Circling above Meseleroi

Starting from Ierapetra, the asphalt road goes up above Meseleroi. The asphalt road must be then left turning right near a little church and the dirt road then begins with a panoramic view of the village below and of the southern region, with suburbs of Ierapetra visible far below.

Progression to higher altitude is relatively easy, much easier than progressing higher from the village itself like done in previous trails where some parts are really steep (more on this later, on the way back to Meseleroi). At some point, the ridge is reached, giving a panoramic view on northern side up to the sea far below, from the villages of Kavousi, Pachia Amnos, Istro up to the city of Agios Nicholaos. Nearby, a mix of olive trees and some well protected vineyards are common to the area, as are blossoming oleanders with their distinct flashy rosy color.

At some point, the ridge goes to the other side (i.e. south) but the Libyan see is not visible anymore, the only far reaching sight being the higher mountains on the west, the south sight is limited to the valley prolonging the Meseleroi village up to the Monastery Vriomeni location. It is remarkable to still find vineyards and traditional cultivation so high and so remote, I presume the cooler atmosphere helps a lot, and possibly some underground water too.

On the way higher, I was also astonished to see a MTB/motorcycle training track (visible on G. earth) but I was too tired to have a try (and did not wear elbow or knee protection), so maybe another time.

Finally, close to the north-south col, the other ascending path coming from Meseleoi is met, near a dried up former water reservoir with lots of goats wandering around. It is this path that I took turning right on my way back to Meseleroi. It passes around the beautiful old Vriomeni church (water available) and will certainly please downhill fans who do not fear to crash on rocks (not my case though) because it is very steep in this first section...Later, there are some other steep sections but on concrete, which renders the exercise much safer.

A special note here: for those who are interested by this circular trip above Meseleroi, it is much easier to do clockwise like I hinted here than counter-clockwise like I did in another trail because the ascent is smoother and avoids the deceivingly abrupt steep sections, that even when facilitated by concrete, are really a pain in the ass.

Finally, having reached back the Meseleroi village, the long descent to Ierapetra is an enjoyable refreshing piece of cake.