Hydra Day 3 - PM: Monastery and Mountain

Mt Eros is the highest point on Hydra, and has 360 deg views to Athens and, were the earth flat, Crete and Africa. The flagstone path zig-zags steeply up to a monastery first, at 360m (took an hour), then turns into an even steeper rocky trail to the peak, with most of it in the shade of conifers. We had taken lots of water but no lunch, so were gratified to find a nook where the monastery had cold water and Turkish Delight for walkers. At 2:30pm, it was a godsend.

The views from the monastery and, 35 minutes later, the top of the mountain, made it worth the slog. We left a stone for Amr on the cairn, above the ancient world, then came down rather carefully and gingerly from the top.

It was close to 90 minutes of steep, sharply downhill walking.

Home to Voltaren and a shower, then dinner in an un-Greek burger bar, where a very calm cat begged from us the entire meal.

28,550 steps, 20.5 km and 152 flights. Tomorrow will be easier, for sure.Read more