Wikiloc | Walk 11 - Explore Kritsa - Hidden Pastures Trail

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Photo ofWalk 11 - Explore Kritsa - Hidden Pastures

Author

Yvonne Payne

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Trail stats

Distance: 5.15 mi
Elevation gain: 591 ft
Technical difficulty: Moderate
Elevation loss: 591 ft
Max elevation: 1,109 ft
TrailRank: 51
Min elevation: 857 ft
Trail type: Loop

Moving time: one hour 49 minutes
Time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Coordinates: 1470
Uploaded: January 24, 2019
Recorded: January 2019

2 Claps

near Kritsá, Crete (Greece)

Viewed 182 times, downloaded 6 times

Trail photos

Itinerary description

A walk on asphalt roads and gravel tracks through the olive groves. Some uphill stretches but not excessive. On reaching the hidden pasture the path continues down so you can explore further if you wish. Please return by the same path as, I know to my cost, there is no sensible alternative exit!! To reduce the length of the walk you can drive from Kritsa and park by the roadside where the walk enter the olive groves.

Waypoints

Turn right

After leaving the car park via the lower exit turn left and continue along the road below Kritsa. Take the first right, down a cobbled path.

Bear left

At a V junction in front of a large house take the left path. At the asphalt road cross over and continue downhill.

Cross the riverbed

At the foot of the hill you pass a raki distillery on your left. Cross the (usually) dry river bed and go up the path ahead.

Turn right

After a few metres the track joins the asphalt road - turn right.

Smallholding with several different types of fowl

I once saw a peacock in here.

Signpost for Lato

After passing a church on your left the road rises steeply up a zigsag bend. Soon after this you will see a signpost pointing to Lato Archaeological site. Here you will leave the asphalt road and turn right onto a track through the olive groves.

Bear left

At a V junction take the path to the left.

Bear right

At the next V junction you need to take the right fork.

Left uphill

At the next junction take the path on your left to go uphill.

Photo

Take the track on the left but before you do, look to your right to notice a concrete water cistern. You will return to this point later.

Hidden valley

When this path starts to descend you will see the hidden valley on your right surrounded by high cliff faces. Most winters I've seen hundreds of animals grazing here on lush pastures. January 2019 there had been so much rain the bottom was a lake instead of pasture. You can walk on down to explore the valley but then retrace your steps to the junction where we looked at the concrete cistern.

After visiting the valley retrace steps to the concrete cistern and turn left

Now we've retraced our steps to this point we will turn left to continue through the olive groves.

Turn right

After a few metres there is a track to the right. This is your route as you start to head back towards Kritsa.

Church rest stop

This lovely woodland church is dedicated to Timios Stavros, Holy Cross.

At T junction turn left

Retrace steps to the asphalt road. On reaching the road turn left towards Kritsa.

Stay on the road

Keep on the road as you pass the football stadium.

Kritsa Gorge

You will soon cross a small bridge and on the right is a view of Kritsa Gorge. Keep to this asphalt road all the way back to Kritsa. When you reach a T junction with the main Kritsa road, turn right uphill to the car park.

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