We highly recommend that you take this Kythnos Hiking trip! It was a very enjoyable week spent with our fabulous guide, Eirini, and a fellow hiker (now good friend) from Wales. The whole island is spectacular with beautiful vistas at every turn of the trail. The trails were a bit rugged in some places, but worth the effort. Eirini was very considerate of my sore knee and changed some hiking itineraries to accommodate that fact. We swam in the Aegean at deserted beaches, ate great food at local restaurants, laughed, danced and made friends with many cats.  Nigel has certainly created/developed a perfect way to explore Kythnos!

Walker Richard Greer from Northern Ireland has put a 5-star review on Responsible Travel where Kythnos Hiking shows off its holidays and said his holiday was "brilliant". The link to the review is https://www.responsibletravel.com/review/?id=17204#29055

Walker Lynda Sather from the U.S. has put a 5-star review on Responsible Travel where Kythnos Hiking shows off its holidays which meet strong community and environmental policies. The link to the review is https://www.responsibletravel.com/review/?id=17204#29055

A walker from Scotland has written a 5-star review on her Kythnos hiking holiday on Responsible Travel. Here is the link: https://www.responsibletravel.com/holiday/17204/greece-walking-holiday-kythnos

English walker has submitted a strongly favourable review about her six-day hiking tour on Kythnos on TripAdvisor. The link is: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g189429-d11725667-r713893387-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

A Greek walker on one of our recent tours has written a review on TripAdvisor. Here is the link: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g189429-d11725667-r709545620-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

Just wanted to say a massive ‘Thank You ‘ for the most amazing experience last week. Wow!!! I was totally blown away by the beauty of Kythnos, I am in love with the place! The entire trip from start to finish was faultless, from your help and direction during the planning stages, the help and attention shown by our wonderful guides, the food was incredible, the walks well planned and perfect, I could go on and on..... my only complaint is that it had to come to an end.

Kythnos ist der perfekte Ort, um das ursprüngliche Griechenland abseits von Touristenmassen kennenzulernen. Das Wandern ist hier zwar noch eine eher selten ausgeübte Aktivität und die Infrastruktur daher zum Teil noch ausbaufähig, aber mit ein bisschen Abenteuer- und Entdeckergeist, südländischer Gelassenheit und dank der mühevollen Betreuung durch unseren ortsansässigen Partner, findet man sich trotzdem immer wieder gut zurecht.

Die Insel lebt von ihrer Authentizität und die Einheimischen heißen jeden (auch dich!) herzlich Willkommen.

(English translation:)

Kythnos is the perfect place to get to know the original Greece away from tourist crowds. Although hiking is still a rather rarely practiced activity [on Kythnos] and the infrastructure can therefore partially improve, with a bit of adventure and discovery spirit, Mediterranean serenity and thanks to the painstaking care of our local partner, you will always find your way around well.

One of last week's walkers has written a 5-star review on TripAdvisor about her "Fabulous hiking holiday". Click here to see the full review:

https://www.tripadvisor.it/ShowUserReviews-g189429-d11725667-r680252880-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

English walker Steven Handley has written a 5-star review on Responsible Travel's website about his "absolutely fantastic" hiking holiday on Kythnos. The link to his review is: https://www.responsibletravel.com/review/?id=17204

English walker Julia Morris has written a review for Responsible Travel after a tour on "the beautiful island of Kythnos and the interesting walks". Here is the link to her review:

https://www.responsibletravel.com/review/?id=17204

English walker Andrew Newby, one of the first to sample our Serifos tour, has written a review on TripAdvisor about his "Great two-centre walking tour". Here is the link:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g189429-d11725667-r669887879-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

Kythnos provides walks for both the energetic to the more leisurely walker in eye catching scenery. Those with an interest in spotting birds and plants will not be disappointed. The walks encompass geological, historical and cultural sites of interest.

Our week was an excellent introduction to Kythnos. In addition to the walks, the programme provided the chance to join a local family celebrating a religious fete day and a welcome soaking at a thermal baths. We also enjoyed eating good food in traditional island restaurants. Our hosts at the Messaria Hotel in Chora were very welcoming, the hotel was clean and comfortable and a ‘banquet’ style breakfast was provided every morning!

Thanks to Nigel's excellent knowledge of the island he was able to give us delightful and interesting walks despite the very windy weather conditions. His “Kythnos Hiking Guide" is an invaluable aid to walking on the island. Thanks in no small part to Nigel we had a great week.

I joined for two days walking and loved the feel of a small Greek island that hasn’t been overrun with tourism — not a cruise ship in sight, bliss! The walks were much more varied than I’d anticipated: down hidden valleys to quiet beaches or uphill to ancient sites that are still being excavated, and little white chapels in the middle of nowhere, through countryside that is still being farmed. The walking was tough enough to merit the beer at the end, or in the middle. The accommodation was very clean, comfortable and friendly. The eating out was a bit limited but it was at the end of the season. ‘Authentically Greek’ might be the best word to describe the whole experience but that gets overused. Best to say it is a place that’s rewarding to explore and that feels like the Greek islands I visited over 40 years ago — except with wi-fi.

I came to Kythnos on my first walking holiday in early September. I had a few things in mind when choosing my trip - a small group of people, solo travellers were welcome, have the chance to meet the local people, and experience everyday life on the island. Kythnos Hiking ticked all the boxes.

Nigel organised absolutely everything from ferry pick ups to walking routes and different restaurants every evening. On a couple of occasions the planned itinerary had to change for reasons out of his control and he seamlessly altered routes etc in his relaxed easy going way. Nothing was a problem.

Our guide Panagiotis has family connections on Kythnos so we really felt we got a great insight into life on the island. Everywhere we went people knew him and his family, they would stop for a chat and talk about island life, show us around their property or offer us food and drink.  Our group had both German and English speakers so Panagiotis was busy speaking 3 languages as well as guiding us along the mule tracks, keeping a pace that suited all of us and encouraging us when the heat and steep hills were getting the better of us. He took it all in his stride and with good humour. You could see how much he enjoyed guiding us on this beautiful island.

We all dined as a group in the evening and the food was wonderful everywhere we went. The accommodation in Hora was lovely, looking out over the town square. Each room was large and airy with its own balcony.

What really made this holiday special for me was interacting with the local people everywhere we went - from hotel owner, shop keepers, taxi drivers, farmers. Even if they had as much English as I had Greek - none! There was always a smile, a few words and hand gestures to make you feel welcome. And it's amazing what conversations can be had with a language barrier!! I went to Kythnos to experience Kythnian life and people and boy, did I get that.

Thank you especially to Nigel and Panagiotis for such a great experience 

English walker Richard Martin and wife Patsy have posted a TripAdvisor review on "a special experience" on Kythnos:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g189429-d11725667-r623699833-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

My Kythnos Hiking trip was a fascinating exploration of a little-known
Greek island, on foot. I went out of season, so most of the traffic our
group encountered was on six feet, namely farmers and their mules.

Though not long, some walks involved thorny mule tracks (shorts and
sandals not recommended) and some scrambling over rocks. But none of it
was too difficult, and it was worth it to see the places we visited.

Our organiser coped well with varied walking capabilities and a
once-in-60-years storm which halted all island ferries. Not to mention
some gale-force winds.

But all in all I had a great time. Thoroughly forgot about my computer
and social media. Recommended.

A walker from England has posted a TripAdvisor review of her "wonderful time" on Kythnos:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g189429-d11725667-r613593193-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

A super holiday with excellent hospitality on an island which mixes a traditional Greek way of life with a holiday in the sun. We stayed at the Messaria Hotel in Hora, which was excellent ; the owners ( who spoke English which was helpful) were great hosts and the rooms and the breakfasts were first class.

The holiday guides, Angelos, Katherina and the organiser Nigel Tutt were excellent hosts, allowing us to see many different parts of the island,providing an insight to the history of the island and sampling some of the local produce. We dined with our hosts at various restaurants around the island,with Nigel providing the transportation in his little Fiat.

We considered the walking trails were not for the faint hearted, as there were many ups and downs and the stoney paths needed respect. We were there in the height of summer therefore the heat was also a concern, so water and strategic stops on the walks was a must-which was good for us as it meant we saw many excellent views of the island. Having said that,the walks were carefully planned by Nigel to ensure a swim in a bay was always available at some time every day together with a tasty lunch at a local taverna nearby.

Because of the heat and the terrain we think we walked at a slower pace than we usually do in the U.K., and we certainly reduced the length of the walks as well. However this was just right for us and we thoroughly enjoyed everything about this amazing holiday.

South of England walkers Jacky and Tony Storey have put a glowing review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g189429-d11725667-r587263076-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

English walkers Cliff and Sarah Spanswick walked on Kythnos during a nature-themed week and provided this review:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g189429-d11725667-r586732411-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

London walker Rebecca, who walked with us on Kythnos last week, has posted a 5-star review on Tripadvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g189429-d11725667-r583939893-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

Overall rating. 5 out of 5.

We thoroughly enjoyed the hikes and the scenery, the pace and humour with which cultural information was delivered. It’s a great way to discover a great place.
Every trip involved fresh discoveries revealing just how rich the island was in wildlife, history and culture.
There were some good steep climbs and descents on well-preserved mule tracks. While to start with this was a bit of a challenge the walks got easier through the week as we got fitter and the pace slackened with lesser distances to cover. We loved the afternoon beach swims. Your company in the evenings and active knowledge of all there was to know, who was who and doing what added greatly to the experience. There was seldom a moment when we were not actively getting an experience of Kythnos and Greece. We appreciated the birthday dinner and fizz and personal attention.
The food and drink was great and very much local.  And the locals were charming and hospitable.
There was good birdwatching including ravens, marsh harriers, orphan warblers, Sardinian warblers, hoopoes, crested larks to name just a few. 
Would not hesitate to recommend it and would be happy to do the rest of the trails in search of birds and beech martens.

Walkers John and Julia Boyle have posted a review on Natural Greece's website after their trip to Kythnos together with a link to the wonderful photos of snakes and lizards they took:

http://www.natural-greece.gr/tours/trekking-trip-for-nature-lovers-on-kythnos-island-greece/#comments

John Coppock who walked with his son Adam last week has posted a five-star review on Tripadvisor. See more at:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g189429-d11725667-r574913397-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

Leonie Loudon, who walked with us in October 2017, has posted a 5-star review of her holiday on Responsible Travel:

https://www.responsibletravel.com/review/?id=17204

Elena L, a walker in September, has posted a review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g189429-d11725667-Reviews-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

I have never previously gone on a walking holiday. My walks have been adventure treks at high altitude in the Himalayas and Alps for pleasure yes, but also requiring physical feats of endurance and strength. My friend Elena suggested this walking trip to Kythnos. I think this was her way of provoking and keeping my interest. She made all the arrangements - I just fell in line bringing along some basic light hiking gear and my laptop - I had quite a lot of work to get done. I had the most beautiful week exploring an incredible little island, with the most awesome colors, with a most attentive guide, Nigel. Even at relatively low altitudes - the walks required stamina because the weather was so very hot - but wonderful beaches provided a great way to cool down. I am already looking forward to my trip next year!!

Firstly Peter & I both really enjoyed the holiday.The combination of Kythnos with Athens worked well.

We thought the holiday was good value for money & appreciated your flexibility - especially with Pete's foot problem.

We liked the accommodation in both locations - convenient & comfortable.

Visiting different locations each evening to eat was good & we enjoyed each of the tavernas. Interestingly Pete's favourite was in Dryopida. I really liked the village of Hora & when more tavernas are open earlier in the season, I would happily have stayed there most evenings. Breakfast at Stamati's was a pleasant start to the day.

The walking was good - I would have enjoyed walking more on some days, but that was hindered by Pete's limitations. It was helpful being pointed in the right direction on the two occasions when I did walk back by myself.

English walkers have posted a review of their Kythnos Hiking holiday on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g189429-d11725667-Reviews-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

An English walking couple have put their Kythnos Hiking review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com.gr/Attraction_Review-g189429-d11725667-Reviews-Kythnos_Hiking-Kithnos_Cyclades_South_Aegean.html

Kythnos is great for walking but we would have found it difficult to do some of the walks unguided as the trails are not all well marked.  However Katerina and Nigel were both excellent guides; Katerina having excellent local knowledge which she is very keen to share and Nigel being very responsible and concerned for our welfare.  The programme was very full with every opportunity taken to ensure we saw as much as possible of the island's sights and of island life.

Because the trails are not as well maintained as on other islands, it is sensible to walk in long trousers to avoid scratched legs - this can be uncomfortable in the heat.

The swimming on Kythnos is excellent with gently shelving sandy beaches and Nigel ensures you get a chance to swim every day.  The beaches mostly have trees for natural shade.

The local food and wine are very good and we were taken to a variety of tavernas for lunch and dinner.

The walking holiday provided very good value for money.  We think Nigel's hotel will be a good base with even better facilities (especially breakfast) than the Messaria which, while very well appointed, was a little disappointing for breakfast.  The homemade pies and cakes were lovely but not the best fuel for walking and it was a shame the orange juice was from a carton.  A buffet breakfast would be preferable.

All in all, we strongly recommend the walking holiday.

UK hiker files multiple review on Kythnos, including the hiking, on TripAdvisor.

Click here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/members-citypage/kyriacosk531/g189429

I took part in many walking tours already, but this was especially fascinating. Enjoyable for me that your island

could keep a charming originality, and so I have seen a virgin nature and met lovely inhabitants everywhere.

Walks, guiding and organization came up to my expectations, and length of the tours and their difficulties have been appropriate.

Though I am only speaking a little English I could follow the explanations of history and excavations given by Katerina and Nigel.

So I enjoyed this week and like to recommend this holiday to other walking friends.

Our hiking holiday with Kythnos Hiking goes down as one of our favourite hiking holidays. Nigel our host was attentive and flexible allowing us amend our itinerary on the hoof to suit us. 

We stayed in Hora in Hotel Messaria, a family run establishment that provides delicious home made food. It proved a perfect base.

Our concerns about the hiking before we got there were totally unfounded. The hikes were strenuous in temperatures of up to 30° but we stopped at a different beach for a swim every lunch time and that was a reinvigorating tonic for a weary hiker. Our guide Caterina, a native of Kythnos took pleasure informing us of the history of the island and was a pleasure to hike along with.

We dined in a different restaurant every night. The most memorable was the wonderful fish meal we enjoyed by the harbour at Merichas after watching a stunning sunset.

In summary, we highly recommend a hiking holiday with Kythnos Hiking in the unspoilt and underdeveloped (in terms of tourism) island of Kythnos.

The Kythnos Hiking Holiday fitted perfectly into our longer trip which included other Greek islands and Athens. It contrasted beautifully with the other, more touristy, locations and we enjoyed ourselves immensely. Everyone we met was friendly and we felt very welcome.

As regular walkers we found the walks very interesting and enjoyable. Our guide Katerina was faultless and her knowledgeable descriptions of the various point of interest on the walks added to the enjoyment. The beaches visited were idyllic and, although the water was still cool, we were able to enjoy swimming in the sea. We found the mid-May weather perfect for walking, with green countryside and many flowers in bloom; the trade-off being a cool sea and quiet locations – no problem for us!

Nigel pulled everything together wonderfully and was very helpful (as our Greek is non-existent) especially at meal times.

We would happily recommend this holiday to any reasonably fit walkers; just remember your long trousers to protect your legs against the at times prickly vegetation.

Our holiday didn't get off to the best start as unfortunately the afternoon ferry to Kythnos was cancelled and changed to 5am the next morning. Nigel had made arrangements to stay in the Hotel Saron for the night which was fine. After a early morning for our flight and now for the ferry we felt a bit jaded! Our first walk on Tuesday morning was to be long one and we asked Nigel to amend this to a shorter one and he rearranged the programme to suit us better.
We were made very welcome by the owner of the apartments in Hora and the apartments were well equipped and comfortable. 

We met out guide at 12.00 and set off for our first walk. All was well to start but then the footpath got impassable in places and alternative way had to be found, our short walk turned into four hours, the paths were overgrown and mostly loose stones and lots of spiky plants which made walking harder.
Our other walks were much better and during our stay we went to a castle, caves, archeological excavation of an ancient city and museums, hot spring and some lovely beaches. One of the highlights was a visit to the honey farm which was fascinating.
Apart from the unfortunate start to the week, we enjoyed our time in Kythnos.
I think it would be helpful to mention on the holiday details that the walking is difficult in parts and a stick is advisable and there is little shade to be found. Nigel, although a little vague about details at times, went out of his way to make out holiday enjoyable and also ferried one of our party, who had a knee injury reoccur, to the beaches where we were to finish our walks, so she was able to have a relaxing day.
Hora is a pretty, unspoilt  whitewashed village where we felt very welcome. Kythnos is a very rural, uncommercialized Island which makes a welcome change in this day and age.
We finished our trip with two days relaxing back on the mainland at the Hotel Saron, arranged for us by Nigel, the hotel has a lovely pool and beaches a few minutes away.

[English translation follows]

Sono stata una settimana con il gruppo Trekking Italia nell’isola di Kythnos, desideriamo tutti ritornare!

Abbiamo scoperto la realtà dell’isola percorrendo sentieri e antiche mulattieri circondati da splendidi fiori che in questa stagione sono particolarmente presenti in ogni angolo dell’isola. Abbiamo avuto ottime guide che ci hanno condotto con competenza alla scoperta di un ambiente incontaminato. Buono l’alloggio nel delizioso paesino di Hora e abbiamo gustato ottime cene nelle taverne dell’isola.

L’assistenza  di Kythnos Hiking con di Nigel Tutt è stata quotidiana. Bene organizzati i trasporti con i taxi sull’isola e in pulmino sulla terraferma. Siamo rimasti anche soddisfatti della visita dell’Acropoli con Museo ad Atene e di Capo Sunio, tutto molto ben coordinato. Alla Prossima!

[A group from Trekking Italia has spent a week on the island of Kythnos. We all want to return!

We have discovered the reality of the island walking the paths and old mule tracks surrounded by splendid flowers that in this season are particularly present in each corner of the island. We have had excellent guides that have led us competently in the discovery of a pristine environment. Good accommodation in the delightful village of Hora and we have tasted excellent dinners in the island taverna.

The assistance of Kythnos Hiking with Nigel Tutt has been daily. The transport with taxis on the island and in minibus on the mainland has been well-organised. We were also satisfied by the visit to the Acropolis and its museum in Athens and to the ancient site at Cap Sounio. All was well coordinated. Until the next time!]

I hiked for three days over the Easter holiday, self-guided using the bilingual Kythnos Hiking Guide (Terrain Editions) plus some advice from a helpful guide from Kythnos Hiking (www.kythnoshiking.com).

The first trail was from Aghios Konstantinos, near Dryopida village, to the Flambouria beach. Flambouria is spectacular with beach flowers and the church on a short headland, all making it well worth the trip. The first part of the return to Merichas is a sharp hill but easily do-able.

The second walk to Aghios Ioannis is beautiful across wild countryside, valleys and past many churches. However the coastal route to Aghios Stephanos requires courage and more description than there is in the guidebook. The walk back from Aghios Stephanos is demanding because of its long hill but is satisfying.

The third walk I did to Lefkes beach is easy, though at first I missed the start of the path to Panaghia stou Mathia. It is poorly marked. The beach is a joy but the sea was too rough on my visit for swimming.

All in all a perfect island for hiking: fabulous scenery, nice local people, nature full of flowers and birds, not too demanding trails.

I recommend hiking on Kythnos and hope to go back soon.

We loved our trip to Kythnos! Our host Nigel took care of every detail from start to finish - from organizing our ferry tickets, to booking our charming hotel room, to adjusting the program to accommodate our interests. We felt very welcomed. From the moment he met us at the ferry our week was completely care free. With our Greek guide Katerina we explored Kythnos’ Neolithic ruins, a Byzantine castle, a limestone cave, the thermal springs at Loutra and myriad churches. We learned about the flora and fauna as we hiked along back trails, sometimes enjoying wild figs and grapes that lined the trails. Katerina shared stories from childhood summers spent on Kythnos, giving us an insight into life on this authentically Greek island. Evenings included visits to an open-air concert and listening to traditional music in a bar, as well as enjoying delicious, fresh food at different restaurants. All of this came at an unbeatable price – we can’t wait to return. Bravo to Nigel and Katerina!

Both myself and my mother really enjoyed hiking on the island via the donkey trails or the little links between villages and beaches. Having two people to show us around was also extra special.

We had a lovely stay at our hotel with no bad reviews around. I just noticed that while staying with our friend Kostas and while on the mainland that people indicate that one should not flush the toilet paper due to the small pipe size. Our hotel didn’t have this notice and we can flush paper on our side of the world. So perhaps that is something you should please inform people about just in case they unintentionally cause a block pipe.

The walks itself, as mentioned above was lovely. Swimming on a different beach every day was amazing and the occasional oleander forest was also exceptional. The routes were well marked and with the guide you also supplied, I’m sure I’ll be able to walk some of the trails again by myself if I come again.  I didn’t really have any issues with the marking of the trail, but perhaps a white painted footprint on a rock here and there can also indicate to people which way to walk. These can be used along with the small route numbers.  It would also be amazing to be able to explore some of the old mining caves in the future.

The evening activities were great, especially the festival in Driopida. While on the island we really got to experience local food, which was delicious by the way. While on the mainland most places gave us western food to choose from.  It was good for us to look at the menu and recognize something we had on the island and knowing it is worth ordering other than the western food. Our free evening when the waiter tried to understand that we wanted meatballs is also a memory which is going to stay with us for a while and the fish dinner was also very delicious.  I saw the octopus drying at the restaurants while we were walking there and someone did ask us if we had fried octopus, so I gather that it is also a delicacy when at the ocean. Perhaps next time I’ll try that.

You and Katerina’s knowledge of the island was exceptional and we really liked learning more about the places we visited or saw while walking. One or two of the highlights was the archeological site we visited and the castle was also a great spot. I look forward to more hikes becoming available to the other side of the island.

Until we go there again,

We spent two days in Athens due to the Seamen's strike. At short notice, Nigel Tutt found us a charming hotel, centrally located, and organised a very enjoyable walk in the National Park which included a good meal at a mountain Refuge.
Being escorted on arrival from the airport to & from all destinations throughout the holiday was greatly appreciated.
In Athens, an arranged guided tour gave depth & interest to the city.
We were delighted by Kythnos. There was surprisingly varied flora & fauna ( May ) and with the island's topology, dry stone walls, historical sites, lush green valleys, sandy beaches & coves, the island retains a sense of being its own place, unsullied by excess tourism. Equally so in the two main villages of Hora & Dryopida. The latter with a small folk museum showing how recent the past can seem. The walks were expertly guided by Katerina Filippa; the accommodation, food & hospitality were first rate.
It was a very full five days, leaving many vivid, lingering impressions. We wish Nigel Tutt well for developing his hotel in Dryopida and we are confident he will not be short of guests as Kythnos' attractions become more widely known. We hope to return.

walking up an ancient path ..... picking grapes, figs and pomegranates to the right and the left ....  reaching the summit .... soothed by a gentle gust of wind and then strolling downhill toward a golden - and uncrowded - beach .... and that's just a small part of hiking across Kythnos ......

    I walked three of the routes outlined in the Kythnos Hiking Guide and thoroughly enjoyed every one.

    The route from Loutra to the Orias castle is fiddly at the start, going along the mule track, but is well worth the effort when you get to near the castle. The views across the fields to the spectacular castle headland and the sea below is fantastic. The castle itself is ruined but contains an interesting old church with a Byzantine fresco.

    The route to Aghios Ioannis is long and arduous but rewarded by the nature and farming on the way and the outstanding isolated beaches when you get to the coast. Perfect for a quick dip before lunch in neighbouring Aghios Stephanos and the fine food at the Kantris taverna behind the beach. One of the best restaurants on the island in my view. And I certainly needed some sustenance before the tough hill ahead back to the Hora. Fortunately it is not too long.

    On another day, I walked back from Kanala to Dryopida, on at least part of the trail in the guidebook. I love that walk not just for the easy countryside you pass but also because of the beautiful views across the Aegean to the neighbouring islands. On a clear day you can see Paros probably, plus all those other islands nearer to Kythnos.