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Reasons And Seasons For Crete

By: Mark Bartley

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Crete also has a well developed affinity with sporting pursuits and not just those you would typically find in holiday locations with coastline positions, like windsurfing, sailing or diving. Away from the coast, Crete has some wonderful countryside, making cycling excursions either on the roads or off-road by mountain bike very enjoyable.

On the water the use of a sea kayak is becoming increasingly popular. Many of Crete's beautiful coastal bays are not accessible by land, leaving access by water the only choice. Yachts and day cruisers are one option, but arriving under your own power by sea kayak is now an alternative choice. Of course you'll need to be fairly fit to power one of these boats, especially in the heat of a typical Cretan day, but once you arrive at some of the coves and inlets in places around the Samaria Gorge or Paleochora you will be well rewarded.

For walkers the countryside of Crete is full of interesting routes. Well-trodden routes like the day walk down the Samaria Gorge are featured in most travel guides and the gorge walk becomes very popular in the busy periods. But Crete offers fine, mild weather at times other than the peak summer months, so plan your trip well and see this amazing gorge at its best during one of the quieter months.

Unknown to many is Crete's high mountain area, with its highpoint being Mt Psiloritis at over 8000 feet in altitude. Not sure how high that is? Well in Britain the highest peak is Ben Nevis at a mere 4,409 feet. So you get almost twice as high in Crete, well if you are sufficiently skilled and well prepared you can. Go at the height of summer and most of the snow will have melted and the daytime temperatures can be a hot 30 degrees Celsius. You may not need mountaineering skills to get to the top but you should be used to some form of exercise in order to walk that high in such temperatures.

There is a choice of routes to the top of Mt Psiloritis or Mount Ida as some call it, but all involve a five to ten hour journey up and back down again. One alternative is to spend the night up on the mountain, as many do surprisingly. There are several shelters that have been used by generations to afford some protection from the elements. In fact these are just depressions or indentations to protect you from any winds. Temperatures fall significantly at night so you'll need a sleeping bag capable of keeping you warm as the temperatures can drop to freezing at night.

Another favoured hike in Crete, that makes a great choice in Spring, Summer or Autumn is the Butterfly Gorge, also known by its proper name Koutsouras Gorge. If you go there during Spring you may be lucky to see the butterflies referred to in its name, but they have been low in numbers in recent years. This gorge is in the far southwest corner of the island, as opposed to the more famous Samaria Gorge which in the east. From the coast near Koutsouras you'll head North West for short walk of just a few kilometers, but one that can take up to four hours at a steady pace. If the waters are flowing you may be lucky enough to witness waterfalls just before you reach the pretty village of Oreino, where a small café will be the perfect reward before you take the walk back south again.

So for walkers and hikers there are plenty of choices on Crete to keep people happy for a more than a week or two. Others may prefer snorkeling or diving in the coastal waters or sailing a boat from cove to cove. Those in search of more of an adrenalin rush could tackle some of Crete's marked climbing routes, probably best done with the help of a local guide or climbing school.

Crete has the usual holiday ingredients of fine beaches, hot weather and top quality hotels and villas, but, for added enjoyment, its outdoor pursuit offerings are rarely matched, especially in the Greek Islands.

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Many companies offer flights to Crete, using either Heraklion airport or Chania. From there most of the main holiday areas are within a short transfer with locations on the north coast offering mainly sun and sand and those in the south giving better access to the walking areas.

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