Tag Archives: archaeology

Greece, Symi: Remains of the past and a hidden valley

Posted on December 29, 2020 by BarryH

There are parts of Symi which are rarely seen but which at one time were hubs of activity. I have long taken an interest on going ‘off-piste’, wandering around away from marked footpaths. In recent years I have taken an … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Photography | Tagged archaeology, fortifications, Greece, hidden valley, history, Symi, Toli, what3words | 1 Comment

Greece, Nisyros: The Island Underground

Posted on November 21, 2019 by BarryH

It’s not surprising that limestone Symi has an underground. Nor is it surprising that with very little rainfall the caves seem to be all ‘fault-caves’ caused by rock movement along fault lines (see). The result is that they are too … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, History, Mountains, Reflections | Tagged amphorae, ancient agriculture, ancient tools, archaeology, caves, Greece, history, Nisyros, underground dwellings | 2 Comments

Symi: castles in the air

Posted on September 9, 2017 by BarryH

One of the great things about the smaller Greek islands such as Symi, Nisyros, Tilos, and the smaller villages on the larger islands such as Emborios on Kalymnos, is their peace and tranquillity. In Greek it’s called ήσυχια. But it … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, History, Landscape, Mountains, Photography | Tagged archaeology, castles, Crusades, fortifications, Greece, Knights Hospitaller, piracy, Symi | 2 Comments

Nisyros: All in a day’s trek

Posted on September 3, 2016 by BarryH

I have been back to the UK planning to continue the blog about treks on Symi but mundane stuff got in the way. Now I’m on Nisyros and as always blown away by this place. Been out in the mountains … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Nature, Photography, Wildlife | Tagged ancient houses, archaeology, bats, caldera, craters, drought, fumaroles, Greece, horseshoe bats, mountains, Nisyros, seismic fissure, snakes, snakeskin, sulphur, Symi, Volcano | 5 Comments

Symi: Rambling around the past

Posted on August 4, 2016 by BarryH

WARNING: make yourself comfortable and a cup of coffee before starting to read this. If there is anyone out there hooked on Barry’s Ramblings and having withdrawal symptoms, apologies! I have had people staying with me most of the time … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Photography, Wales | Tagged archaeology, architecture, cromlech, dolmen, Greece, Greek archaeology, Neoilithic, Nimborio, St David's, Symi, Toli, Wales | 3 Comments

Greece: Kos I was there.

Posted on April 8, 2015 by BarryH

The plane landed at Kos airport just after 06.00. Rapidly through baggage reclaim and out into the fresh morning air after having been cooped up in airports and planes since 19.30 the previous evening. I declined to wait an hour … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, History, Nature, Photography, Spring | Tagged archaeology, Butterflies, Greece, Kos, marble, old agora, photography | 8 Comments

Symi: imagining the past

Posted on November 23, 2014 by BarryH

As I recounted in the blog, in July I trekked via many distractions to the ridge-top Lappatoniou Castle on the western-most peninsula on Symi. Then in early in October I went back with friends who, after trial and error and … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Wildlife | Tagged agricultural enclosures, ancient pathways, archaeology, dragonflies, Flora, footpaths, Greece, historical remains, Lappatoniou Castle, Symi, threshing circles, wildlife | Leave a comment

Symi: another trek in the mountains in search of the past.

Posted on September 24, 2014 by BarryH

It started out as a simple amble across the island to check out the site of more ruins shown on the SKAÏ map but turned into a really good-value-for–money trek. Finding the Pelasgian Platform (‘Trekking to a time before Greece’) … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape | Tagged agricultural terraces, archaeology, dragonfly, footpaths, Greece, Greek Classical Period, hiking, kestrel, Ruins, Symi, trekking | 3 Comments

Greece: more high speed island hopping

Posted on September 28, 2013 by BarryH

Now that inter-island travel is both more rapid and more reliable it’s a viable option to hop from island to island for brief visits and sometimes when moving on it’s possible to make connexions without an overnight stay where there … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains | Tagged archaeology, Crusader castle, ferries, footpaths, Greece, Greek Islands, hiking, Kalymnos, Kos, minarets, mosaics, Nisyros, Profitis Ilias Kalymnos, rock partridges, Symi, treks | Leave a comment

From hot rocks to old rocks

Posted on June 17, 2011 by BarryH

Wednesday is the major change-over day for hotels round here, with charter flights between Kos, Rhodes and Athens (and probably other Greek airports) and the UK. And so it was for me: Ruth and Tim were going home. The 07.30 … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Greece 2011 | Tagged archaeology, Greece, Kos, Mandraki, Nisyros, Yiali | Leave a comment