Читать книгу The High Mountains of Crete. The White Mountains, Psiloritis and Lassithi Mountains онлайн

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Crossing the Gougoutha tou Spathiou (May); Spathi in the background (Trek 2)

Mountain refuges

Other than Kallergi Refuge, above the Samaria Gorge in the Lefka Ori (Walk 4), which is run as a commercial enterprise, several mountain refuges (but not all) are looked after by the Mountain Club of Crete (EOS), which has branches in Chania, Rethymnon and Heraklion. The refuges are unwardened, but kitted out with bunks, mattresses, blankets, kitchens (bottled gas), washrooms and wood stoves, and so have to be kept locked. These refuges can be useful for groups – perhaps those based in Cretan towns – but otherwise booking arrangements (with local EOS branches) are seldom convenient for visitors who are travelling around.

The EOS of Chania club premises (tel: 28210 44647) is in the basement of the same block as the Olympic Airways office opposite the Municipal Gardens. It is usually open on weekdays 1900–2200. In the Lefka Ori the refuges are Volikas above Kambi (Walk 13, Trek 2), Takis Houliopoulos near Katsiveli (see Mountain treks 4, 5 and 6) and Tavri near Niato (Walk 29). On Psiloritis, Rethymnon branch (tel: 28310 23666, Tuesdays after 2100) runs Toubotos Prinos above Kouroutes (Walk P10), and Heraklion branch, 53 Dikiosinis Avenue (tel: 2810 227609), operates Prinos above Asites (near Avgeniki) and the refuge above Limnakaro (Walk L5) in the Lassithi Mountains. Nowadays, Greek mountaineers visit mountain ranges worldwide and local refuges tend to be used for club meets in the winter.