A Close Encounter

When we look up the mountain from our villa, we can see a gorge tucked between 2 peaks. On the topographic map, the gorge is named Kaprino. There's a trail shown that goes from just outside the neighbouring village of Aghalianos, up the mountain, and right through it.

In order to have a better idea what to expect, we tried researching it on the internet and in our travel guide books. However, we found nothing. That in itself should have told us something, if we had been listening more closely.

This morning, we headed off about 7 AM, hoping to hike the ascent in the shade of the mountain. I need my running shoes to drive the Panda, and so forgot my hiking boots back at the villa. We were literally off on the wrong foot, but we started up the mountain in search of the trail anyway.

As it turned out, there was no trail. But, we worked our way upward using mainly the dry creek bed. The going was tough, but we rock hopped and scrambled through the underbrush.

On the ascent, we met a herd of mountain goats coming down the mountain. I was a little apprehensive, having no experience with goats. A number of rams had interesting-at-a-distance, but threatening-close-up horns. Fortunately, they were quite skittish and stayed a comfortable distance away.

We climbed on until eventually we came to the mouth of the gorge. It was impassable. The height and steepness of the sides, made them unhikeable. The narrowness and massive rock rouble in the bottom, made it unhikeable. So, at that point, it was time to either head back down or change our destination. Looking for some sense of accomplishment, we continued west up the hillside for a scenic view.

We met a flock of sheep, and climbed on up higher still. By then, we were in full sun, though there was a strong breeze that saved us from the rising temperatures.

At our highest point, we had a hazy but great view of the sea, a neighbouring valley, and a number of villages including our own.

On our way back down, we met the herd of goats again, but this time they were going up. There was a steep embankment on one side of the trail, and a drop to the rugged creek bed on the other. They stopped, and we stopped. We stared at each other. They weren't going  back down, we weren't going back up, but we not only had a standoff, we also had a wonderful photo opportunity. After a few pictures, Marlene shuffled a little forward and toward the drop off. The leading goats shuffled a little forward and toward the embankment. Then we all  shuffled slowly past each other, them going up and us down. It was a close encounter for all, and a memorable one for us.

Click and Listen

We had planned for the gorge, settled for the hilltop view, then were thrilled by the unplanned and unexpected close encounter with the mountain goats under the Grecian sky.

Click here for the next story in this series:
http://travellingwithsteveandmarlene.blogspot.ca/2015/08/kudos-and-other-things-grecian.html