Plemeniana to Vlitheas via Kalithea

8km ~150m ascent

A walk on a little-trafficked paved road, with the initial section on good paths after 1km on the “main” road.

Start at the road junction (N35 19.388 E23 43.343) at Plemeniana [Πλεμενιανα] (about 15km North of Paleochora on the main Hania road), by the Taverna. Walk South along the road towards Paleochora. After a hundred metres, a small rusty sign points right to the Agios Georgios church (N35 19.366 E23 43.048), with decayed frescoes. Continue on the road round a couple of turns, until after 1km you see a disused stone building just below the road to the right. (You are now just level with the southern tip of a ridge that divides the valley to your right). Continue 20m on to the apex of the left turn just beyond and turn off the road (N35 19.042 E23 42.631) onto a path that descends through olive groves into the valley. The way zig-zags down a short way to come to the pleasant, tree-lined valley bottom. Stepping stones cross the two branches of the river in quick succession (N35 19.111 E23 42.543. Ascend a path on the far bank, which turns into a track and then joins a good track that heads North-South. Turn left, soon coming to the [locked] Kalithea church, Agios Antonio (N35 18.886 E23 42.299) . Keep on the same road, heading south, but contouring around the West side of the valley. It passes through Kalithea [Καλλιθεα], with good views across the valley to Kakodiki [Κακοδίκι],

Figure 1: View East to Kakodiki

and comes eventually to Mahia [Μαχια] where there are a couple of churches, and a Kafenion. Further on, two churches are perched on cliffs above the road. A three-arched spring lies beside the road (N35 18.005 E23 41.735)

Figure 2: Roadside spring near Mahia

The road zig-zags down to the river (N35 17.423 E23 41.824 shortly before, a dirt track continues SW along the valley). and continues SW on the left bank, following the main road that runs only a few metres above. Finally, it comes to Vlithias [Βλιθιας] where there are old and new churches (N35 16.928 E23 41.367). A few metres further on, the road joins the main road at a sign fro Mahia (N35 16.827 E23 41.365).

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