Path of the Kahal canyon (Tithorea)
Path Features:
Path length (up to Odysseas Androutsos’ cave): 3.5 miles
Elevation: Starting point 450 m
Maximum 1100 m
Vegetation: Abies cephalonica, Quercus pubescens, Quercus coccifera, Quercus ilex
Difficulty: moderate
Features: Exceptional natural beauty and breathtaking relief
Suggested Visiting Season: March to November
The path starts at the S-SW outskirts of Tithorea settlement (about 63km from Lamia), at an altitude of 450 meters. Let’s see how to get to the starting point of the path, once reaching the village: entering Tithorea, the fort ruins that date back to the 4th century BC catch your eye and after a 5 minute walk, you arrive in the village square with its huge plane tree (Platanus orientalis).
From there, you follow the paved alley for about 800 meters that leads to the entrance of the well marked path. Walk along the Kahal canyon with a SW orientation,
through magnificent limestone formations (karst formations and caves).
In a 40 minutes’ walk, surrounded by beautiful flowers and herbs of Parnassos, you reach St. George’s chapel (600 m altitude)
There, the rocky cliffs and the huge, shady oaks may call for rest, while the imposing Liakoura summit (2456m) and Kalogiros peak (2397 m) way ahead urge you to keep walking.
Follow the signs and a forest gap with a small spring for rejuvenation and refill will appear. After that, the path becomes increasingly steep and the vertical cliffs reveal more caves. The vegetation becomes denser with a greater variety of species. The shrubby vegetation gives way to fir (Abies cephalonica), the dominant species of Parnassos
It’ll take you two hours to reach to a characteristic junction that will either take you to the impressive cave of Odysseas Androutsos (45-minutes’ walk), or (if you are more adventurous) continue to the summit of Parnassos, Liakoura.
Corycian Cave - Palaiopanagia – Kroki Path
Path features:
Path length: 10 km (Forest Road and part of E4)
Elevation: Starting point: 1,134 m
Max 1,324 m
Min 1,018 m
Vegetation: Abies cephalonica, Juniperus sp., Quercus coccifera
Difficulty: moderate
Features: combines natural and cultural history, part of the interrnational trail E4
Suggested Visiting Season: March to November
Driving on the Eptalofos – Arachova provincial road, you come across the Parnassos Ski Centre intersection. 1.5 km from there, turn right to enter a forest road. After an 800m drive you meet a sign to the Corycian Cave.
The Corycian Cave, located at an altitude of 1150m, is reachable through a path surrounded by Abies cephalonica and Juniperus species. The path has southwest orientation and overlooks the Livadi of Parnassos with its famous polges and Gerontovrachos, the second highest peak of Parnassos (2.396m), on the left.
Once reaching a crossroad with a sign pointing to the cave, you have to options: either continue by car or park it there and continue the signed path on foot for about 2.5 km (after a half an hour walk you reach at a small plateau). The curved limestone steps met there, lead to the entrance of the stunning cave (altitude 1.320m)
The signed path continues, leading to Palaiopanagia. The dominant vegetation here is Quercus coccifera. After a 30 minute walk you meet the forest road again. Ηeading SW along that road you arrive at Palaiopanagia with its recration area and spring potable water, as well as the beautiful chapel of the Holy Trinity
Carrying on in the same direction for about 800m, through fir and forest gaps, will take you to a crossroad with a sign pointing to Kroki- a beautiful area with breathtaking view of the Corinthian Gulf. Let’s see how to get there: after a 2.8km walk, passing through pastures, you come across an international path E4 marking on your right, and a large stone fountain on your left.
Following the E4 path downhill for about 800m, you enter to the final uphill path to Kroki on your right (about a 20 minute walk). After that, you find yourself at an altitude of 1020m. Below, you can see Delphi, and Chrisso settlement right next to it. Beyond, the Corinthian Gulf offers a breathtaking view with the mountains of Peloponnese as a background.
Should you need more adventure, go back to meet the E4 path again and reach Delphi and the archaeological site of the Oracle by a serpentine, downhill, walk path of about 3 km, through a landscape of unparalleled beauty.