Thursday, Biketour to the South

Petreti

I want to go for another biketour and this time get a fine bike with proper gears and brakes. I am still curious about the coastal "dream road". Where will it end? Soon I reach the Agia Pelagia and thereafter is only one tavern. Then the tarmac road ends and turns to a gravel/clay path. Everywhere around there are the yellow furze bushes. Some kilometers ahead there is a small harbour named Petreti. From there one can only ride inland passing vineyards, gardens and olive groves. It doesn't matter where you go to, just go...

Ag. Barbara The Secrete Photo

Up and down and after some time I reach a village without name. I buy a big bottle of lemonade and then follow the sign "To the Beach". After 4 km I find myself at the opposite side of the island at Ag. Barbara. There is a large touristic beach and not to be seen so much. And I must go back on the same route for this is a dead end. So I enjoy two contrary figures: a man with air mattress, sunshade and coolbox hurries towards the beach. And there is an old woman sitting on a donkey, a tired dog trotting behind. I go ahead, prepare my camera and make a photo, the old woman puts her cloth to her face - I have a bad conscience but how should one success to have such shoot?

Perivoli Argirades Hlomos

As I reach the village from before I recognize: this is Perivoli. So I have crossed the island unvoluntariely, but it was good. I now go back to Argirades and 3 km ahead there is a road to Hlomos which is 4 km uphill. May be there exist any people who do this work during the heigh noon period. I seem to be one of them. Fortunately there is much shade spent by the olive trees. Hlomos is 300 m high and there is a nice view to the lagoon of Korission which is an inland lake. I stroll around through very original lanes, a man points to a road and says "Messonghi". Thank you, soon I shoot down through the woods and hit - once again - the coastal "dream road".

We have about 1 pm and it is too early to return. As to be seen from the map: the mountainous area at our coast can be surrounded and this can be done during an early afternoon. A small distance to the west and then a road leads to the north towards Strongili. The route is nearly traffic free, the sun and wind come from behind. The vally is like a green basin where the Messonghi river has it's origin. The houses are rather rural and it is unclear, by what means people can live here. A house is glued to the slope like the nest of a swallow - photogenic. Some time later I pass a tavern which is fully occupied by a tourist-bus group. This is advertised as "Rural dinner at an original mountain valley". I have a gulp out of my bottle and get a bite of a midge.

Benitses from Above

Loukata

Behind the summit there is a marvellous view to the northern part of Corfu. Just opposite we see Ahilio and the castle of Sissi. Deep below to the east we see Benitses, may be I can find a shortcut down there. At first there is  a small village named Loukata. The lanes are so narrow that just a donkey can pass. I walk around and then head for the downhill to Benitses. I just find the fork and a gravel path and often use the brakes.

At about 3 pm I arrive at Benitses and get a red vine into my empty bottle again. Some time later I enjoy myself at the pool and happily remember the tour of the day.