Remote places and landscapes in Greece – Walks in the footsteps of Patrick Leigh Fermor: Part 7

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Back to Crete for the seventh walk in Christian Peter’s series.

7.     From Sougia to Agia Roumeli – Crete

a.       One of the wildest and most difficult walks on Crete is the one along the coastline  between Sougia and Agia Roumeli. But it is rewarding as it offers not only a great variety of natural beauties, but also access to the Gorge of Tripiti which as “a clandestine landing point for the whole of the area” played a major role during the occupation. In his book “The Stronghold” Xan Fielding describes it  as “a needle-narrow opening in the littoral  ramparts, which travelers until recently believed to be inaccessible  except by sea” (p. 55). The Tripiti gorge marks the border between the provinces of Selino and Sfakiá and offers insights into the “highland labyrinth” above Koustogerako which during WW II “was probably the only habitable area in the whole of Crete  which could have sheltered in safety such a vast clandestine concourse as ours had been (Xan Fielding; Hide and Seek, p. 167).

12 thoughts on “Remote places and landscapes in Greece – Walks in the footsteps of Patrick Leigh Fermor: Part 7”

  2. Tim

    Spiro, so sorry we missed you all at the taverna last night, we went up to the cave near Nida and then found an old friend Father Andreas in Anogia and he invited us to sit with hIm and have a drink before he went off to officiate at mass. We then just walked to a nearby taverna and ate, coming back to Marina to get your note. Chris and Pete are off walking this morning and I would not be surprised if you meet up, they will recognise your supern t shirts! We will all be at Hotel Alexander 1st May. I hope our paths may cross somewhere.

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  3. Christian Peters

    Oh, wow. I just came back from Crete last week. We did some walks in the Amari valley, stayed two nights in Gerakari and in a way followed the abduction route, as well. The manager of the Alexander Hotel told us that there was a group of orchid experts coming, but he did not mention you.
    Maybe I should sent Tom another walk in Paddys footsteps? The Amari valley was fantastic …

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  4. Spiro

    Next week I’ll be on Mount Ida with a group of cretans, britons and italians and we’ll surely celebrate the 69th anniversary of Kreipe’s abduction with lots of tsikoudia.

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    1. Tim

      We will meet friends at the Hotel Marina, Anogia on night of 28th, before they follow the Kreipe abduction route again, and we go off to find another related location near Tsoutsouros. Then, on 1st we meet up again at Hotel Alexander in Gerakai. A few more days around the Amari before we leave for Sougia.I imagine we too will allow some Tsikoudia to pass our lips.
      We will keep an eye out for you, The climbers we will join are the White brothers and we are hoping a few more friends can make the trip too.

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      1. spirocouts

        @Tim,
        We’ll be as well in Anogia, same day, same hotel, and 29th Ida crossing (vides ut alta stet…) to Prinos shelter, 30th Petrochori, 1st of may Gerakari / Keramos, 2nd Preveli Plakias, end of trip on the well known Peristeres Beach :-)) – Will be happy to meet you.

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  5. Tim

    A few of us will hopefully be following this route more closely next week, though on the ferry rather than on foot. In Sougia we shall be meeting up with a party of New Zealanders, which will include some descendants of those who escaped from Tripiti, and joining them in commemorating the 70th anniversary of the evacuation.

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    1. proverbs6to10 Post author

      Tim – or anyone. I have a question from someone who is in Crete at the moment and believes that Xan Fielding was buried there. Is that the case, and if so do you know where? Thanks.

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