Category Archives: Hiking

Symi: high points

Posted on July 25, 2015 by BarryH

Having been identified as the Third Man and knowing he was pursued by Joseph Cotton, Orson Wells took to the labyrinthine sewers with a multiplicity of escape options and made the most memorable Sewer Speech ever. Unfortunately most Hollywood villains … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged Butterflies, castles, Greece, hiking, limestone crags, mountains, movies, Symi, The Mani, tortoise, tower houses, treks, Turtle Dove, Viewpoints | 3 Comments

Symi: I lost my shirt ….

Posted on July 8, 2015 by BarryH

…. and I wasn’t even in Las Vegas! Nor does it have anything to do with the Greek economy which, despite the attempts of the IMF and the ECB to undermine it, and the grossly inaccurate and morally reprehensible scaremongering … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged bee hives, bees, dry waterfalls, Greece, Greek economy, Greek Island Walks, Gully bashing, hiking, Lapatonniou Castle, monasteries, mountains, photography, Symi, The Hot Rock, thyme, trekking in Greece | Leave a comment

Symi: The Day I Shrank, and other adventures

Posted on June 30, 2015 by BarryH

One: The Shadow Sunday 21 June, the summer solstice, time to climb Oros Vigla, highest mountain on Symi. The summit is barely a mile from the house as the crow flies but I’m not a crow so the 500 metres … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged ancient settlement, Coin-marked snake, Emborios, Greece, Greek economy, photography, snakes, Summer solstice, Symi, Vigla | Leave a comment

Symi: into a hidden valley, the past and beyond

Posted on June 20, 2015 by BarryH

I am increasingly fascinated by not just going ‘off piste’ on the Greek islands, but trying to understand the faint signs of the rich cultural past, trying to tread softly and see the wildlife and the plant life. There is … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged Greece, hidden valley, limestone, Little Owl, Oertzeni lizard, Pelagic, rift valley, Symi, thyme, tortoise, white mulberries | Leave a comment

Symi: coast to coast

Posted on May 27, 2015 by BarryH

There is a certain smug satisfaction in casually dropping into conversation in the taverna over an end-of-trek beer “I walked across the island today”. OK, so on a small island like Symi it’s not exactly Wainwright’s 192-mile epic but it … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring | Tagged Agios Vasilios, arid flora, coast to coast, Flora, Greece, Greek Island Walks, herbs, hiking, mantis, photography, Sage, Symi, trekking | 2 Comments

Symi: the island in colour

Posted on May 17, 2015 by BarryH

Most visitors to Symi come in the summer months. During the day they lie sweating in the sun coated in Factor 50 and then, showered and perfumed, in the evening sashay to the taverna or restaurant of choice. And have … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring | Tagged April, Flora, flora and fauna, Greece, photography, Scarce Swallowtail, spring, Symi, Turkish Ghecko | 1 Comment

Symi: a trek beyond the economic fringe

Posted on May 5, 2015 by BarryH

The deserted village of Gria set in limestone crags high above Pedi Bay has fascinated me ever since first ‘discovering’ it 15 years ago. The fact that it has a permanent pond, seemingly lost not only to sight but to … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring | Tagged deserted villages, dought, Drakos Fortification, Greece, Greek Spiny Spurge, Gria, Holy Orchid, orchids, Pyramid Orchid, Red Darter, Symi, Tongue Orchid, water, wild gladiolus, Zoodohout Pighis monastery | 7 Comments

Symi: a trek to the ridge at the end of Europe

Posted on April 24, 2015 by BarryH

One of my favourite easier walks on Symi is to Nimborio, the original harbour on the island, and then along the narrow shingly/pebbly beach and a steep zigzag climb up the razor-sharp limestone crags at the far side to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Reflections, Spring | Tagged arum lilies, Butterflies, cornflowers, flora and fauna, Greece, mandrake, Oertzeni lizard, Painted Dragon lizard, photography, refugees, Symi, tortoises, wild flowers | 5 Comments

Symi: a floriferous walk down the valley

Posted on April 16, 2015 by BarryH

Those who were on Symi over the winter tell me that the winter was the wettest they can remember. After a cloudy and cool start to my stay on the island the last few days have been sunny and increasingly … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Nature, Photography, Spring, Weather | Tagged beautiful dock, bermuda buttercup, blue periwinkle, broom rape, crown daisy, cyclamen, edible crysanthemum, Flora, flowers, Greece, leaf orchid, lupin, poppies, rock rose, star clover, Symi, tassel hyacinth | 2 Comments

Brecon Beacons: an hour’s trek to a frozen world

Posted on February 25, 2015 by BarryH

Monday and it was sleeting at home when I got up. The Met Office forecast heavy showers of rain, sleet and maybe snow all day with temperatures rising to a maximum of 3oC. I knew it might be snowing on … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Wales, Weather, Winter | Tagged brecon beacons, brecon beacons national park, Cadair Idris, Corn Du, footpaths, hiking, mountains, paragliding, Pen y Fan, photography, Snow and ice, Wales, winter | 2 Comments