Ierapetra

From Vassiliki (1), we follow the asphalt road eastwards. Having passed north of the low hill with the remnants of the Early Minoan settlement, we reach the main road that connects Agios Nikolaos to Ierapetra (2); we cross it and get to a dirt road, at the beginning of which a shrine can be seen. We continue eastwards, rather uphill, through olive groves; we leave a double turn-off on our right side and a little further uphill another one on our left, until we come to a main unsurfaced road which we follow to the right.

We bypass the Monastery of Vriomeni on its northern side. Having passed a small stone building on our right, we follow the dirt road north-east, climbing up a bare slope. We continue for approximately 600 m; we ignore a left-hand side road (1) and immediately after pass through the southern side of a small plateau with vineyards, 500 m east of which there is a left-hand turn-off (2) that we ignore. We continue straight on, in a southerly direction.

From the southern entrance to the village of Prina, next to the bus stop, a downhill dirt road (1) begins which leads south-eastwards; we take this road and after approximately 500 m we reach a point where two streams join (2).

We pass onto the southern bank and follow the main dirt road, which meanders along a slope with olive groves.

Poor route marking and many forks make the distinction of the main dirt road (which we must constantly stick to) difficult; after approximately 2,5 km, the road leads us to a small saddle, just east of Prίna.

Approximately 350 m east of the cafenio (1) and the church of Selakano, the road forks (2) and we take its north-eastern branch. After 1,3 km on an unsurfaced road, we come to a small dry stream which runs through a hollow south of the summit of Koreli.

Having crossed the dry stream (3) we leave the dirt road and climb up the slope parallel to the stream, following a vague path, initially through abandoned cultivated land and then through areas of dense pine.

From the Katharo (1), we follow the dirt road which goes along the foot of the eastern slope of the plateau, in an easterly direction.

The main unsurfaced road which we follow now takes a southerly course. It initially passes through a cultivated area and small clusters of farmhouses, as well as a few isolated buildings; later on, uncultivated land dominates.

After some 4 km, the Katharo Plateau is behind us; we come to a left-hand side road (2) which we ignore and continue south-west, with a green slope on our right.

A little beyond the junction to Limnakaro, east of the large water storage pit, there is a right-hand turn-off which leads to the chapel of Agia Pelagia (1).

From the small cemetery (1) at the eastern exit of Agios Georgios, we follow the dirt road towards the east. After 1.300 m, we come to a junction (2), the right-hand branch of which leads to the plateau of Limnakaro.

On our left lies a big water storage pit; we walk along its eastern bank and 850 m after the Limnàkaro junction we come upon a smaller water storage pit (3), which we bypass on its north-eastern side. We then reach the entrance to the Gorge of Havgas (4), where we see a structure made for channelling the water of the gorge into the water storage pits.

We return to the saddle (1) before the Varsami water spring; from here we continue eastwards, on the main path, and then pass onto a low ridge. A mitato (shepherd’s stone dairy hut) can be seen on the opposite, northern slope, south of the low ridge, where we can take shelter in case of need.

From this point on, we can take a due north-easterly course; after approximately 2 km we reach the summit of Spathi.

At the western entrance to the village of Tzermiado (1), where the Health Centre of the Lassithi Plateau area is to be found, a dirt road begins, which snakes on the slope until the small plateau of Nissimos.

Just after the entrance to the plateau, there is a left branch of the road (2) which leads to the foot of the western slope, next to a small chapel (3).

Northwards, in the distance, the summit of Selena can be distinguished.