Text: Katerina Pantazi
Photos: Katerina Pantazi, Antonis Sassalos, Nicole Visser
Translation to English: Violandi Vratsanou

Firmly sticking to our 15-week rendezvous, Andros Routes held its 2nd maintenance hike for 2024 on Saturday 20 January on the circular route of Kapparia. Among the 17 participants from Kapparia, Korthi, Fellos, Gavrio, Stivari, Chora, Athens, USA and the Netherlands, most of them were familiar with the maintenance hikes; however, we welcomed a number of first-time participants who delighted us with their enthusiasm.

Before we started our hike, the president and members of the Cultural Association of Kapparia welcomed us at the old Primary School where they talked to us about their work and actions … and of course they offered us some treats to start our hike nicely! The Deputy Mayor Spyros Tsaousis was also present.

Through the well-marked route, we wandered through the villages of Morakaioi, Tzeo, Pera Chorio before ending up at Megalo Chorio (Kapparia). Along the way we admired some of the 29 famous dovecotes of the region that still resist time and decay, the springs, the valley terraces, the large stone houses, the small churches, the abandoned settlement and we heard a version of the origin of the name of Kapparia … from “kaparo” given for a girl to be caparisoned as a bride when she was born!

And somewhere in this beauty, a second surprise was waiting for us: a basket of fruit and bouquets of hyacinths for the ladies of the hike from the hands of Stelios Bartholomaios, Angel of this Route!

Our hike in a very pleasant mood was evident from the interaction and smiles of the hikers and from the countless photos taken. The path was very neat but we still managed to collect a large bag of trash and clear some vegetation.

After all that, arriving at the end of the race, to top it all off, there were more treats waiting for us! Coffee, refreshments and the much needed raki offered by the Community President Nikos Manetas.

Many thanks to the Cultural Association of Kapparia, the president of the Community of Kapparia and especially the volunteer Route Angel Stelios Vartholomaios for sharing their love for their village by welcoming so warmly the hikers of the Andros trails!

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See you at the next maintenance hike in two weeks!