E4.49 Houmeri - Garazo

The gradients are not steep, yet the route is tiring

From the northern exit of Ηoumeri (1), we follow the country road in a northerly direction.

We pass an orange grove, and a crossroads on our left side, and continue northwards until we reach a drinking fountain on our right. Immediately after the fountain, two high metal pylons of the electricity company (2) can be seen; we follow the right-hand branch of the dirt road which runs between them.

After approximately 250 m, the old footpath (3) is distinguished on our right; we take it and descend to the ravine, pass onto its eastern bank and then climb the slope, in an easterly direction. 150 m after the ravine, we come to a dirt road (4), which we follow eastwards for 350 m.

At the point where the unsurfaced road splits (5), we begin to descend on a path hard to discern, which leads us to the small settlement of Agios Syllas (6).

We cross the bridge of the settlement and turn right, following the asphalt road (7). We continue for another 500 m on the main road, until we reach the left branch of a cement road (8), which we take. After approximately 1 km, we arrive at Dafnedes (9).

The road leads us to the small square of this almost abandoned village, where a church stands. We follow the dirt road south of the village, pass by the cemetery and continue straight on for about 250 m. We then turn onto the left branch of the road, in a south-easterly direction, and continue straight, ignoring any other branches, until the road ends, next to a ravine (10); there, the remains of a water pump can be seen.

From this point on, we pass through several orchards, as well as a flat area with olive and lemon trees, and then come to a dirt road (11); we follow this until we get to an asphalt road (12), which we then take in a south-easterly direction.

After 600 m, we come to the main road (13) which we follow to the right, towards Episkopi (14).

Rather north of the cemetery of Episkopi, we turn eastwards into an unsurfaced road, from the end of which we begin to descend the small gorge of the abandoned village of Mousses (15).

Carob trees dominate and shrubs make our walking difficult.

We cross a dirt road and a water course and then go up to the ridge of a low hill; there, we come to a dirt road (16), which runs along a small stream and then crosses it, at a spot where an old stone fountain can be seen (17). From this point on, the unsurfaced road ascends to the village of Garazo (18).