Text: Katerina Pantazi
Photos: Antonis Sassalos, Babis Lefakis, Sofia Stalboutzi, Despina Chatzoglou-Petta, Katerina Pantazi
Translation in English: Katerina Pantazi

An almost autumnal day awaited us on Saturday, October 12, the day of the planned maintenance hike on the route Tromarchia Monastery – Piso Meria – Amonakliou – Mousionas – Aidonia. Sun hidden behind the cloud cover, temperature around 25 degrees and no wind! The sea below Tromarchia completely calm, but the southerly wind deprived us of the islands that were not visible on the horizon due to the gloom.

All Andros gathered for this hike, a total of 25 people from Gavrio, Fellos, Korthi, Stenies, Messaria, Menites, Aprovatou, Ammonakliou, but also hikers from France and others who traveled from Athens especially for our hike.
We started in a very good mood since such hikes always give us the opportunity to get closer to people with whom we share love for Andros and its paths.
One of them is Irini Drakos from Korthi who, as part of this maintenace walk, was going to complete her training as a volunteer-caretaker and become the Route Angel of route 4!

We were also joined by Iraklis Gavras, a stone craftsman from Amonakleiou, who guided us through the traditional art of weaving stone, the dry stone. All along the way, the humble xerolithic constructions of another era were waiting for us to discover them through the words of the craftsman. We explored the staminari and the kontouto, we admired the well-preserved terraces and dry stones, we saw cisterns, threshing floors. A whole place built of stone. How much have each of us cared for this simple material?

We passed through Piso Meria, crossed Nionia which smelled of oranges, descended from Ano to Kato Amonakliou, learned why the village of Petres was abandoned, walked through medieval looking Mousionas, Korthi and finally arrived at Aidonia. There we spent a lot of time on the skewed bridge of Koulouris discussing why it is skewed (its axis in relation to the river bed is not vertical but sideways) … and we didn’t decide!

The end of the hike found us a little bit tired but full of new knowledge, enchanting landscapes, Korthian history, good company. Around the famous springs of Aidonia we took pictures, laughed, congratulated Irini on her new role as a Route Angel volunteer and made plans for the next maintenance hike on the route Apoikia – Menites on October 27th.

The path is passable because it is used by the locals who keep it open with their footsteps. So the condition of the route was generally good, apart from a few bushes that had grown and were trimmed accordingly. We also picked up a few trash.

Many thanks to all participants in the maintenance hike who helped to keep the path open and to Iraklis Gavra who introduced us to the art of stone. We wish the new volunteer Irini Drakos all the best!

For those who were unable to join this maintenance hike, may you read more about the route by clicking here
https://www.androsroutes.gr/south-andros/moni-tromarhion-pisw-meria-ammonakleiou/