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) |
| Walk (m) | And then . . . |
|---|---|
| 0 | Turn L out of Hilandar Monastery main entrance and walk downhill on the main road, passing the graveyard and ossuary on the L and ignoring road entering from R. |
| 130 | At junction, fork R on road. |
| 10 | Take FP on R (signed Zographou). FP climbs, steeply at times. |
| 300 | FP meets road. Turn L along road. |
| 30 | Take FP on R, climbing steep and difficult bank off the road onto the
FP.
Caution: Easy to miss – marked with orange tape. |
| 1100 | Cross stream. FP begins to climb again. |
| 400 | Cross another stream. |
| 40 | Pass stone obelisk, on R of FP. (This has inscriptions on each side and is a frontier marker between Hilandar and Esphigmenou territory.) |
| 350 | FP straight ahead is blocked. Turn L through gap over bank and immediately turn R onto FP coming from Esphigmenou. |
| 350 | At top of hill, KSO past large stone monument with marble cross (Marmarenios Stavros in Greek) on L and descend hill (good views behind monument). |
| 400 | FP emerges at road. Turn L along road. Note: Turning R here leads (after 7.5km) to Zographou (signed). This route is very isolated and without sources of water. |
| 100 | Turn R off the road, down bank and over stream bed to find FP after 20m (marked with orange tape). Turn L onto FP and go uphill on K, emerging into the open from woodland. |
| 70 | At T-junction turn R, keeping uphill on K that becomes a forest track. (Views to R towards Zographou.) |
| 750 | On arriving at a small open plateau bear L, downhill, still on track. (Good views of Mount Athos.) |
| 600 | Pass to R of old stone water cistern. KSO on track. |
| 400 | Arrive on the ridge at the top of hill. Stay on track which turns L. Then turn R off track onto FP after 20m. |
| The FP then roughly follows the ridge for a long distance, through varying terrain, mainly wooded, sometimes open. There are a few very good views in both directions, especially of the coast and Vatopedi Monastery, and towards Mount Athos. | |
| 3200 | Arrive at Chera (‘The Hand’),
a brownstone monument with directions (altitude 350m) marking
the crossing of the ridge. FP from
Zographou to
Vatopedi joins from R. KSO/L following sign
to Karyes. (Estimated time to this point: 4 - 5 hours.) |
| 40 | Fork L, signed Vatopedi. (R is ridge path towards Karyes). FP soon begins to descend, gently at first, but later steeply, with remains of K, very rough in places. |
| 2000 | Cross forest road. KSO on path. |
| 200 | Cross forest road. KSO on path. |
| 100 | Ignore FP to R and KSO down. |
| 700 | Reach open area with olive grove – Vatopedi visible ahead. Continue on FP downhill through olive grove keeping man-made reservoir on R. |
| 500 | Come to T-junction of tracks and KSO/L on track towards sea on level. |
| 230 | Track reaches the sea and turns R along shore. |
| 220 | Turn R up steep paved road. (Straight on leads to Vatopedi Arsanas.) |
| 150 | Arrive at Vatopedi Monastery entrance. |