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 | Leave gate of Vatopedi Monastery and turn L along paved road, with monastery on L. |
| 100 | After covered well on L, take R fork downhill on road, initially K. |
| 350 | Another road joins from back R. KSO, now with orchard on L. |
| 240 | After orchard ends, cross stream. KSO on road. |
| 180 | Join larger road from back R. 15m later cross stream at ford. |
| 40 | Where road makes sharp bend to the left, uphill, bear R along FP
signed Konstamonitou and Dochiariou which descends
and bears L into stream-bed. Caution: Do not take FP which climbs up ahead. |
| 80 | Cross stream and KSO on path. Pass another sign to Dochiariou after which FP starts to climb, with stretches of K. Due to forestry, the route here deviates from the K for short waymarked stretches. |
| 550 | Reach and cross road. KSO on FP (K), uphill. |
| 1050 | Shortly after passing wooden structure on R, reach road. Turn L along
road which follows contour of hill (signed Konstamonitou and
Dochiariou). Caution: DO NOT take FP which continues ahead. |
| 700 | Shortly before road makes a sharp bend to the L at the head of a
valley, turn R at open area marked with rough cairn and follow small
path steeply uphill (signed). Caution: may be difficult to spot. |
| 20 | Turn L onto FP which becomes K, crosses stream-bed and then zig-zags up side of valley. Keep uphill, ignoring possible FPs to L. |
| 750 | FP reaches flatter, more open scrubby/grassy area and becomes track before reaching road. KSO, uphill on K on far side of road (signed). |
| 60 | At T-junction with similar FP, turn R, uphill (not straight on, on
level, which may be barred). FP continues uphill, often through trees,
and may be indistinct or seasonally overgrown in places. Watch out for
waymark arrows and orange tape. Note: Logging in this area has resulted in the loss of sections of the original FP. |
| 280 | FP reaches logging track. Turn L along track. Ignore any routes branching off track to L or R. |
| 180 | Track reaches ridge road at T-junction. Turn R along road on level (telecommunications mast on hill ahead), soon passing large stone plinth with cross inlay (a stavros marking a crossing point of the ridge) on L. |
| 90 | Bear L on road (signed Dochiariou) now downhill. Ignore ridge FP which continues ahead (signed Konstamonitou, Esphigmenou and Hilandar). |
| 900 | Track joins the road from L. KSO on road. |
| 250 | Road joins from R. Bear L along road. |
| 120 | Main road joins from back L (signed L to Karyes). Bear R
(signed Konstamonitou, Zographou and Hilandar), now
on main road. The road soon starts a long descent towards the sea with fine views across the valley to the L towards Mount Athos. Pass yellow iron cross on R. |
| 1250 | Shortly before road bends R round headland, with sea ahead, turn hard
L off road onto small track (marked with red and white waymark arrow),
which descends roughly along the crest of a ridge. Caution: May be difficult to spot. |
| 100 | Turn R off track onto FP (marked with orange tape and red and white
waymark arrow). Caution: May be difficult to spot. |
| 200 | FP emerges at grassy track. KSO, descending bank on further side to pick up continuation of FP which zig-zags down into valley (marked with orange tape). |
| 930 | FP crosses stream-bed in valley bottom. KSO now on level.. |
| 75 | FP emerges at rough track just before a small concrete hut (marked with orange tape; reverse direction signed Karyes and Vatopedi). Turn L to follow track, downhill past hut, with valley to L.. |
| 750 | Pass large concrete reservoir, on R. At reservoir, bear L and then R
to pick up FP (signed Dochiariou) which continues to descend
and soon begins to zig-zag past terraces with views of
Dochiariou below. Note: Continuation of FP uphill to L is now impassable. |
| 400 | At junction by buildings, turn hard R on K towards monastery, ignoring tracks back to L. |
| 150 | Arrive at gate of Dochiariou Monastery. |