Hiking the Corfu Trail: Corfu Trail

Day 7 Agios Georgios to Rekini 13.5 km

We left the Belle Helene Hotel at about 9am and climbed steeply through olive groves to reach and pass straight through the villages of Prinilas and Paghi.

Agios Georgios

Outside Belle Helene Hotel

This derelict bus was here in 2008, on our first Corfu Trail

Looking back to Agios Georgios as we climb

In the olive groves

Passing through Prinilas

Bread delivery in Prinilas

Carole spots the CT sign on the pole

After Paghi we descended to the bottom of the valley where we crossed and re-crossed a stream by means of rocks. Then we climbed once more, to reach the village of Aspiotades. There should be a cafe here and my litre flask of water was nearly empty. There was a cafe, but it was shut so we pressed on with Carole sharing her water.

Easy to cross in today's dry conditions

Aspiotades appears ahead

Charcoal burners

Aspiotades

The cafe is closed!

Our next village was Manatades where we turned off the road to climb steeply uphill past a health centre with a cafe, also closed. We soon reached the church of St Vasilis which has strangely numbered corners, as if the church has been built with a kit, all the pieces numbered. To the left of the church is a torpedo on a stand, there was no explanation for its presence in the church square.

St Vasilis Church at Manatades

All four end columns are numbered

Torpedo at St Vasilis

Steps down through the church garden

We left the church via steep steps and soon reached the asphalt road through the village of Agros. Our route went left here but our notes told of a bakery cafe to the right so to the right we went.

The cafe was open and had the most delicious sweet pastries and cold water. I then watched while the lady prepared my Nescafe, Greek style. The coffee was added to the cup, I made her stop at two spoonfuls, then a little cold water. The coffee was then put under a blender and whipped into a froth, then hot water was added. The result was a strong coffee with half and inch of thick brown froth. I was given a glass of cold water to sip simultaneously, perhaps to temper the strength.

We sat happily in the shade outside the cafe and watched the village life of Agros. I went in for more pastries. We watched more village life, the highlight being the arrival of the fish van with its loudspeaker bringing the village cats running into the square.

The Fish Lady at Agros

Agros

I think these hand tractors are Chinese made

Greek road signs

Very much refreshed and with full bottles we went back down the main street to pick up our route and leave the village. After crossing a cane filled stream we climbed into olive groves on a gravel track. We stayed on this main track as it descended into the valley, eventually crossing a river on a small bridge and emerging onto the main road.

Here we turned left and crossed another bridge to reach the bus stop, shop and cafe at Rekini road junction.

We asked in the shop when the next bus was due but on being told it was 3 hours we asked the owner to call us a taxi and settled down to wait in the shade with a ginger beer from a dispensing machine.