The Friends of Mount Athos

President:

Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia

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The Footpaths of
Mount Athos

The Footpaths of Mount Athos: From Karyes to Pantokrator

Distance: 5.6 km      Journey Time: 1¼ - 1½ hours      Version 1.2

Language Switcher: to Greek

This route descends from over 300m to sea level; the initial and final sections are quite steep, but not difficult. A fine kalderimi path descends from Karyes to meet and cross the road before continuing. There follows a longish and fairly level stretch along the main road which roughly follows the line of the coast. A track and fairly rough path then descend to the harbour below Pantokrator across open terrain.

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 With the shops on the R, leave Karyes square where the buses arrive along FP beside the main road (towards Daphni, etc).
120 Cross main Daphni - Iviron road and KSO along FP (K) directly ahead with wall on L. FP soon begins to climb gently.
250 Ignore FP to L up to kiosk. KSO on main FP, now descending. Ignore small FP to R.
80 Ignore FP off to L. Bear R, signed Pantokrator.
70 Cross track and KSO on FP.
160 FP crosses track at staggered junction (turn L and then immediately R). KSO on FP which becomes stony path, then K again. Ignore path to R with red signs.
700 With main gate of Skete of Bourazeri on R, bear L on K. At junction with concrete road, ignore road to R and continue to L on K.
250 FP emerges at main road. Turn L along road and over bridge, ignoring paths and tracks to L.
200 At major road junction, turn L, then immediately R onto FP (K). Ignore road-sign, to Pantokrator, that points along the road.
600 FP becomes track and then emerges at main road on outside of bend. Ignore track uphill on far side of road. KSO/R along road (signed Pantokrator and Profitis Ilias).
200 Ignore road uphill to L (signed Skete of Profitis Ilias).
300 Arrive at junction where track forks R, downhill. Here the routes to Pantokrator and Stavronikita divide. For Pantokrator, KSO on main road (Track R leads to FP to Stavronikita.)
240 Ignore track and FP ro R. (FP descends to coastal FP.)
1200 Ignore overgrown track downhill ahead (this is the old path, now blocked). Just after this point, the road bends L, with Pantokrator visible ahead.
400 At junction with track, turn hard R onto track. This turn is 25 m before a track to L, uphill, leading to the Skete of Profitis Ilias.
350 At fork in track, bear L, downhill.
100 Bear L off track onto rough FP, descending more steeply.
350 Reach junction of paths at shore. KSO over bridge, past well house on L, harbour on R, and ascend zigzag path to reach . . .
200 Pantokrator Monastery entrance.

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.