Paths of Peace

Paths of Peace

 

In summer 2019, we implemented a multi-day hiking trail and a cycling route called Paths of Peace. It is located in the area of Florina, Western Macedonia, Greece. The trail is divided into 4 hiking days, and it starts and ends at Lehovo village. It crosses the most important natural and cultural places of the area: the settlements of Lehovo, Asprogeia, Nymfaio, Agrapidies, Sklithro and Limnochori, the Wolf sactuary, the lakes Zazari and Cheimaditida, as well as dense forests. For more information, click here.

Ithaca Trails

Ithaca Trails

 

Ithaca Trails, the official network of hiking trails of Ithaca island is now a fact. Together with the Municipality of Ithaca, Paths of Greece has implemented the first set of routes – 50km, 7 trails. These trails have been cleared and sign-posted, and will soon be presented through a website and an App for smartphones. For the moment, you can get a Map of Ithaca Trails here. For further information regarding this project on Ithaca, press here.

Tinos Trails

Tinos Trails

 

Tinos Trails, the official hiking network of Tinos island is a fact! 152 km of trails, planned according to the hiker needs, invite you to discover the nature and culture of this beautiful island of the Cyclades.

Tinos Trails is a project of the Municipality of Tinos, in co-operation with Paths of Greece, as well as the local population and tourism businesses.

The trails network aims at strengthening the tourism season before and after the summer months, bringing quality visitors, revealing the rich nature and geology of Tinos as well as its cultural assets, through old footpaths.

12 thematic routes invite the visitor to live a unique experience. The trails pass through all the picturesque villages of Tinos, they are looping, are interconnected and cover most of Tinos island.

The work that Paths of Greece undertook was related to the Tinos Trails planning, the way-marking and sign-posting, as well as the clearing of the routes. In addition, Paths of Greece created a website, leaflets, maps and performed promotional actions.

The first hikers have already appreciated much these trails! Tinos Trails will keep developing and in the following months it will have some surprises for all those who will decide to discover Tinos on foot!

For more information: www.tinostrails.gr

Miyagi Olle opening ceremony (Japan)

Miyagi Olle opening ceremony (Japan)

Miyagi Olle trail: walking towards the path of financial recovery.

The beginning of October saw the grand opening of the trail network Miyagi Olle in Miyagi prefecture of North-Eastern Honshu in Japan. Paths of Greece were invited to the opening ceremony and our representative, Sotiris Dimos, went there. As part of the opening ceremony, we hiked two of the trails and saw a sample of the beauty of Miyagi. The trails are relatively easy and go through deep vegetation of pine and bamboo, rice paddies but also the coasts of the Pacific Ocean. These are magical landscapes and very different from what we are used to here in the Mediterranean.

Despite its beauty, Miyagi prefecture has been on the news for other reasons. On the 11th of March 2011, a massive earthquake hit the Pacific Ocean 130 km East of Sendai – the capital of Miyagi – and it was recorded as a 9~9.1 magnitude on the Richter scale. The earthquake lasted 6 whole minutes. As a result, a destructive tsunami hit the Eastern coast of Japan, wreaking havoc up to 20 km inland. More than 15.000 people died, with 2.500 having been left missing. Coupled with the tragic incident at neighbouring Fukushima, the tsunami impacted the economy of Miyagi. In order to change this and bring Miyagi into a path of financial recovery, the region’s officials have invested into hiking tourism. The population of Miyagi has embraced this, as was evident by the large numbers of people who were present at the opening ceremony, which included representatives from South Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia, Turkey and Greece.

Miyagi Olle is a trail network that was designed following the Olle Foundation criteria. The Olle Foundation is stationed in Jeju, South Korea in which the famous Jeju Olle trail network is located. For more information, visit the network’s webpage.

Apollo Trails

Apollo Trails

We have just inaugurated the Apollo Trails, a small but wonderful trail network on Mountainous Messinia (Peloponnese). The trails start at the village of Abeliona, and link the neighbouring settlements of Neda, Petra, Agios Sostis, Skliros, to the UNESCO Temple of Apollo Epicurius, the Temple of Pan, the springs of Neda, numerous stone-built thresholds, churches, stone bridges etc. Despite its relatively short length, it presents important changes in environment passing by chestnut tree forests, creeks with plane trees, old fields, vineyards, tall oaks and mountain peaks with great views.

Our work was to find the old footpaths that were “sleeping”under vegetation, to clear them, to sign-post them, and to help in their promotion. In our efforts we found great assistance by the hotel Abeliona Retreat, as well as from the inhabitants of Abeliona and the other villages. These trails are unexpectedly beautiful and are awaiting to unveil to the hikers the secrets of this mystic area.

Paths of Greece has developed these trails for the Hikers Friendly hotel Abeliona Retreat. To find out more about this project, click on our portfolio page here.

New waymarking in Monemvasia

New waymarking in Monemvasia

 

We have recently installed new trailhead signs in Monemvasia, from durable, 10-year guarantee boards. We have also way-marked a short trail that links to the Central Gate of the Lower City. The project has been completed with the collaboration of the Association Friends of the Castle of Monemvasia. For more information about this trail you can click here. For a map of the trail, you can click here.

6 trails sign-posted in Kythera

6 trails sign-posted in Kythera

In July 2012, we have completed the sign posting of the first 6 trails in Kythera island. Two years earlier he have undertook the management of the whole Kythera Hiking project, under the auspices of the Kytherian Foundation for Culture and Development (KIPA). The project includes, out of the sign-postings, several educational programmes, in close co-operation with the Hellenic Society for the Protection of the Environment (EEPF). We invite you to visit the paths of the island, combining walking and tourism in one of the most pristine islands of Greece.

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