Tag Archives: Greek Islands

Symi: virtually

Posted on April 15, 2020 by BarryH

Symi in April is very different from the island which most people see in the heat of Summer. Sadly, thanks to Covid-19 there is no possibility of going there this month, or next, or for the foreseeable. Not only are … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged Covid-19, Flora, Greece, Greek Islands, spring flowers, Symi, wild flowers | 4 Comments

Canadian Rockies: Christmas on the piste

Posted on December 25, 2014 by BarryH

I’ve been in the Canadian Rockies now for a week, skiing and doing the odd bit of walking. There couldn’t be a much greater contrast with summer in the Greek islands. But, after heavy overnight snowfall on the mountain, early … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Landscape, Mountains | Tagged blue sky, Canada, canadian rockies, Christmas, Greek Islands, snow, White Christmas | 2 Comments

Symi: a jaunt down a mini-gorge

Posted on August 14, 2014 by BarryH

The pattern of my days on Symi is different to previous years. I spend the morning doing chores around the house and writing. By midday I have had enough of both and need to get out into the mountains and/or … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Wildlife | Tagged Butterflies, gorge walking, Greece, Greek Islands, hiking, Nimborios, Painted Dragon lizard, Starred agama, Symi | 2 Comments

Tilos: the kamikaze trail

Posted on July 1, 2014 by BarryH

Hopping between Greek islands has become more difficult over recent years as older, less efficient boats were deemed financially unviable or failed to meet rising safety standards and have gone out of service. Operating companies are fewer in number and … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Wildlife | Tagged dodecanese, dragonflies, Eristos Beach, ferries, footpaths, Greece, Greek island treks, Greek Islands, hiking, island hopping, natural springs, Nikia, Nisyros, Panteleimon monastery, Profitis Ilias, Tilos, trails, trekking | 2 Comments

Symi: the island experience

Posted on October 16, 2013 by BarryH

I sometimes wonder whether islands which are connected to the ‘mainland’ are truly still islands. It’s complicated. When we went to the Isle of Skye BTB (Before The Bridge) it had an intrinsic separateness even though there was only a … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains | Tagged Agios Emilianos, Agios Ioannis Theologos, Anglesey, causeways, donkeys, forest fire, Greece, Greek Islands, islands, islands of Britain, Isle of Skye, Lindisfarne, philoxenia, St Michael's Mount, Symi, tidal islands | 1 Comment

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

Greece: Rhodes, Tilos, Nisyros, high speed island hopping

Posted on August 23, 2013 by BarryH

Wednesday morning and my daughter delivered me to Manchester Airport at 06.15 en route to an hour’s skiing in the Chill Factory. How bizarre a beginning to a day is that!!! Given that she was going to minus 2 degrees … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Nature, Wildlife | Tagged airports, bouzoukia, bus, dodecanese islands, english channel crossings, ferries, Greece, Greek Islands, Greek music, hiking, island hopping, Nisyros, Rhodes, skiing, snakes, swallows, taxi, Tilos | 1 Comment

Tilos: sea to sky and back again (3)

Posted on July 30, 2013 by BarryH

Gherondas, the third of the small peaks backing Livadia Bay which I set out to find a way to the top of, proved to be as interesting and distinctive as the other two, Thymadheri and Vounos Again the initial approach … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Wales | Tagged Agios Stephanos, Agrosikia castle, castles, Greece, Greek Islands, Livadia, Livadia Bay, ravens, rock, sunbeds, Thollos, Tilos, Welsh castles | Leave a comment

Tilos: what is getting the goat of the island’s landscape?

Posted on July 19, 2013 by BarryH

My attention was suddenly diverted from picking my way through the excessively prickly vegetation on a narrow mountain-side agricultural terrace to get into position for a photo of yet another abandoned olive press. A noise like a turkey having its … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Landscape, Mountains, Nature | Tagged Billy Goat, fresh figs, goats, Greece, Greek Islands, Landscape, olive press, ripe fruit, sheep, South Wales, strange sounds, Symi, thorns, Tilos, Wales | Leave a comment

Tilos: traumatic changes and empty shells

Posted on July 13, 2013 by BarryH

If you get bored with the words and just want to look at the pictures, scroll down and click on the ones you want to see larger. But there are a few more words at the end. Norman Tebbit, one of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece | Tagged climate, drought, emigration, Greece, Greek Islands, Livadia, London, Micro Horio, night club, old churches, olive press, rocks, roofs, stone houses, Tilos, water supply | Leave a comment