Friends of Mount Athos Logo FOOTPATHS OF THE HOLY MOUNTAIN

 

FROM VATOPEDI TO PANTOKRATOR

 

Distance – 8.5 km.     Journey time 2½ – 3 hours

 

© The Friends of Mount Athos, 2007

This is an attractive journey, with some fine views and scenery, for the most part along historic kaldirimi or paved mule tracks.  The first section involves a steady climb through the forest from Vatopedi, near sea level, to the ridge at around 450m.  The route then descends to Pantokrator, again at sea level, latterly with fine views down to the monastery and along the coast, with Mount Athos in the background.  

 

Notes:  Be aware that, while the paths themselves do not move, over time it is possible for other details to change (eg, signposts disappear or appear, new roads or tracks appear).  Distances (in metres) have been measured by GPS and thus are horizontal measurements, without allowance for ascents or descents; they are normally accurate to within around 10 metres. 

 

Abbreviations:        L = Left; R = Right; KSO = Keep straight on;

                                    FP = Footpath;  K = Kaldirimi stone path

 

Description of Route:

Distance (m)  Directions

            0         Leave Vatopedi Monastery entrance and turn L along paved road.

          50         At fork with covered well on L, bear L along walled K (signed Karyes)

        100         At T-junction, turn L (signed Karyes)

        150         At crossroads bear L along road.

        100         At T-junction, bear L.  Ignore minor tracks to R.

          70         At T-junction bear R, uphill on road.

        300         As road bears L, fork R onto FP (kaldirimi) signed to Karyes.

[Alternative route along main road which is less steep:

         740        KSO on road (FP to Kolitsou leaves to L)

         230        At T junction bear L.  (R is to Agios Dimitrios and Agios Prokopios)

         610        KSO at T-junction (Road to L leads to Kolitsou).

         1200       KSO on road (FP to Kolitsou on L, along cables)

         160        Turn L along track, through white bar gate to rejoin route at   below.]

 

  [c.800*]         FP emerges at track.  Turn L along track.

          50         At T junction of track with road, KSO on FP which continues across road.

[c.2300*]         Turn L onto road and immediately R off road onto FP.

        160         FP emerges at road.  For Pantokrator, turn hard L along road (R continues towards Karyes).

  [c.150*]         Turn R, through white bar gate onto track.  

                       [Approx time to this point – 1½  hours]

        740         Turn R onto track.  [Straight on also leads to Pantokrator using track rather than FP, rejoining at à below.]

         50          KSO at T junction onto FP.

         2190      KSO over barbed wire/stile.

         300        KSO ignoring FP on R.

         70          KSO over open area. Ignore track to L.

         40          Keep to L along K, ignoring FPs to R.

         130        Emerge onto road and turn L. (Care needed with final descent from FP onto road.)  Continue on road. 

                       [à Alternative track from Vatopedi soon joins road from L.]

         460        At fork in road bear R (follow direction indicated by arrow)

         170        At fork in road bear L (R down to harbour)

         40          Arrive at Pantokrator Monastery entrance.

 

 

 [* approximate – to be validated]

 

 

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, from the Friends website, www.athosfriends.org and in a number of places on or associated with the Holy Mountain.            

      May 2007