Note: All distances given (in metres) should be taken as approximate. The route described is liable to unpredictable change: for example, forestry work, road or track construction and plant growth may alter the route, or its appearance. Signposts may disappear or new ones appear. The Friends of Mount Athos strives to keep this description correct and up to date but cannot take responsibility for its accuracy.
| Abbreviations: |
L = Left; R = Right; KSO = Keep straight on;
FP = Footpath; K = Kalderimi (stone-paved FP or mule track) |
The Friends of Mount Athos Footpaths Team is hoping to clear and describe this footpath as part of its future programme of work.
In the meantime, we thought our readers would benefit from seeing the following description sent to us by a FoMA member
who travelled this path on July 24, 2012.
- Hello! I wanted to update you on the status of the Dionysiou-Gregoriou footpath on Athos, which I walked this past Tuesday. The good news is that the path does exist, and is easy to distinguish along its entire length. At no point did I feel I was in danger of losing the trail. That said, it is HEAVILY overgrown. I was wearing blue jeans, and thank goodness, because I would have been cut to ribbons otherwise. I started from the Dionysiou end and was dismayed to discover that there was a major collapse of the trail right at the start. However, this was the only one along the length. It is a very grueling route - the trail ascends to 567 ft in the first ascent, and then has three more (lower) maxima after that. I have a GPS track of the route if it's of any interest, or that may be more information than you need. In 95 degree weather, it took a moderately out-of-shape 37 year old about 2 hours, 15 minutes to make the hike. I doubt anyone could do it in much less than an hour and a half safely. Oh, and inexplicably there's a gate about two thirds of the way along, with a sign that says "Please Close the Gate Behind You." There is no indication as to the purpose of this gate. The views from the trail were stunning, I'm glad I made the hike. However, I'd advise more than 1.5 L of water for anyone walking this in July. I'm pretty sure I ended up with a mild case of heat exhaustion.