Day 4       Coyevinas  to Pelekas        17 km

Today we would climb Agi Deka, the second highest mountain in Corfu, and because we needed to be transported from Benitses to to our start point in Coyevinas there was no opportunity for the other walkers to make an early start.

It was already very hot as we got out of the minibus but the Portsmouth lads and the Belgian couple went off at speed, determined to make distance before the full heat of the day. 

We all set off from Coyevinas 

We were soon climbing and after passing a good view of the valley below we reached some huge limestone rocks.

We reach some enormous limestone rocks

One of the curious barrel huts, made entirely from flattened metal barrels

Kato Garouna village and the distant coast

We continued to climb, sometimes through olive groves and sometimes through forest until we reached a clearing where we could see the white radar station at the top of Agi Deka.  We walked down to the grounds of Pantokrator monastery and looked in to the open church in the monastery grounds.

Agi Deka

Carole lights a candle at Pantokrator Monastery

Agi Deka village below the monastery

We now had a long and tricky descent on a partly cobbled and overgrown steep footpath.  As we descended the village of Pelekas came into view up on the hill, where we would be staying tonight.

Starting to descend

The path soon gets tricky

Entering Agi Deka

There was a cafe at Agi Deka but we decided to press on to Sinarades, where we remembered a nice cafe from our last trek here.

We now walked frequently on tarmac as we pressed on through the villages of  Alepochori and Kamara and I drank water by the litre. Five hot kilometres from Agi Deka village and we reached Sinarades where we passed a folklore museum which was closed.  We passed a taverna where the Portsmouth boys were sampling the local wine but declined their invitation to join them as we aimed for the cafe in the village square.  Here we relaxed for an hour in the shade, ate sandwiches and drank copious amounts of water and ginger beer.

Old olive tree

Old hiker, note sock burn around ankles which disappeared later in the trek

Whip snake, harmless I believe

House in Kamara

I grab a bit of shade

Walking through Kamara

We reach Sinarades

... and its shaded cafe

Feeling much refreshed and for the time being, much cooler, we set off once more, immediately climbing a steep path and as we gained height we had views back over Sinarades.

Outside the village we passed an ancient well and then followed a gravel road steeply uphill high above the west coast of the island.

Leaving Sinarades

Climbing out of the village

Ancient well

West coast

We followed our trail for another 6 km through olive groves,  sometimes on concrete and sometimes on gravel tracks.

Eventually we joined an asphalt road and began a steep climb uphill to reach the pretty village of Pelekas and our accommodation for the night, Jimmy's Taverna, where we gratefully collapsed to be revived by drinking cold beer before retiring for a welcome shower. 

Arrival at Pelekas

Dinner at Jimmy's

Our balcony at Jimmy's

To Day 5

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