Hi folks,

Following my post on Gingilos mountain, I wanted to talk about another day-trip in the Lefka Ori, the ascent of Kastro mountain. Kastro is the last peak over 2000m to the east of the mountains, it seats above the Askifou plain at an elevation of 2218 meters. Unlike the walk to Gingilos, there is no path half of the way (except if you follow part of the E4 trail going to Omalos, but then it’s quite longer). Also, half the trek is virtually devoid of way-markings. Add the nature of the ground, very rough at places, and that accounts for a quite challenging walk aimed at experienced walkers. Regarding time allowance, I usually do the walk from Askifou to the top and then back to Askifou in about 7h30. I’m a fit walker and I know the way, so these may be optimistic for other people. I think 8 to 9 hours is a fair estimate.

The walk

You must first go to the village of Ammoudari on the Askifou plain. It is located at an altitude of about 760m on the road that links the North-coast speedway to Sfakia. It’s a one hour drive from Chania. The public bus service has a line that links Chania to Sfakia. In summer there are buses to Sfakia in the morning and the afternoon and buses going back to Chania late in the afternoon. Enquire at Chania for schedules. In the center of the village you should see a signpost directing you to the Tavri mountain hut. It takes you there on a dirt track while we are to follow the E4 path. From the end of the asphalt road, you have to find a wooden signpost, it will direct you on the right track (E4 markings are black and yelllow stripes). The start is a bit confusing since you have to cross the dirt track twice in the first half hour. This stage of the walk is very pleasant, going gently uphill on an old mule track through a mixed forest of oaks and pine trees. It should be a matter of 1h30 to 2 hours before you reach the Tavri valley. From this point (small chapel to the right), the path looses height until it reaches the dirt track once more. You have to follow the track to the south west for about one hour until you reach the rim of Niato plain. On the way, you’ll pass the Tavri hut. Niato plain is located at the foot of Kastro mountain at an altitude of about 1300m. This grazing pasture looks just like the Omalos plain, though a lot smaller. It’s flat and almost circular.

From the eastern rim of the plain, you have to look west at the mountain. There are ridges going down to the south and north-east, and in the middle there is a reentrant. If you take a bearing of about 320° west you’ll get to the west rim of the plain at the bottom of the reentrant. From there you have to find the best way (no path) through the rocky and bushy terrain. After about half an hour from the rim of the plain, you should reach the bottom of a crag. The ascent of the crag is not difficult but it requires caution. No gear, except you feet and hands, is needed. After you have reached the top of the crag the route levels up a bit and you may find some cairns guiding you on the right way. From the top of the crag, look west at the mountain.

•  The ridge directly ahead becomes quickly to steep to walk (I did it once and believe me that’s a bad idea. It’s steep and slippery with loose stones).
•  On your right you should see a small reentrant going north-west. This is the right way.

Ascend the reentrant, I won’t give specific instructions but you have to follow a dry riverbed Try to read the landscape and follow the lie of the land. Eventually you’ll reach a level point where you stand just beneath the summit ridge (it follows a course to the west). You have to make your way to the ridge but do not take a straight approach (it’s quite steep) instead go to the right on a north-west course until you catch-up with the ridge. From there you should reach the summit quickly (half an hour). The ridge is usually subject to very high winds.

The views from Kastro are stunning, I think they’re probably the most extraordinary in all Crete. Looking west, you get a good sight into the heart of the Lefka Ori. The nearest peak, Kakovoli feels simply forbidding with its steep ridge. The whole area looks like a moonscape of grey, black and red rocks. No construction, no vegetation, a remote desert sitting high above the Mediterranean sea. Looking east, the views are no less incredible as the panorama embraces the north and south coasts with the distant Psiloritis ridge (highest point in Crete 2456m) in between. If you plan to take photographs, you should try to reach the summit before the sun turns to the south (midday-1pm), that means you should start from Ammoudari no later than 8am. Retrace your steps back to Ammoudari. In summer, if you plan to catch a bus back to Chania, try to be in Ammoudary before 7pm. The indications I gave on this post are not enough to ensure you start this walk safely. I climbed Kastro the first time with the help of this trek guide. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to walk the Lefka Ori. Loraine has done a fantastic work providing easy to follow and accurate directions on the walks described. It also contains very useful (and life-saving) tips for trekking the area. You can also buy Anavasi maps of the Area (bookstores in Chania). They’re really reliable and e4 trails are indicated. If you have some GPS receiver, these maps also exist in various electronic forms. These additions are necessary if you wish to venture further into the Lefka Ori range. Several routes exist that cross the range in two days minimum. I’ll discuss about these routes in my future posts, starting with the most popular (and easy): The trek from Omalos to Anopoli.

Fabrice