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Walking Crete - Gorge walks | Walking Prassano Gorge | |||||||||||||||
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Prassano Gorge. (Farági Prassano). The gorge is situated about 15 km east to the city of Rethymnon. It starts just outside Mirthios, a small village in the mountains, and ends in Platanias at the mainroad, Rethymnon - Iraklion. All our walks in Prassano Gorge started in Platanias, and we went up the gorge instead of down through it. Mirthios has a bus connection to Rethymnon, so one can as well start there. The gorge is not always passable in spring cause of too much water. At some places the gorge is only a few meters wide with steep rock walls and if there is water it's too difficult to get through. The walk: We captures the ravine from the busy mainroad between Rethymnon and Iraklion. A local bus stops close to a side road that goes parallel to the river bed. We pass a viaduct with the old road and a litlle further the asphalt road now turns into a dustroad. This first part is not worth writing home about and if you didn't knew about the beauty that hides further up the ravine you would probably turn around and walk away by now. Rubbish of various kind lies about in the dried-up river bed. But we continues our walk and after about 2 km we enters the river bed. The dustroad now turns away and leads towards some small buildings and trailers with sheeps and goats - and dogs.  Picture: Crete. Prassano Gorge. Now it starts to look like a gorge. The river bed is decorated with great many Oleanders (Nerium oleander). The plant is poisonous and seems to be the only plant that goats don't eat. The sun is high and it is suddenly very quiet. We hear only the humming of bees and whirr of insects. From this point it's just to walk on, sense and enjoy. You can't miss the trail in the river bed that grows narrower as you ascents the gorge.  Picture: Crete. Prassano Gorge. There are some places with big rocks that makes the passage a little difficulty. We have to climb the rocks to get on. The goats gathered round in the shade of the trees seems to wonder what we are doing. High above our heads some big birds hovers. Whether it is vultures or eagles I can't tell. ... continue next row top |
 Picture: Crete. Prassano Gorge. As we get nearer to the end - or beginning - of the ravine the riverbed splits into several small beds. The European Long distance Footpath E4 crosses here and we are looking for the signpost on the right side of the riverbed to get off. If you find the not very visible path - it is obviously not used by many - it will lead you uphill through thick scrub - thats why you should wear boots and not sandals - to the village of Prassies. If you don't find it and continues the walk you will end up in Mirthios. In the village there is bars and a local bus heading for Rethymnon. There is but only few connections during the day. The walk back: If you've got the time you can either go back and descend the ravine or you can walk the asphalt road all way back to Rethymnon.  Picture: Crete. The bridge just before Prassies. If you decide to walk the road you can enjoy a fantastick view to the gorge from above before you'll pass through Prassies. At the beginnig of the village you will find the E4 signpost and the trail down the gorge on the right hand. Just outside the village there is yet another choice for the walk home. A path leads uphill through olive groves and becomes a dustroad. As we continued down the road we got a little lost. The one dustroad became several winding through the groves and made it difficult to choose which one to walk. But as long as your direction is towards north you'll find your way and probably get close to the ravine from above.
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