Crete Eastern Sunflower | 9781856915472

Long out of print because the proliferation of new tracks made route-finding very difficult without accurate maps, our guidebook to walking in Eastern Crete is now available again – thanks to good maps and GPS technology. This new 5th edition – with almost double the number of hikes – was revised on the ground just a few months prior to publication. All the maps have been redrawn using OpenStreetMap source material with GPS tracking. The printed maps show waypoints, and free downloadable GPS tracks are available for all the walks. Colour coding on the Contents page enables you to see at a glance the grading of various treks. Whether you walk, drive or picnic in eastern Crete, the mountains will be your constant companions, changing colour and mood from dawn to dusk, as you move through them, round them and over them. You cannot fail to feel their dramatic attraction. The stunning colours and heady scent of flowers and herbs, tucked into rough ground or splashed across a hillside, the warm-sounding buzz of hovering bees, and the massed band of a thousand cicadas will all leave a lasting impression – the ‘special effects’ of the total scene. You may share this rural bliss only with a solitary shepherd, his flocks and dogs, as you walk the hillsides of eastern Crete. Greeks, on the whole, don’t walk — unless they have to for their day’s labour. So be prepared for incredulous looks from the townspeople and faint smiles from the villagers! Key features: 50 long and short walks, colour-coded for grade 1:50,000 topo maps with waypoints free downloadable GPS tracks E4 long-distance hiking route highlighted on all relevant maps Samaria Gorge, Crete’s most popular walk, described as a day trip from Agios Nikolaos satnav coordinates to walk starting points 11 car tours and fold-out touring maps of both Eastern and Western Crete – ideal for planning plans of Iraklion and Agios Nikolaos strolls to idyllic picnic spots timetables for local transport online update service