormition of the Virgin). Return by the descending path, but go left past the final chapel to reach again the entrance gates of the main church.
To continue on to the Kataráktis stair-path (to Yialós), go down the church entrance street and turn right. This brings you past the armorial shield. With an arched entrance ahead, go sharply left and down with the main path. Ignore an opening to the right, but at a T-junction above and behind the Ágios Dimítrios church, go right. At the next T-junction, near the church entrance, go right and down to join the Kataráktis Horió churches circuit
A circuit of Horió past the churches and the museum. It starts from the Leftéris café square, but if coming up from Yialós, you could use Walk Ib as an altermative to the Kalí Stráta. Most of the 16 churches - and their courtyards - are kept locked, but if you are lucky you may meet the (usually female) keeper of the keys - best chances are probably around mid-morning or on Sundays. The route also includes the Horió Museum.
From the Horió square, with the kiosk on your left and the Leftéris behind you, head gently upward from the far right coner of the flat part of the square, on a street used by local mopeds and motorcycles. Take a climbing S-bend then, opposite a 2-storey unsupported house ruin wall, fork diagonally right and down past a courtyarded house (right). Go left on the obvious entrance street, lined by tall cypress trees, leading to the domed Panagía Elemonítria (Lemonítissa). Look down to the right as you near the church entrance, and you can see the stones of the old kalderími leading up from Kall Stráta (Walk Ib). Go left up steps just before the church courtyard entrance door and follow the route* that swings left in front of houses to join a broader concrete road. (* This section is unlit and has an unprotected drop, so should not be done after dark without a torch.)
Go right, along the gently climbing concrete road, above the dome of Panagía Elemonítria Añen the last houses on the right, there is on the left the small blue and white chapel (dated 1902 of the Árhon Mihail o Farrinos. To the right of the corniche road are excellent views of t inland end of Yialós. At the end of the road, turn right into the small square of the Agios Nikólaos church, entered (if open) under its belltower. Continue onward, leaving the square to the left of the two large doors (right goes to the Kataráktis steps). Go left at the following T-junction (where right also goes to the Kataráktis), and up into the little square of Agios Dimítrios church. There is a large bay-tree in its courtyard.
For the Akrópolis churches go up the narrow passageway to the left of the church entrance (unless you have already visited them, in which case go to the second paragraph below). The passage swings right, then you tum left at the junction by the rear gate of the churchyard. Climb to a fork, with the akrópolis up left and Panagía Haritoméni church ahead down a broad street.
After visiting the Panagía Haritoméni, return to the junction signed to the fortress, then go right and up more steeply, to reach the entrance gates of the church of the Panagía tou Kástrou (Panagía Kastriótissa). Go through the church courtyard, down the path the other side, then left at the junction just below, to cotinue around the rocks of the summit. Pass a small chapel (left), then, around on the western side, join a path going up left to the summit church – that of the Koimísis tís Theotókou (Assumption/Dormition of the Virgin ). Return by the descending path, but 08 left past a final chapel to reach again the entrance gates of the main Panagía tou Kástrou church.
Go down the entrance street and turn right, past the armorial shield (up to the right). With an arched entrance ahead, go sharply left and down to a T-junction where you go right to the Agios Dimítrios church square. Leave the square the way you originally entered it (ie to the right), but take the first left. Follow the narrow street, going onward up a step at a skewed cross-streets. Go right at a 3-way fork and cross a walled bridge (not obvious) over a streambed. The churdh of Agios Geórgios is ahead, but there are nice views out to the right at an open space. A heal or semi-ruined house has a small courtyard hokhláki. There are solid church gates to the right ano ahead, but swing left and up at the second gate. There is a view over the wall (right) of the back of this large church. Go on, around the far side of the church wall, where a gate allows views of the courtyard and its hokhláki.
Turn back from here, but go up to the right, then left. Follow a long series of steps up to a T- junction. Go left and the church of Ágios Pandeleímon is just there on the right; its smaller courtyard has further hokhláki, including an aggressive mermaid. Return to the street immediately below the church and turn right (ie towards the centre of Horió). Follow the street across a higher section of the streambed, then right, left and right.
At a T-junction (opposite a house doorway up steps), go up and right. Pass a small square and tree (right). Turn right up steps that obviously lead to the Stavrós (Holy Cross) church. One of Horió's oldest churches, dating to the early 13th century, the building is a hybrid, with a newer, taller extension on the back. The courtyard hokhláki is probably the best in Horió, and the frescoes inside are remarkable, showing cartoon-style sequences including the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Return to the main street below (there are two possible sets of steps) and continue right. Turm left into a narrow lane, which then swings right at a house with a cross carved in the lintel over the door. Follow the onward street until the church of Ágios Athanásios comes into view back left. Go left here to reach it. Go to the right of the church to see the front and the view. Return behind the church to the street where you had the first view of it, and continue left. At a junction where a path right goes under a curious triple-arched house comer, go left then right then left to join another street. Continue along this street and under an archway. Ahead, in the next small square is the museum (Tuesday-Sunday, 08:00-14:30; €2 in 2005).
From the museum square (you will return to here before long), go right and up a long flight of stairs. At the very top, turn right. At a junction, by a basketball hoop, and two balcony supports separated by a telegraph pole, go left and up into a large upper square. Go left up the broad steps at the right-hand end of the square (not under the plane tree), then right at the top. Left again, brings you to the final steps of the domed Agla Triáda at the top of the village. Turn left in front of the church, left again (there is a small chapel to the right). Follow the level street, then swing right and left at a courtyard gateway ahead (there are steps down to the left of the gate). This leads to the zigzag steps up right to the church of Peiraiótissa. Return from the church to this street, and continue on, then go down left. Follow down past some colourful bougainvillea left with the street. Go down at the next right, and left under an overhanging house corner. This returns you to the large upper square.
Go right and down. Go right at the basketball hoop, and follow steps down to the museum. Continue downward to the immediate left of the museum. Follow descending options at the following junctions, until the street rises slightly where large native rocks protrude from the old wall on the left. Go right and down at the following cross-streets. Go left at the next junction. The street swings right, and down to a fork by a telegraph pole, and then goes under an arch. Go left on the main street (r. IQANNIAOY). Turn right just before the Zoë taverna and pass a carpark (left), and children's playground (right). Go left to pass the church of Ågios Eleftheríos (1900). As you swing around to the church entrance, fork left out of the small carpark. Go left for the Horió Hotel, then left again for the square.
Horió to Yialós via the Kataráktis
A descent by the less well-known, second stair-path, Kataráktis ("waterfall"), which descends around the westem side of Horió's akrópolis and into the back of Yialós. It has much longer A descent steps than the Kall Stráta, therefore considerably less of them, but the same altitude cha Allow 15-25 minutes. The walk starts from Horió square, So can be added to the firt ge. Walk la, to make a circular route.
From the Leftéris café in Horió, head up the Kalí Stráta between the Sýllogos taverna and the kiosk. Pass a small alley, the grocery, the bakery, and the Jean &Tonic bar, all on the right Bu the Gláros (Seagull) bar, turn right up steps facing the bar. At the following narrow T-junction turn left. At the next junction, by a telegraph pole, where stairs go up to the right, go left. Follow this street through, passing a long flight of steps up to the right, then ruined houses also on the right. The narrow street between houses becomes an even narrower street between ruined houses.
Emerge into a derelict open area, evidence of the destruction caused by the 1944 explosion. At a T-junction beyond, turn right (left goes to a shop), pass the front of a tower over the entrance to the Ágios Dimítrios church, then head downhill where signed for the Port of Sými. Emerge from the narrow streets, to dog-leg down to the top of the broad Kataráktis stair-path. Huge steps bring you downhill into Yialós, with the Akrópolis hill towering on your right. Horió to the 'Western Road' & Horió to Mihail Perivliótis
The Mihail Perivliótis monastery is situated on the same asphalt road (to Taxiárhis Mihail Roukouniótis monastery) as the end of Walks 3a, 3b and 4b. This route takes you up to cross the asphalt for the start of Walks II and 12, in 35-40 minutes.
From the Leftéris café in Horió, head up the Kal Stráta between the Syllogos taverna and the kiosk. At the Gláros (Seagull) bar, turn right up steps, then, at the following narrow T-junction, turn left. At the next junction, where stairs go up to the right, go left. Follow this street through, passing a long flight of steps up to the night. Emerge into a derelict open area, then at junction beyond, tum left to reach a small shop.
Walk to the right of the alongside the shop. Go right by a telegraph pole, into a narrow passage, between two stairways to doors. Follow a winding route marked by red dots Pasage, church (Stavrós) up to your left, then enter a small square in front of a smaller church 6 Bge Pandeleímon. Exit from the far end of the square and then, a few moments later, take Walk to the right of and alongside the shop. Go right by a telegraph pole, into a narrow passage, winding up to the left. Go right at the top, about 5 minutes from the last shop, and follow the path beyond the last few houses.
Out in the countryside there are good views, down to the right, of the Horió ridge separating Pédi Bay from Yialós harbour. From the next corner, by the trig point, there are even better views. Here you swing inland, through the fence gate, with further views across to the right of hills and the Ágios Fanoúris monastery.
At the junction just beyond, take the right-hand fork of the path, rather than the one zigzagging up to the left (which joins -after a steep, disrupted, final section of loose earth -the motorway). Continue on the more level route, part path, part kalderími, along the steep hillside, to reach the Agía Paraskeví church after about 20 minutes from the last shop. A few minutes past the church, the path forks. Follow the well-paved option to the left (Walk 4b goes right). Arrive at the asphalt road, outside the Mihail Perivliótis monastery, in about 30 minutes from the last shop. Go to the left of the monastery for Ágios Vasílios, or right of it for Ágios Emilianós, or right - on the asphalt - for Ágios Fanoúris, Taxiárhis Mihail Roukouniótis and Ágios Dimítrios.
Horió to upper asphalt near Ágios Fanoúris
This offers an alternative end point to Walk 4a, is a few minutes longer, and is suitable for walks to Taxiárhis Mihail Roukouniótis or Ágios Dimítrios (Walks 9, 10).
Follow Walk 4a until the path junction shortly after the Agía Paraskeví church. Go right here on the unpaved option and follow the mostly walled path until you reach the asphalt road near Ágios Fanoúris. In October 2005, a lot of slabs from the walls had fallen into the path, making progress along it slow.
Horió to Pédi – with a detour for the Drákos archaeological site
This offers a countryside alternative to the direct (10-15 minutes) main road, going around uie top, inland end of the Pédi-Horió valley, and down the southern side below the Panagla Eleoússa monastery. About 35-45 minutes to the Pédi seafront.
From the Leftéris café in Horió, head up the street, passing the Sýllogos taverna and the Gluros bar, both on the left. Turm left, down beside the Zoë taverna, Follow the street through a parking area and then, as it narrows again, down to the right of the large church. A concrete slope brings you down to the right to the main (though unmarked) Horió bus stop, by the wheelie bins. Go right on the main road and follow this up towards the south. Pass the sports pitch on your left and a second, marked bus stop (not always used by the bus) on your right.
The road takes you under a huge valonia oak tree (valanída) on the right, opposite which is a yellow house. Next on the left is a small path going diagonally down, just before a small church, and about 5 minutes from the main bus stop. Follow this path for about 4 minutes, as it wiggles along between walls and terraces, crosses a couple of gullies, then joins a rough dirt track coming in from the right.
Continue straight ahead on the better dirt track. About I minute later go past telegraph pole (right) and then join a clear path on the right.
About seven minutes along this partly walled path, the monastery of Panagía Eleoússa comes into sight, above and to the right. At the junction of paths shortly afterwards, gated right goes up to the monastery in a few minutes, but your onward route is to the left and starts to descend gradually. Take a left-hand fork almost immediately after the previous junction, marked with a red arrow (the right-hand at the fork being signed, through a gateway, to Drákos).
The path to the Panagía Eleoússa monastery swings left initially, then follows the course of the stream bed to reach the high outer walls of the monastery in a few minutes. However the locked entrance door is solid and very little can be seen of the courtyard or buildings inside. Return by the sane route.
The path to the archaeological site at Drákos runs comparatively level alongside the hillside going through a gateway to the right and then alongside a wall to the left. There are the nie of a small stone building up on the right and then the small, walled enclosure of Drákos co into view on the left. There are fragments of ancient wall, and the stone doorbasts of entranceway. Little is known as yet about the age or function of the structures. Return is by the same route.
Go down, at right angles to your previous course, heading towards the middle windmills on the Horió ridge. The strata of a gullying stream appear on the left, but you swing right and join the end of a rough dirt track, which goes downwards. Piles of gravel dumped on the track in October 2005 suggest it may be resurfaced at some stage. Pass to the left of another, deeply gullied, walled streambed.
At a gateway and a junction, a better-used dirt track comes in from the left - swing to the right and towards the sea. Follow the improving dirt road, passing a new house and church on the left. Before reaching the football stadium, turn right onto a dirt track well marked with Head towards a building but, before reaching it, swing off to the left onto a well-used path that crosses the shallow terraces. Following a well-used course, the path swings to the right, climbs a couple of low terraces, then goes left into a little walled pathway. Emerge behind a small chapel and join a concrete path going left then right to the Pédi waterfront. Turn left for the Horió road or Agía Marína (Walk 6). Turn right for Ágios Nikólaos beach (Walk 7) or for the bus, which stops at the open area before the waterfront Kamáres taverna and cardphone. blobs.
For the reverse of this path, turm inland into the wide concrete path between the two main waterfront tavernas at the southern half of Pédi bay. Pass the small church on your right, then swing right with the fence and into the little walled pathway. The reverse route is mostly uphill, so will probably take a little longer. Horió to Panagía Hamón to 4-Way to Kokkimídis to Panagía Straterí
This long route climbs the southern wall of the Pédi valley, then heads southwest to join the asphalt motorway south of Mt Vigla, with an en route detour to the hilltop monastery of Taxiárhis Mihail Kokkimídis. Heading south on the motorway, you reach the Panagía Straterf monastery situated high on the central ridge above Nanoú bay, From Straterf, Walks 18, 19 and 20 are possible for the energetic; Walk 17 would take you back to Horió. You could arrange to meet a water-taxi at Nanoú Bay, but you should allow plenty of time for the descent to the sea.
A good, shorter alternative would be to go as far as Kokkimídis, and return from there. Walking time to Straterí at least 90 minutes, plus 20-25 minutes for the Kokkimídis detour.
From the Leftéris café in Horió, head up the street, passing the Sýllogos taverma and the Gláros bar, both on the left. Turn left beside the Zoë taverna. Follow the street through a parking area and then as it narrows again, down to the right of the large church of Ágios Eleftheríos. A concrete slope brings you down to the right to the main (though unmarked) Horió bus stop, by the wheelie bins. Go right on the main road and follow this up towards the south, passing the old sports pitch on your left and a second, signed bus stop on your right.
The road passes under a huge oak tree (right), opposite which is a yellow house. Before the tree, take the concrete steps leading diagonally up to the right, to join a higher loop of the asphalt road. Continue onwards and uphill on the asphalt, past a pretty little church on the left, to reach the Agía Marína cemetery. This cemetery, one of a surprisingly large number on the island, seems the most popular- at least with the living. There are nearly always several locals pottering around inside, and the bus driver Láki sometimes extends the bus route to transport elderly widows here.
Immediately before the main asphalt road loops back to the right, turn left into the cemetery driveway. The Profitis Ilías monastery is perched on the hillside high above you (Walk 15). Skirt the large water tanks and go to the left of the cemetery. Cross the bridge at the far end of the parking area, going through the gates and onto a concrete road. Note the amazing amount of rubbish thrown out of the back of the cemetery. There may be chained dogs inside the gates.
The road goes on to the Zoödóhou Pigís Vrýsi monastery (Walk 14). However, you should look opposite the bridge gate for the start of a zigzag uphill path. The guiding paint marks are quite faded in places so you do need to watch out carefully for them, but there is a proper, though stony, path up between enclosures. This zigzags widely once it reaches a wider area - be aware that the waymarking/cairning sometimes marks unnecessarily steep shortcuts. There is a narrow, rocky passageway up between more enclosures - above these enclosures go left, right, then left again. The overall direction of the hill path is diagonally uphill to the left (east). Follow the path carefully, although usually these routes do return to rejoin the main path. Be alert for zigzags of the path. In several cases, isolated cypress trees mark the route. wandering goats have produced false trails that break away and can mislead,
On the next ridge to your left a small white building comes into view. At this point a faded red arrow and a red cross on a boulder guide you off to the right. The path is vague from here, but almost immediately it swings back to the left-hand side of the ascending ridge. Head towards a large cypress tree (among numerous small ones) and then swing slightly right again, where the path does briefly become more clear. Cross a gully bed a minute later. Head up the ridge to ahotner isolated cypress tree and swing back left. Cross the next gully 5 minutes after the previous. The path approaches a rocky, cliffy area with a few scattered cypresses and starts to zigzag upwards again. Reach a little viewpoint, by yet another cypress, then shortly afterwards emerge over the ridge, near a circular stone threshing floor. Just under 25 minutes from the cemetery bridge, you are in a shallow valley, with plentiful cypress trees and the houses of a small settlement. The character of the scenery here is totally different to the hillside up which you have just come. On a high hilltop ahead is the monastery of Taxiárhis Mihail Kokkimídis Turn back to enjoy the panoramic view northwards out over the Pédi valley and beyond.
If returning this way, the route of the path is considerably more obvious when going down. However there is one point, a craggy area not far from the top, where the apparent onward, downward path has collapsed. If you reach this collapse, look back to the right and you should see a newer, descending zigzag that detours around this.
Head south from the ridge to the right of a water tank and past a very broad spreading cypress, then off to the right and down towards the small monastery of Panagía Hamón (open). From the back of the courtyard there are views across old walled enclosures and the valley that leads (very steeply) to Ágios Geórgios Dysálona bay.
Follow the dirt track, to the right of the church, southwards out of the valley. Cross a col – on a concrete section of road - into the next valley, which has even more cypress trees than the last, and swing to the right. (A walled path goes off and down to the left moments after. This is Walk 16 to the monastery and chapel of Mikrós Sotíras Ligis and Panagía Vounariótissa, just visible through the trees on the far side of the valley.)
As your onward track is climbing the right-hand side of the wooded valley, on the hilltop high above to the left can be seen the monastery of Taxiárhis Mihail Kokkimídis. About 15 minutes from Panagía Hamón, the track goes into a small, cultivated plateau, with a smart house on the right and the white monastery of Agía Marína Potioú on the hillside directly ahead and facing 'nou.
At a 4-way junction of dirt/concrete roads not long after, a huge new, partly-wooded, valley- that of northwest (upper) Nanoú – opens in front of you. Beyond, the monastery of Stavros Polémou is visible on a far distant peak. The left-hand road leads to Arhángelos Mihail Kailiots and ends at Panagía Kampiótissa. Right from the 4-way junction leads to Agía Marína Potiou (Walk 15 comes in here). Ahead goes to the centre of the island, the motorway, and yet more monasteries, and will be your onward route after Kokkimídis.
Go back a short way from the junction, and look for red waymarks and crosses on the bare hillside to the left as you came in. These will lead vou uphill to Taxiárhis Mihail Kokkimidis. Cross the end of a dirt track (from Panagía Kampiótissa) and continue uphill, following the paint marked/cairned path up to the monastery - in about 6 minutes from the road juncuon. church here, dated 1697, has some noted frescoes, though is sometimes locked- mind yo0 head on the very low doorway. The monastery occupies a commanding position at the top of a rocky hilltop facing south and west, above low, summit cliffs. On these sides it is screened by a high stone wall, and is effectively camouflaged from a distance.
Go beyond the monastery then right, up to the cliff edge, and you will get a good view of both Stavrós Polémou, and Sými's cascading rubbish tip. The latter is frequently wreathed in dark smoke, through which black goats and huge ravens scavenge- an unexpected vision of hell in this otherwise peaceful countryside. Descend back towards the church, but turn right through the woodland to reach a ruined building in a few minutes. This is on the limestone peak further along the ridge, and has spectacular views out to the east on clear days.
Descend by the same route from the monastery to the dirt track, but then continue on the latter to the concrete road and the walled monastery of Panagía Kampiótissa (open). Nearby, a path leads eastwards towards Mikrós Sotíras Ligís (Walk 16 in reverse). Return along the concrete road past the small but colourful monastery church of Arhángelos Mihail Kailiótis (open), and then some interesting layered rock formations (right), to the 4-way junction.
If you are retuming from here, by your outward route, you could visit the nearby Agía Marina Potioú (open). Go straight across the crossroads and a short distance along the dirt road to a junction where the monastery is back and up to the left. Look out, as you turm into the junction for a short section of Classical walling up ahead. The church entrance is up to the left of the courtyard.
For Panagía Straterí, head onwards from the 4-way junction, on the descending concrete road in the general direction of the rubbish tip, and towards the motorway. The road drops and a few minutes later it swings to the right between small agricultural enclosures and then past the inevitable small church, that of Ágios loánnis Tsagriás. Ahead is Mt Vígla, at 616m (2020ft), Sými's highest point. Please note that the nearby masts are an area of which photography is not permitted. About 15 minutes from the crossroads, the road climbs out of the valley to reach the main Sými-Panormítis asphalt motorway. There is a military post nearby. Turn left onto the road (right goes past the large Agios Konstandínos monastery and back to Horió). At a junction, where the tip entrance is obvious to the left, continue to the right on the motorway.
There are views back to the right of a deep bowl of hillside and what looks like a huge wall, curving around the right-hand, top end of the valley. This structure is in fact a well-engineered remnant of the island's main north-south kalderími, a raised road, and the predecessor of the motorway.
The road curves round to the left, goes through a cutting, and then emerges to a view of a huge natural bowl. The centre of this bowl is fertile, walled and fenced, with cultivated trees. In the much deeper valley off to the right are bright green pine trees and the small monastery church of Agios Prokópios. On the mountain top beyond is Stavrós Polémou and in the ridge notch to uhe left of it, the monastery of Panaïdi. From the road, a wide stony path leads down to the right, to circle the right-hand side of the bowl and orchard ahead. You can use this or stay váh the road. If the former, then rejoin the road on the far side about 9 minutes after you joiDed the asphalt near the military post.
Continue a few minutes further to a partly cleared area among large cypress trees, with a dirt track to Ágios Prokópios down to the right (Walk 17). Not far beyond the dirt track, are various blue crosses and a red arrow on a tree. These markings lead off on a stony little path – initially parallel with the road further 3 minutes to arrive at the small monastery of Panagía Straterí. Walk 18 continues south - towards Stavrós Polémou (Walk 20). Stay with the motorway for a from here.
The path to Nanoú starts down to the left, almost opposite the church, from a flattened area of stony rubble beside the motorway. A red arrow, a dot, and then a cross, mark the start of the path. which is not too far from the electricity pole. Allow, at least, 45 minutes to the beach.
Horió to Zoödóhou Pigís Vrýsi and ruined settlement
A straightforward route on asphalt and concrete roads, to a monastery tucked high in a fold of the southern side of the Pédi valley. The views are not quite as good as those from the top of the ridge, but getting there is a lot less energetic, and is suitable for early evenings, when the area is in some shade. There is a possible extension footpath beyond the monastery.
Follow Walk 13 to the Agía Marína cemetery and over the bridge, but stay with the gated concrete road until the end. This is at the Zoödóhou Pigís Vrýsi (Life-giving Spring) monastery (church locked), about 30 minutes from Horió. Look up at the cypress tree and note that tall though it is, the still-broad trunk at the top is broken, indicating it must once have been considerably and remarkably taller. Go around behind the church and look in the old metal door just outside the far left comer of the courtyard, to see the spring-cave that is the source of the water.
From the monastery it is possible to go on with a stony, waymarked/cairned path, eastwards to an old semi-deserted settlement high above southeast Pédi. At the back corner of the monastery courtyard (by the spring-cave), step over the boundary and follow a hillside path around to the left. Initially the path is a little precipitous but soon improves, heading around a corner between cliffs (right) and a wall. Just above, but out of sight from here, is a walled-in cave. The path fractures, but you can follow the red dots and cairns as you gently descend and swing around to cross the next gully bed on the right, Continue to a second fold of the hillside, and then the path climbs towards a few houses above an enclosure.
When you reach the houses, go to the right of the higher enclosure and follow the boundaryY: This curves around to the left, down some gullied rocks and to a large, deep, stone-lined pona containing small fish. A path to the right leads into the upper Ágios Nikólaos beach valley and onwards, but for your return from the pond, join a path going back to the left. Emerge on the crest of the hill between two of the houses, rejoin your outward path and return by the same route to Zoödóhou Pigís Vrýsi – but be aware that the final sections of the path are less clear in this direction, Try to avoid going too low to the right. Follow the outward route from Zoödóhou Pigís Vrýsi to Horió.
It is possible to go, from just below the houses, down to the south end of Pédi on faint goat paths, but this is not recommended.
Horió to Profitis Illías to 4-Way Junction below Taxiárhis Mihail Kokkimídis
The second section of this walk, from the Profítis Ilías monastery up to the ridge, is only for the more adventurous and energetic, since essentially it follows the line of the rocky hillslope rather than a consistent path. It is steep, and can be hot and tiring. Total walking time 50+ minutes.
I had theorized previously that there ought to be an old kalderími going uphill, from Profítis Ilías to and over the ridge, but was unable to find one in 1998. I climbed the ascending rocky angle above the monastery anyway, and was surprised to find a kalderími about three quarters of the way to the top; this led to a col at the ridge. Hugo Tyler advises me that this kalderími once ran all the way up from Agía Triáda in Horió, however further exploration shows that almost all of that section has now disintegrated or been swept away by scree runs coming down the face of Mt Vigla.
Follow Walk 13 to the Agía Marína cemetery, but turn right, after the water tanks and immediately before the cemetery entrance. A small gate leads through into the field below the brooding Profitis Illías monastery. The lower path is not very clear, but go along the fence at the back of the cemetery, then swing right towards a stone house and large fig-tree. Turn left up alongside the fence just before the house, on a stepped path. This gradually improves and joins a proper kalderími. Follow this up to the monastery entrance. After looking around the outer courtyard (the inner one is locked), return to the entrance. Go left outside the gate, heading uphill to the top of the monastery site, where there is a small church to the left. Above this church, a rocky outlier ridge leads up to the main skyline ridge high above. To the left is a steep, terraced valley.
Make your way up the line of the ridge above the monastery, following little fragments of goat path, but sticking where possible close to the central line. It is a long way up, but eventually you should find yourself on a rather battered, but paved and edged kalderími. This takes you more gently up the hillside, mostly diagonally left and up, with occasional zigzags to the right. About halfway to the top ridge there is an unclear point where it looks as though it ought to swing sharply right, but in fact goes onwards over the rocks. It soon becomes clearer again and takes you to a small col at the top of the ridge where it ends. Ahead of you is a view down into a new valley (that of Ágios loánnis Tsagriás, Walk 13), with a concrete road that goes right, to the motorway. Higher to your right is Mt Vígla.
Look for a path leading diagonally and gently up to the left (there are several goat paths bere) This crosses the ridge to the left and then descends to the Agía Marína Potioú monastery loin the dirt track below the monastery and go right, in a couple of minutes to the 4-way junction in Walk 13. Left goes to Panagía Hamón and back down to Pédi; right goes to the motorway as in Walk 13; straight on goes to Arhángelos Mihail Kailiótis, Panagía Kampiótissa and Taxiárhis Mihail Kokkimídis (Walk 13 in reverse).