Safe Return Doubtful

Temperatures up high at this time of year are difficult to predict. At 10 pm last night, up at Veluchio, at 1850 metres, it was 3C, but it didn’t get any colder. With the sun up at 7:30, it had warmed to 9C by 8am, and the van solar certainly was grateful, back up to 100% very quickly.

Roja and I were out walking just after 9, keen to achieve another peak up here, before continuing our drive south. About an hour away, was Anemos at 2198 metres, giving superb views of the northern Pindos, and a suitably refreshing way to start the day.

We had 50 kilometres to drive today, but were aware that it would take two hours. I took the chance to stock-up at the Lidl in Karpenisi, before we ascended, as the road uncoiled ahead of us. It was similar to yesterday, if not even more up and down, with numerous hairpins. On asphalt, being a front wheel drive, the van can manage the gradients we have encountered so far. The difficulty is when the road is unsealed, which was about a third of what we did today. Often, on the more heavily used roads, the steeper sections are concreted, which helps. But the worst sections today, fortunately, were downhill.

Eventually, at about 3 pm, we arrived at Ambelakiotissa. There are 55 villages that make up the region’s hinterland (Oreini Nafpaktia in Greek), the smaller group, 15 of them, in the mountains, are known as Kravara. Most of the villages have about 100 inhabitants. It’s about a 3 hour drive from Athens, so holiday homes are common. Here in Ambelakiotissa, they are about two thirds of the village.

The village is famous for its monastery, about 80 metres in altitude above the village, but from which the Aegean Sea can be seen. These villages all originate from the Ottoman Empire, mid 15th century.

The photo above is a ‘spot the van’..

Blinded by the light..

Of the four villages I will visit, this gets the least visitors. The streets are too narrow to park on, but there is a small car park behind the church, where I am. There’s one taverna, next to the church. I wandered the village just as dusk arrived, and put my head in the taverna, but there was nothing but a blaring TV. I will visit for coffee tomorrow.