The Friends of Mount Athos

President:

Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia

© Copyright 2007-2013 The Friends of Mount Athos. All rights reserved.

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The Footpaths of
Mount Athos

The Footpaths of Mount Athos: From Karyes to Hilandar

Distance: 20 km       Journey Time: 7 - 8 hours       Version 1.0

Language Switcher: to Greek

WARNING: This route is very isolated and without sources of water

For most of the way, this route follows the historic ridge path, the Way of the Bey, from which there are fine views down either to the East or to the West, or occasionally to both at once. Since the initial section of the historic route from Karyes to the ridge is now the main vehicular road to Vatopedi, the route described follows the Karyes-to-Vatopedi footpath before climbing briefly to the point where the Vatopedi vehicular road and the ridge path diverge. From there, apart from a few short sections along track and minor road, the route is entirely along the historic Way of the Bey which remains kalderimi in places, before descending to Hilandar. Less obvious parts of the route have been marked with orange tape and/or red-and-white waymark arrows.

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)
Description of Route:
Walk (m) And then . . .
0 From the Karyes square where the buses arrive, face down main street towards Protaton and turn R, uphill on K, immediately before fountain (on R).
20 Pass WC on L. KSO uphill.
90 Ignore FP (kalderimi) up L. KSO on K.
300 Cross Daphni-Karyes road; KSO on track, signed Vatopedi & other monasteries, with Skete of St Andrew on R.
400 Ignore gated track R to kellion. KSO on concrete, now uphill.
300 Ignore track R (signed to Kellion Pateritsa).
150 At junction with large painted metal cross (ahead, L), turn hard L uphill.
30 At junction, turn R onto FP (K) uphill (remains of fountain in wall to L of FP).
100 FP joins track from back L. KSO on track.
100 Ignore track up to L (signed I K Marouda). KSO on track (now K in places).
250 At junction, fork L, signed to Vatopedi and various kellia.
400 At fork in tracks, turn R, downhill, signed Vatopedi apo monopati (Vatopedi by footpath).
Caution: not L, uphill, which leads to main road to Vatopedi.
200 Where main track begins to descend steeply to R, ignore track slightly to L ahead. KSO on level onto narrow FP ahead signed Vatopedi, just to R of this track, initially toward white building.
Note: early sections of this path may become seasonally overgrown, but it becomes K.
900 FP crosses road. Turn L along road, uphill (FP straight on leads eventually to Vatopedi).
900 Arrive at cross-roads with main Karyes – Vatopedi road, with large wooden cross (Stavros Makrygenous). Turn R along road.
100 Fork L onto track which climbs to L.
25 Turn L off track up low bank to pick up FP signed Hilandar, Esphigmenou and Konstamonitou (watch for orange tape and waymarks). FP soon curves L following the contours of the hill and may become seasonally overgrown.
400 Reach and pass to L of stone pillar. Ignore track up to R before pillar. FP enters wood and begins to descend.
300 Pass fountain on R and cross stream. Bear L on level to pass below and to L of large chestnut tree. Path then climbs gently.
300 Emerge from trees and KSO across level scrubby area.
100 At outcrop with view of sea ahead, bear R to follow FP back into woods and begin gradual descent.
400 Towards bottom of slope, FP becomes less distinct. KSO, downhill, following waymarks and orange tape, past distinctive 8-trunk tree to emerge from woods. Bear R to cross open area along narrow FP which is likely to be seasonally overgrown. FP becomes indistinct track which descends towards building.
100 With building immediately ahead, turn R onto larger track on level.
40 Another track joins from back L. KSO.
250 Track joins road from back R. KSO/L, downhill, along road (signed on to Konstamonitou and Zographou), ignoring possible paths or tracks to L. Road levels out along crest of ridge.
1200 At junction, ignore forest track to R. This is the route to Vatopedi (signed) from Konstamonitou. KSO along road with telecommunications mast visible on hill ahead.
90 Just after passing large stone plinth with cross inlay on L, road bears L, downhill. KSO/R along ridge path, soon uphill.
200 At T-junction of paths, turn R (signed Zographou). (FP to L (signed) leads to Konstamonitou and Dochiariou.) After climbing initially, FP soon levels out, with views of Bay of Vatopedi to the R.
700 FP crosses to west side of ridge. KSO, initially downhill, ignoring traces of path along the crest of the ridge.
1050 Just after FP crosses back to east side of ridge, ignore FP joining from L signed Konstamonitou. KSO on level, signed Chera, Vatopedi and Zographou. Path soon returns to west of ridge, with good stretches of K.
1400 Pass large covered well (disused) on R.
120 FP joins another FP coming from back R. This is the route from Vatopedi (signed) to Zographou.
40 Arrive at Chera (‘The Hand’) – a brownstone monument with directions marking the crossing of the ridge. Ignore FP on to Zographou to L. KSO/R following signs to Hilandar and Esphigmenou.
Ignore FP on to Zographou to L. KSO/R following signs to Hilandar and Esphigmenou.
The FP continues roughly along 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 back towards Mount Athos.
3200 FP ends at forest track. Turn L onto track which turns R in 20m and starts to descend.
400 Pass to L of old stone water cistern. KSO on track.
600 At a small open plateau (good views of Mount Athos), turn R, downhill, still on track that becomes K.
750 At junction with K to L, turn L, downhill (views back L towards Zographou).
70 FP bends R.
20 FP crosses stream to end at road (marked with orange tape). Climb bank up to road and turn L along road.
100 Turn R off road onto FP which begins to climb (marked with orange tape).
Note: Continuing along the road leads to Zographou (signed) after 7.5km. This route is very isolated and without sources of water.
400 At top of hill KSO past large stone monument with marble cross (Marmarenios Stavros in Greek) on R and descend hill (good views behind monument).
350 Arrive at the point where the paths to Hilandar and Esphigmenou divide.
For FP to Hilandar, turn L through gap and over bank (signed Hilandar and marked by orange tape), and then immediately turn R. (FP straight on leads to Esphigmenou.)
350 Pass stone obelisk on L of FP. (This has inscriptions on each side and is a frontier marker between Hilandar and Esphigmenou territory).
40 Cross stream.
400 Cross another stream.
1100 FP ends at road. Descend steep and difficult bank and turn L along road.
30 Turn R off road onto FP (marked with orange tape and red-and-white waymark).
300 FP descends, sometimes steeply, to road. (Monastery is now in view.) Turn L along road. Ignore roads to R and L. Pass graveyard and ossuary on R.
140 Arrive at the main entrance to Hilandar Monastery.

This description has been produced by The Friends of Mount Athos, a charitable organisation which, among other activities, works with monasteries to keep this, and certain other footpaths on the Holy Mountain, open. Copies of this and similar descriptions are available, free, in a number of places on or associated with the Holy Mountain, as well as by download from this website.