(Usual waiver applies to grammar, typos, spelling as I'm posting via a small phone screen on the hoof 🤭, click on the pics to zoom in)
Today we started out on our week long hike through the alpine villages of the Peloponesse, the Menalon Way.
The Menalon Trail is approximately 75km long and passes through little villages. It climbs down through the Lousios River gorge, traverses the western slopes of Mt Menalon and along the Gortynian mountain foothills. There are eight stages that follow ancient shepherd tracks and pathways that serve old monastery's carved into the hillside. After leaving our luggage in storage at the Tripoli bus station we took a little 20 seater bus up into the mountains. There were three locals, us and one other hiker from the Netherlands. The little village bus also doubled as the newspaper delivery run. The bus only went as far as the village of Demitsana (we walk there on the second day) We had two options, take a taxi to Stemnista and be there in about 10mins or walk the road the taxi would take. We didn't want to walk the actual trail path (5hrs) to Stemnista in reverse as we knew we'd be walking that tomorrow in the correctly trail-marked direction. So after coffee on the edge of the incredible Lousios river gorge we saddled up the backpacks and hit the road to the village of Stemnista.
Approx 2.5hrs walking in beautiful spring sunshine, quiet alpine road with stunning views. We heard the goat bells before we came across a roaming herd and we saw many houses carved into the steep cliff sides. We had a great first day and enjoyed a late lunch in the Stemnista village square.
Stemnista is as cute as a button. Sleepy quiet village square with lots of cats begging for a piece of your lunch.
You guessed it Greek salad and lemon chicken which the kitty cats did get a little nibble of 😁.
After a relaxing lunch we had a final 12min walk, uphill😁 to our bed for the night. Great first day 👍🏃👌
Gartagani Guest House, Stemnista, Peloponesse
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