Walking Holidays in Greece, Walking Holidays in Crete, Walking Holidays Spring Flowers! Escorted Walking Holidays Greek Islands,

The Spring Flowers of Crete - Escorted Walking Tours

Read our clients comments on this activity holiday



The Samaria Gorge

Having featured Jeff’s flower walks in our brochure for the past 10 years, last spring I finally had the opportunity to join one of his tours based in Paleohora. I found the walks truly inspiring and the sheer beauty and brilliant iridescent colour of some of the flowers, especially the very tiniest blue ones, (Anchusa caespitosa) were in a word awesome! I was also amazed at the huge number and variety of wild flowers that we (Jeff & other botanists) were able to identify and Jeff’s mini- lectures, on the hoof, invariably with an amusing anecdote or two, were both fascinating and informative. Who would have thought, for instance, that the clumps of prickly pears that you see all over the Mediterranean, were in fact introduced from the Americas, apparently by Christopher Columbus in the 15th &16th Centuries! For me the highlight of the trip was the ascent of Mount Gingilos, a real mountain, sometimes quite forbidding, with screes, cols and rugged gorges making for spectacular scenery. Gingilos also had its fair share of wild flowers and at the very summit we found crocuses (Crocus sieberi) on the edge of a patch of snow.Close to the summit, through a gap between neighbouring peaks, I was amazed to see the faint outline of the harbour at Paleohora, which must be all of 25 km away. Later I was struck by the thought that in the past I have sat on the harbour-side in Paleohora and gazed at the distant snow-capped mountains, not realising that one of them was Gingilos or, that one day, I would enjoy the view in reverse!Anyway, to get back to the job in hand, don’t wait 10 years before booking a flower tour; it really is an experience not to be missed! Chris Ladd M.D. Freelance Holidays

April and May are the perfect months to visit south west Crete and spend a quiet week or two, exploring the countryside by the same ancient footpaths and bridleways used for a millennium or more by the local villagers and their patient donkeys. In spring the air is wonderfully fresh and sweetened by the fragrances of orange blossom and the woody scents of shrubs and herbs. Climbing into the hills, the vistas are breathtakingly beautiful with rugged snow-capped mountains providing a magnificent backdrop and a remarkably diverse habitat for alpine flora, whilst eagles, Black Vultures and smaller birds of prey glide effortlessly above vast valleys and spectacular gorges of almost mythical proportions. Closer to sea level, the lush meadows between ancient olive groves are carpeted by great swathes of multi-coloured anemones, chrysanthemums and poppies, whilst wild gladioli peep from hedgerows and stands of delicate pink oleander punctuate the landscape. At least 1600 plant species can be found in Crete and over 130 species are unique to this extraordinary island, where even the casual stroller can stumble across an exotic orchid or the awe-inspiring Dracunculus Vulgaris (Dragon Lily), with its huge velvety red flowers. The weekly tours are based in our accommodation at Paleohora or Loutro and have been researched and organised by our Tour Leader, Jeff Collman, a keen botanist and member of the Botanical Society of the British Isles.



May 2004 - Freelance climbers on the summit of Mount Gingilos!

Groups will be limited to a maximum of 15 people, with daily trips to different locales in the surrounding area providing a rich variety of both scenery and plant life. Jeff has stressed that the tours are intended to appeal to the enthusiastic amateur botanist or anyone of reasonable fitness who would enjoy a walking holiday in wonderful natural surroundings, with the unique opportunity to identify and photograph an enormous variety of wild flowers. The walks will be at a relaxed pace with a midday halt for a picnic lunch, with perhaps an occasional side trip en-route to visit one of the many little Byzantine churches, some with amazingly well preserved frescoes. For those with sharp eyes, there’s also the chance to spot a rare Golden Eagle or even perhaps a Kri Kri, the elusive wild Ibix, found only in Crete’s rugged White Mountains.



Cretan Ebeny - Latin name Ebenus Cretica - a truly beautiful Cretan endemic

The week includes 5 days of escorted walks plus a rest day, with plenty of opportunities for a swim after the day’s walk, or even beforehand if you enjoy an early morning dip.

Please note: The walks start with an easy 5 km stroll on the first day and build up to a fairly strenuous 19 km walk on the final day. Most of the walks will be an average of 8 hours duration including stops, but the last day will be somewhat longer. Sensible walking shoes and considerable fortitude are useful prerequisites!

During the tour commencing 3rd May Jeff will be arranging an overnight stay at Omalos in order to climb to the summit of Mount Gingilos which at 2080m is one of the highest mountains in Crete. The following day an early start will be made to walk the Samaria Gorge in peace well before the normal excursions start. The cost of this tour includes the additional overnight accommodation and transport.

Tour Departure Date - Loutro: 26th April
Accommodation: Hotel Porto Loutro
Tour Costs: £140 per person in addition to our normal flight and accommodation costs.

Tour Departure Date - Paleohora: 3rd May
Accommodation: Harbour Studios & Apartments
Tour Costs: £190 per person in addition to our normal flight and accommodation costs.

N.B. In the event that less than 8 people book a tour, Jeff has asked us to charge a supplement of £60 per person to cover his overheads. Further details and itineraries on request

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