Safe Return Doubtful

One of the restaurants in the village was open last night. I arrived and ordered a beer. They were quite happy for Roja to go inside, preferable to the tables outside, which were a bit cold at 10C. I was invited to join a group of three at the neighbouring table. It was an Irish couple of teachers from Donegal, not long from retirement, a self-build campervan at home, but here on a week’s midterm break. And a younger guy with a Dutch mother and Chilean father, here for a couple of weeks. We had hiking and love of mountains in common, and that was enough for a very enjoyable 3 hours conversation with some decent food as well.

As last night, there were thunderstorms most of the night, though they began in the early hours this time. But by first light they were gone, leaving most and cloud behind, which at this time of year, takes its time to ascend and disperse. So Roja and I took our time also. I read an obscure Simenon and Roja watched the cats from his bed. It hasn’t taken him long, but he’s used to them now, and it’s important he is. Here in Greece cats are thought of highly, fed and looked after by many. His first thought, naturally, is to chase. But it helps that most of these don’t want to run. I told him a couple of times to let them be, and now, I think, I hope, he is..

Just after 11 I decided it had cleared enough for a wander up the hillside, though to make sure, I stopped for coffee in the village; a good coffee, but an expensive one, as I could have guessed. Generally coffee has been about 2 euros, but this was double that, with an added tip, making it 5 euros. I suppose these places must keep going in the off-season, but it is the sort of village, with such vistas from the terrace, where prices will be heft up.

I worked out that a nook between hills, at 1350 metres, with the name Agia Kiriaki, was my destination. The path climbed very steeply out of the village, but on loose rock which is really difficult for me, so slow going. Once above 1200 metres, everything, the abrupt beginning, the curses of wobbly stones, the mysterious terminus, was justified. The views opened up above the canopy of the forest, and most of the cloud had cleared.

Agia Kiriaki is a Sacred Grove, a knot of juniper and pine trees on a rocky promontory wedged up under the flanks of Lapatos hill, with breath-taking views over to Astraka, the Papingo Towers and the Vikos Gorge. The old chapel is in the photo below.

Back at the van, to my surprise, I was surrounded by three other German self-build vans. Soon, we were chatting and showing off our quarters. A solo lady, though with a German van, was from Namibia, and probably about my age. She was on the road indefinitely, heading north, pretty much the way I had just come from. Another van, beautifully decorated, was a German couple, I guess mid-thirties, on a two year Gap from work, heading to Turkey. They had recently adopted a Croatian dog, half Lab, half Pekingese..

They asked where I had been hiking, noting that there was a sign in the village about sightings of brown bears in the last few days. There are apparently far more than usual, around 40, in the few kilometres around the village. Just before the Grove, I had seen some scat, certainly from bears, (it’s a specialist subject of mine since those times in Colorado) but it looked more than a few days old. The Irish woman I dined with last night said she wouldn’t hike alone, but it didn’t cross my mind; with grizzlies most definitely, but I don’t think these brown bears are aggressive. Roja always leads the way looking out for problems just like this..

They were both heading down the zig-zags to stopover at the river below, where I am headed tomorrow, so I may see them again.

Though it’s not very humid at all, an ideal temperature for me at least, more storms are forecast tonight, and then a serious warning for thunderstorms, my weather apps agree on, for Friday night and Saturday.