Sunday, December 08, 2013
The White Mountains of Crete
June 2013 was my second visit to Crete, staying in the lovely New Kydonia appartments in the little village of Daratsos, near Chania. From the appartments you get a wide view over the sea, and also an impressive view inland to the Lefka Ori, or White Mountains.
Last year we were tempted by these mountains and climbed Gingilos, a dramatic peak above the Omalos plateau. This year I came back with a detailed mountain route map (not easy to find among the tourist shops), and overnight gear for longer trek.
By 0730 I had driven the hour long drive to Xiloskalo and was heading up the Kalerghi Refuge, where the guardian kindly filled up my water bottles for my next 30 hours in the mountains. Being used to UK mountains, water is never much of an issue, but here I had to ensure I had enough to get me into the mountains, have an overnight stay, and then enough to get me back out....without being weighed down as I crossed the mountains. I set off with 4 litres, and stashed 1 litre about half way through my day, in order to pick that up again on the way out. There was also indication on the map of various cisterns and springs where the water may or may not exist!!
By late morning I was climbing the path up to Melindaou, and came across about 20 vultures feasting on a dead goat...an impressive, and slightly nerve wracking sight...I hoped my water would last.!!
Melindaou summit was wonderful with views to both coasts as well as the inticing view into the heart of the White Mountains where I was heading, with the red screes of the highest and remotest peaks encouraging me onwards. By mid afternoon I had reached Katsiveli shepherds hut where I planned to stay. I was feeling sunbaked, and was dismayed to find no running water into the cistern, and the water within looking very green and stagnant - only for desperate measures. I focused on getting some rest to avoid overdrinking my precious reserves, and found the shepherds hut to be in good order, and pretty tidy.
Later I set off up to Modhaki which at 2225m is superbly placed in the midst of the highest summits, with Pachnes the highest rising to 2453m to the south. It also involved scrambling up some of the red screes I had seen in photos of these mountains. The feeling of isolation in the late evening sun on Modhaki and down at the hut was intense, the only people I had seen were on Melindaou, a few hours walk away.
After watching sunset on the mountains from my hut, the night passed well, but I peeked out in the middle of the night and saw the most amazing night sky...with the milky way incredibly clear. At first light (6:15) I was off, and took a route over Papa Balomata (2121m) where I saw the first sun hitting the slopes all around me, and had a chilly breakfast watching this wonderful spectacle unfolding.
I passed a shepherd with his quite scary dog at Pirou Mitato, and then back overMelindaou...retracing my steps, and remembering to pick up my last litre of water. On balance the 4 litres I took with me from Kalerghi was just sufficient for my trip. I then headed back as quickly as possible to avoid the midday heat as I descended, reaching Kalerghi for a refreshing drink and then descending to my car at Xiloskalo.
By 2:30 I was back in the refreshing pool at New Kydonia telling my family about the trip, and then down to Chania for an evening meal. the next day on the balcony I could look contentedly up at those mountains, knowing at least something of what that world in those mountains is like....
Last year we were tempted by these mountains and climbed Gingilos, a dramatic peak above the Omalos plateau. This year I came back with a detailed mountain route map (not easy to find among the tourist shops), and overnight gear for longer trek.
By 0730 I had driven the hour long drive to Xiloskalo and was heading up the Kalerghi Refuge, where the guardian kindly filled up my water bottles for my next 30 hours in the mountains. Being used to UK mountains, water is never much of an issue, but here I had to ensure I had enough to get me into the mountains, have an overnight stay, and then enough to get me back out....without being weighed down as I crossed the mountains. I set off with 4 litres, and stashed 1 litre about half way through my day, in order to pick that up again on the way out. There was also indication on the map of various cisterns and springs where the water may or may not exist!!
By late morning I was climbing the path up to Melindaou, and came across about 20 vultures feasting on a dead goat...an impressive, and slightly nerve wracking sight...I hoped my water would last.!!
Melindaou summit was wonderful with views to both coasts as well as the inticing view into the heart of the White Mountains where I was heading, with the red screes of the highest and remotest peaks encouraging me onwards. By mid afternoon I had reached Katsiveli shepherds hut where I planned to stay. I was feeling sunbaked, and was dismayed to find no running water into the cistern, and the water within looking very green and stagnant - only for desperate measures. I focused on getting some rest to avoid overdrinking my precious reserves, and found the shepherds hut to be in good order, and pretty tidy.
Later I set off up to Modhaki which at 2225m is superbly placed in the midst of the highest summits, with Pachnes the highest rising to 2453m to the south. It also involved scrambling up some of the red screes I had seen in photos of these mountains. The feeling of isolation in the late evening sun on Modhaki and down at the hut was intense, the only people I had seen were on Melindaou, a few hours walk away.
After watching sunset on the mountains from my hut, the night passed well, but I peeked out in the middle of the night and saw the most amazing night sky...with the milky way incredibly clear. At first light (6:15) I was off, and took a route over Papa Balomata (2121m) where I saw the first sun hitting the slopes all around me, and had a chilly breakfast watching this wonderful spectacle unfolding.
I passed a shepherd with his quite scary dog at Pirou Mitato, and then back overMelindaou...retracing my steps, and remembering to pick up my last litre of water. On balance the 4 litres I took with me from Kalerghi was just sufficient for my trip. I then headed back as quickly as possible to avoid the midday heat as I descended, reaching Kalerghi for a refreshing drink and then descending to my car at Xiloskalo.
By 2:30 I was back in the refreshing pool at New Kydonia telling my family about the trip, and then down to Chania for an evening meal. the next day on the balcony I could look contentedly up at those mountains, knowing at least something of what that world in those mountains is like....
