Text: Pantelis Siabanos, Katerina Pantazi, Olga Karagianni 

Photos: Pantelis Siabanos, Maria Kyritsi, Olga Karagianni, Antonis Sassalos

English translation: Katerina Pantazi

First autumn maintenance hike in the sweet landscape of Palaiopolis with the Cultural Association of Palaiopolis. Our meeting was set at 16.30 in the afternoon so that we would arrive at 18.30 at the site of the former school and current headquarters of the Cultural Association of Palaiopolis, for the celebration and custom of making moustalevria.

Despite the heat which combined with the south wind was not the most ideal for hiking, 33 participants from Gavrio, Ormos Korthiou, Chora, Chartes, Mermigies, Menites, Mesathouri, Ano Korthi as well as from Athens, Germany, France, we gathered to walk and maintain parts of the route outside the marked network in combination with parts of the marked route 9a, the circular route of Palaiopolis. In other words, our route would cover a larger circle inside and outside the circular route of Paleopolis in order to end up at the headquarters of the Association and the former school of Palaiopolis.

So we started downhill from the parking lot of Kato Palaiopolis, constantly enjoying the impressive view of the sea that stretched out in front of us. The balance of mountain and sea of ​​this route offers peace to the hiker. The well-preserved terraces, cottages, threshing floors and herds reveal the region’s vibrant agri-food tradition.

Arriving at the beach, we stood under the thick shade of the only tree on the beach to rest, while a volunteer from Andros Routes brought us information from our publication Hiking on Andros about the history of Palaiopolis which dates back to the late 8th century. BC. The hiker of Palaiopolis has the opportunity to locate a number of structural elements of antiquities that are preserved scattered in a landscape of particular natural beauty.

Full of energy, we started again along the Homeric beach which unfortunately had a lot of trash. We filled the garbage bags and we started the uphill return from the marked path 9a. We left behind collected litter, from previous beach visitors, which had been collected near the gully that flows into the beach, which was also quite a lot in torn bags, which we will arrange in the next few days to be collected. The persistent heat made the climb difficult for several of the group.

With a slow pace and the necessary stops to cut vegetation that blocked the path, we arrived at the Palaiopolis cultural center where the president Chrysoula Sigala welcomed us with a basket of cool water while in the interior of the building that the Association has designed an exhibition of old traditional utensils and items, a rich treat was waiting for us, with plenty of moustalevria, halva, melomakarona, coffee, tsipouro and salty treats.

The evening ended with a whole feast! With music by Father Efstratios and his son, lots of dancing and a large turnout of residents and friends of Palaiopolis on the balcony of the cultural center with the wonderful view.

We sincerely thank all the participants of the maintenance hike and the Cultural Association of the Palaiopolians of Andros “O Ermis” for its warm hospitality.

We look forward to seeing you at the next maintenance hike on Saturday, September 28!