Kóronos - Skadó and back

 

Evaluation: This walk is the first part of the hike [9] which leads from Kóronos to Komiakí or Koronída via Skadó. This first part is nice, but  steep at times; it takes place in the green valley, rich in water, which lies between the two villages. Deserves ***.
[Update by Raymond on May the 25th, 2022.]
[The translation of this walk was made with some help of Google translate - so, please, do not mind the mistakes...]

Estimated timeThe way out, that is 1,93 km long, takes about 45 minutes in actual walking time (AWT), the way back doesn't pass by Agios Geórgios and takes only 35 minutes. The total AWT thus amounts to 1h20 - a morning or afternoon will be enough to make this short walk, perhaps with a nice lunch in the restaurant I Plátsa!
In 2022, we returned to Kóronos by the asphalt road, because the path was too difficult as was overgrown.

Route description: [Also this time you should first enjoy the bus trip, even though it takes a long time. The bus ride starts off really slowly; through the sloppy outskirts of the town and the plain of Chóra the bus goes up to Galanádo. Slightly further on you have a great view on the green plain of Potamiá on the left. If you have a good look, you might even discern the site of Agios Mámas. It is only past Chalkí and especially past Filóti that the views are truly spectacular: between Filóti and the turn to Danakós and also just before Agios Ioánnis you have a magnificent view on the large town and on the entire valley. After Agios Ioánnis you will have a view on the valley between the Korakiá-hills and Apíranthos. Also when approaching Kóronos the view is wonderful!]

(0h00) You start the walk on the asphalt street, near the statue of Nikifóros Mandiláras, a local politician who was killed in 1967, in the first year of the military dictatorship (hiking sign Liónas 2h20). You descend to the right in the village, until you get to a small parking lot. At this point you continue straight ahead by following the same street – the street is named after Mandiláras. You have to take a lot of steps until you arrive underneath the church. You might have noticed the blue dome of the church earlier – when passing this church you should note the marvellous old roof, made out of flat stones.

[Just past the church you could first go to the left and across the inner court of the school with a marvellous tree. You walk around the tree and in this way you will go up on the left till the large building with the red roof that is clearly visible from far away. This is the Information and Culture Centre, but unfortunately it is often not open. Thereafter you walk back, past the church and then further straight ahead.]

At the church you descend 10 more steps, but BEFORE the end of the street, you take a right, underneath an arch, and you thus zigzag all the way through the very quiet village. You pass under another arch and you go through a steep street, which leads you to the traditional café (kafenío paradosiakó) 'tou ippóti' (The Knight). Just before you reach the café, you descend to the left and you arrive at a beautiful little square with a washing place and a well, and the nice green outdoor terrace of the restaurant "I Plátsa" next to it.

(0h07) You take a left here; a signpost points to the "káto gitoniá" or the neighbourhood at the bottom of town - there is a hiking sign Skadó 30' / Komiakí 1h40 / Liónas 2h15 + [9] and [10].

After some two minutes and 88 steps, you go straight (sign Skadó 25' and [9]).

[To the right starts the hike to Liónas (hiking sign Liónas 2h10 + [10]) - see the walks Kóronos - Liónas and Kóronos - Tzoumagiá].

(0h09) You still continue straight near the source: the cemented path continues more or less flatly with on the right a very nice view on the valley of Lionas and in front of you on Skadó. You then descend gently until you get to a shady spot with a plane tree, you go up again and then down on about forty concrete steps, while keeping to the right. You continue on a dirt trail and arrive at a fork - here there is a first information board about the walk to Skadó.

(0h15) Your walk continues straight (red arrow), but to the right you could make a detour until the chapel of Agios Ioánnis.

[This detour requires only 3minutes; the chapel is open and there you can enjoy a magnificent view of the two villages.]

You thus continue straight, and a little further, you keep to left [9]. The narrow path goes up and down, it is sometimes very shady, but overgrown in Spring; after 5 minutes, there is another information board [9]. Later, you go down a rocky stairway which is also very shady - as you walk in a tunnel.

(0h25) At the bottom, you arrive in a valley with lots of water, a pumping station and a lot of gardens. You turn right, underneath two plane trees, then you follow a dirt trail. Another 2 minutes later, you cross a small river bed and you go up to the left past a 3rd board [9]. You now climb fast on a narrow, rocky path that sometimes is overgrown - a difficult ascent.

(0h34) So you arrive next to a 4th board: for the moment, you take the side-path to the LEFT – later on, you will arrive here from the right. The trail and concrete steps lead up to the chapel of Agios Geórgios, a steep climb: here too, you enjoy a beautiful view on Kóronos, on the mountains behind the village and on the terraces and gardens in the fertile valley.
You climb 140 more steps, mostly paved, and you get to the asphalt road (sign).

(0h38) You continue just opposite on the white staircase that goes up and you keep to the right; at the end of the concrete street, you still ascend a white staircase on the left. You get to a paved cross stree where you take a right and you cross in this way the village on a cemented street, always with a beautiful view of Kóronos and the chapel, where you passed a few minutes ago. You then descend a zigzag staircase, the street passes by the gymnásio and you still get to the asphalt road.

[Walk [9] will now follow the paved road to the left (road sign Koronída), for 5 minutes; then there is a steep staircase up to the left (hiking sign Komiakí), but the trail is almost impassable after a few minutes because of the vegetation...]

(0h44) To return to Kóronos, you follow the road for some moments to the right, but very soon, you can take the path between walls on the right (hiking sign Skadó / Kóronos and [9]). The trail passes under the road and has a nice uneven pavement. It then becomes very rocky or paved with large stones, it goes down for quite some time - sometimes it is shaded by fig trees.

(0h50) After 6 minutes, you cross a small river bed, and then you continue flatly between an abundant vegetation. You thus reach the crossroads where a little while ago you went to the right. You go down for a while and after another 5-6 minutes, you cross another bed.

(0h57) You continue straight [9].

[The left trail has a nice pavement and arrives after 4 minutes in the valley that lies beneath the chapel of Agios Ioánnis, with abundant water and beautiful gardens...]

After a little less than 2 minutes, you turn to the far left in another river bed, under 2 plane trees and next to the pumping station. You climb a very shady staircase - a real tunnel - and after another 2 minutes, you keep to the left at a fork [9]. The trail goes up and down, a nice stretch, and 5 minutes after you pass first a trail on the left and then the path that leads to Agios Ioánnis.

(1h04) You continue straight [9] and you go up gradually, mostly on concrete steps; you veer left near a small bridge and you finally arrive near the first houses of Kóronos where the trail from Liónas arrives from the left.

(1h11) You climb the last 88 steps, and so you arrive at the square with the restaurant I Plátsa. You go up on the right of the well and, by keeping to the right at the cafe 'tou ippóti’, you arrive at the main street. You go left through an arch or kamára, a little further you go up a staircase on the left, and then again through an arch. In this way you arrive next to the church, where you go up on the left. You have to climb up many more steps and then you first arrive at the parking lot; a little further, after the concrete road, you get to the asphalt road. (1h21)

Gpx-files:

https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/naxos-koronos-skado-121564136

https://www.routeyou.com/en/route/view/11947855/hiking-route/naxos-koronos-skado