Agios Lavrentios – Chania

The route Agios Lavrentios – Chania begins from the central square of Agios Lavrentios village. The path starts next to the impressive monumental fountains of the square and runs on a well-preserved cobbled path that leads us to a crossroad, beside a fountain. With a cement-paved road, we pass next to the summer camp of the Diocese of Demitriados and reach the asphalt road, a bit higher than the monastery of Agios Lavrentios.

From this point, we turn right for 100 m, then turn right again on a dirt road and in 150 m we find a small alley that serves a shepherd’s hut. Just before the hut, we find the path that climbs across a Kermes oak stand. We cross an aquaduct and continue our course in a zone with dense blackberry shrubs, until we come out on a dirt road. We turn slightly to the right for a few meters and walk on a clear path in a chestnut stand. We meet soon the dirt road, walk on it for 250 m and we see the red signs on the right leading uphill through another cluster of chestnut trees. We find the dirt road again and after a few meters, we find the path in front of us.

We pass through a zone with dense Spanish broom and meet the road again. A little further to the right we find the path, which leads us again to the dirt road. We follow the road and enter a small alley on the left that goes up for 50 m and we join again the path. We pass in front of a damaged kiosk and continue uphill in the beech forest until we meet the dirt road, at the altitude of 1050 m. Here, there is a small chapel, dedicated to the staff of the military aircraft crashed on Mt. Pelion in 2004.

The course continues in front of the chapel. We start an uphill course on the southern slopes of Golgotha ​​ridge, until we reach an altitude of 1230m. Once we reach this altitude, we hike on a large path, on slightly downhill traverse in the beech forest. At the end of the traverse, we ascend for a while in the eroded slope and we come out to the ridge to the SW of the peak.

At this point, we meet the fork to Chania (left) and the Monastiri Pass (right). We continue in the direction of Chania, on a good path, which is maintained annually, as it is part of the Ultra Pelion Trail mountain running. The path climbs slightly in the beech forest and leads us to the Mt Pelion Ski Center (or Agriolefkes).

We enter the skiing zone. We descend to the complex of support buildings of the ski center, and we pass beside the mountain refuge of Volos Alpine Club and near the chalet of the ski center. From the stone-paved alley serving the ski center and then the asphalt road we reach Chania.

The route is waymarked with red signs, red/white signs of the Ultra Pelion Trail, yellow signposts on metal poles and some direction signs.

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