Our island-hopping continues apace. Subject to winter timetables and weather, of course. It is a lovely calm day when we sail north from Mastichari on Kos to Kalymnos. We spend a bit of time at the harbour when we arrive soaking up some sunshine.
The place has an untouristed 'real' feel that we felt Kos lacked somehow. We opt for an anti-clockwise route around the east side of the island and head off along a steadily climbing road around the steep hillsides of the south-east corner, finally pausing near some radio masts. The ground everywhere is rocky. The whole island has no flat earth or space for a tent unless a human has dug it out, cleared it. And so we set to work on a little 'gardening' of our own, cutting out spikey plants, thistles and digging up sharp rocks behind the stone wall of a goat herder's shelter. It works.
On a sunny morning we descend to a little harbour tucked into a fold of the coastline. Reaching out beyond it is a narrow green valley full of farms. We ride up through it until we reach the foot of a climb to a pass. Here there is a nice little church surrounded by overgrown olive trees and two or three large mountains surrounding it. We opt for a flat spot beyond the church for the night. We have cycled about 12 kilometres. It's tough work this. In the night a thunderstorm rolls over and keeps us awake. For every lightning flash there is an extended kettle drum roll echoing between the mountains around us. It's loud and annoying and almost frightening. Surely this sound is not natural. What awful destructive work is at hand? In the morning the clouds roll back and the sun re-emerges. All is well again.
We cycle over the pass and down to the sea on the north side of the island. At a church we stop for water and are gifted cake and 'special' bread from the folk who are all gathered after the Sunday morning service for a brunch. We continue to the last village which has a little but lovely beach. The wind is back but Gayle goes for a scout and finds a sheltered spot near some ruins of Byzantine baths just behind the beach. The ruins have prevented any development at this end and our friendly stunted olive trees provide us with shelter and cover from prying eyes. Except who will pry? Of the hundred houses in the village there are only lights showing at about ten. As with many island villages, many of the homes are only used at holiday times.
The next day we ride back to the main town where we have to wait for the ferry that comes just before midnight and spits us out at Astypalaia three hours later. We awake in the daylight to the sounds of occasional vehicles passing by our not-so-private spot by a roadside chapel. It was the best we could find in the dark. The road leads on to the main town on the south coast, which has no deep harbour. Here we are enchanted by the castle and traditional Hora village on the ridge above the harbour. It's a stunning sight. In the afternoon we head up a dirt track towards a windmill on a ridge and continue along the ridge until we get to a point where the track splits. There's an old ruined stone shelter with a flat spot for the tent so we stop there. The following day we complete our little high circuit of the hills in the west of the island and return to the main town before continuing on to the eastern side. A dirt track to a church seems like a good place to find a camping spot.
It's a 5am ferry that we catch to reach Naxos. We've been here before and we are only stopping here to save money on our ferry fare. We remember a good spot to camp just out of the town and spend the day soaking up the rays. This is the biggest island in the Cylades and we really ought to explore more, but we've booked a place to stay on neighbouring Paros and catch a smaller ferry over to that island the next day.
We spend a few nights in Paros. Bad weather is coming so we're prepared to sit it out. While it's sunny we can take a look around the old town and the little village of Noussa nearby. It seems much quieter here compared with Naxos, but that suits us. This is the first rain we get since we've left Kos so we've done pretty well. Spring is really here now with all the wild flowers out.
On a sunny morning we descend to a little harbour tucked into a fold of the coastline. Reaching out beyond it is a narrow green valley full of farms. We ride up through it until we reach the foot of a climb to a pass. Here there is a nice little church surrounded by overgrown olive trees and two or three large mountains surrounding it. We opt for a flat spot beyond the church for the night. We have cycled about 12 kilometres. It's tough work this. In the night a thunderstorm rolls over and keeps us awake. For every lightning flash there is an extended kettle drum roll echoing between the mountains around us. It's loud and annoying and almost frightening. Surely this sound is not natural. What awful destructive work is at hand? In the morning the clouds roll back and the sun re-emerges. All is well again.
We cycle over the pass and down to the sea on the north side of the island. At a church we stop for water and are gifted cake and 'special' bread from the folk who are all gathered after the Sunday morning service for a brunch. We continue to the last village which has a little but lovely beach. The wind is back but Gayle goes for a scout and finds a sheltered spot near some ruins of Byzantine baths just behind the beach. The ruins have prevented any development at this end and our friendly stunted olive trees provide us with shelter and cover from prying eyes. Except who will pry? Of the hundred houses in the village there are only lights showing at about ten. As with many island villages, many of the homes are only used at holiday times.
The next day we ride back to the main town where we have to wait for the ferry that comes just before midnight and spits us out at Astypalaia three hours later. We awake in the daylight to the sounds of occasional vehicles passing by our not-so-private spot by a roadside chapel. It was the best we could find in the dark. The road leads on to the main town on the south coast, which has no deep harbour. Here we are enchanted by the castle and traditional Hora village on the ridge above the harbour. It's a stunning sight. In the afternoon we head up a dirt track towards a windmill on a ridge and continue along the ridge until we get to a point where the track splits. There's an old ruined stone shelter with a flat spot for the tent so we stop there. The following day we complete our little high circuit of the hills in the west of the island and return to the main town before continuing on to the eastern side. A dirt track to a church seems like a good place to find a camping spot.
It's a 5am ferry that we catch to reach Naxos. We've been here before and we are only stopping here to save money on our ferry fare. We remember a good spot to camp just out of the town and spend the day soaking up the rays. This is the biggest island in the Cylades and we really ought to explore more, but we've booked a place to stay on neighbouring Paros and catch a smaller ferry over to that island the next day.
We spend a few nights in Paros. Bad weather is coming so we're prepared to sit it out. While it's sunny we can take a look around the old town and the little village of Noussa nearby. It seems much quieter here compared with Naxos, but that suits us. This is the first rain we get since we've left Kos so we've done pretty well. Spring is really here now with all the wild flowers out.
