Walking in Western Crete - Sunflower Books

Western Crete – an unspoiled haven for walkers

Western Crete, a rugged and unspoiled corner of Greece, is a great destination for walkers. With its dramatic mountains, deep gorges, and pristine coastline, it offers a diverse range of hiking experiences.

From leisurely strolls to challenging treks, there’s something for everyone. With our guide to walking in Western Crete you can experience the best the island has to offer.

The Samaria Gorge

The Samaria Gorge (Walk 22) may be one of the reasons why you have come to Crete. Even if it isn’t, you will soon hear tell of it; few people can resist the lure of Europe’s longest gorge.

And you won’t be disappointed if you can see through the people! Setting out very early (the gorge opens at 6am) is the best way to avoid the crowds.

Although this walk follows a well-trodden path, walking the gorge requires stamina, and robust footwear is essential.

Enough about caution. Here’s some scene-setting: the landscape is simply spectacular, from the top of the gorge at Omalos to the bottom at Agia Roumeli – and all along the south coast on your boat trip to Hora Sfakion (where you’ll find your bus back to Hania and the north coast).

The White Mountains tower around you as the route leads seawards under shady pine trees through which sunlight slants. You’ll pass cool pools and cross wide-open stretches of ancient, bleached rocky river bed.

Imagine light and shadow; height and depth; rock in shades of grey, green, blue and brown; mountains, trees and sky; birdsong and silence. It’s a special experience walking through this natural wonder.

If you walk the gorge in springtime, the wild flowers are another bonus to the excursion.

At whatever time of year you walk the gorge, don’t go down helter-skelter, trying to beat any records. Go at a leisurely pace and take in your surroundings.

We haven’t given any times for reaching specific points on the walk for this very reason. Enjoy the day.

Below are some other walking highlights of Western Crete.

Circuit via Agia (Walk 1)

Since we first walked here, much has been done to improve the lake at Agia as a recreational area, but so far it has escaped the more commercialised fate of Lake Kournas (Walk 6).

Agia’s lake (actually a man-made reservoir) is a particularly good place to watch birds, a lovely quiet oasis overlooked by the church of Saints Constandinos and Eleni – hence the name Agia (‘holy’).

This walk is all along asphalt country roads, but it is a welcome respite from the urbanisation around the coast, and the views to the Levka Ori (White Mountains) are stunning.

Rethimnon – Chromonastiri – Myli (Walk 9)

This walk takes in a busy seaside town and two old villages – one of them still without a through road, the other with two museums well worth your visit.

And you have the option to extend it through a wonderful gorge, by following Walk 10 back down to the coast.

Katsomatados – Mouri – Voulgaro (Walk 15)

A fine wedge of lovely and varied countryside is covered in this walk. We take you through a gorge, along a pretty chestnut tree-lined valley, into some sweeping open countryside, and finally down a ravine well used by grazing flocks of sheep and goats.

There’s some scrambling en route, but for the most part the walk is on well-defined tracks.

A high mountain circuit from Kallergi (Walk 21)

A breathtaking hike in more ways than one, the trek to Melindaou is, without doubt, worth the effort.

The lure of the high mountains is a compelling experience, and this walk – in the heart of the splendid Levka Ori (White Mountains) – is an exciting introduction to high mountain walking on Crete.

Walking in this area, we are sure, will mean the beginning of a long association with Crete’s mountains.

You will carry the views with you forever – the space, the fold upon fold of rock and mountainside, the colours and textures, the height, depth and strength of Western Crete.

The Kamares Cave (Walk 31)

This is somewhat of an aerobic exercise to a huge cave where the original cache of elaborate Minoan pottery known as Kamares Ware was found; it is now on display in the museum in lraklion.

The splendid cave, with a mouth 42m wide and 19m high (135ft x 62ft), is large and explorable. If you go to the back, and left of centre, search carefully and you will find the opening down on the floor, about 5m/15ft wide, where the pottery was found, in a fissure.

For experienced climbers and walkers with the appropriate gear, Kamares is a good starting/finishing point for expeditions to the Nidha Plateau and Psiloritis.

The best time to walk in Western Crete

April, May, September and October are perhaps the best months to walk on Crete. The air temperature is moderate, but the sun shines.

It is possible to walk during June, July and August. However, because although it may be very hot by the coast, there’s often a light breeze in the mountains.

There’s no doubt it’s more tiring though, and great care should be taken in the sun and heat. Walks offering little or no shade should only be undertaken in high summer with great caution.

The meltemi blowing in from the north tends to be a bad-tempered wind, bringing strong, hot breezes in the height of summer. These breezes stir up the dust, move the air about, but don’t really cool it.

During February and November it often rains. The months of December and January are chilly and, if it rains, it may do so for a few days at a time.

However, the winter in Crete brings an incredible clarity on sunny days and some really perfect walking weather. Temperatures may be around 20°C (68°F).

It’s worth remarking, too, when it’s windy along the north coast, it’s often calm on the south of the island.

Getting around Western Crete

Hiring a car is certainly one of the best ways to get to know Crete. Many of the tours we suggest in our guide will take you past the starting- and/or end-points of several walks. In fact, seeing the countryside from a car will encourage you, we hope, to go off the beaten track and into the hills with us, on foot.

Taxis are an alternative way to tour and, if shared, can be a reasonably-priced way to travel. Do agree a fare before setting out, if it’s going to be an unmetered trip.

Organised excursions are good value; coaches eat up the kilometres while you sit back and watch it all go by.

One of the best ways of getting about is by local bus. Once you’ve done it for the first time, you’ll realise it’s economical, reliable and entertaining. You’ll whizz along the highways and bumble through villages with a bus-eye view over the countryside. Use the local bus network to explore Western Crete economically.

Western Crete is a hidden gem for walkers, offering a unique blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and adventure.

With careful planning and preparation, you can create unforgettable memories exploring this stunning region. Buy our guidebook to walking in Western Crete.