Guided Flower Walk on Katharo

Seeing something familiar through someone else’s eyes often adds an interesting dimension so I eagerly accepted the opportunity to take a walk on Katharo Plateau with Steve Lenton, a keen amateur botanist who lives locally.

Although cooler on the plateau at circa 1,100 metres, some flowers had already started to die back.  With this in mind, keen botanists should aim to visit late March or April to see a wider variety of flowers.  That said, there was plenty to see.  

Now, take this quick quiz to test out if a walk with Steve would be enjoyable for you.  

Is the plant above:

A) Anacamptis pyramidalis

B) Pyramid orchid

C) Pretty pink one

Yes, you are correct!  So, chances are you will enjoy a walk with Steve.  It is a relatively flat walk on good paths so there is no need for walking boots, but perhaps not your best high heels!  Do remember a sunhat, sun cream, a bottle of water, and perhaps a piece of fruit to keep you going.

By taking the main road through Kritsa and then following the signs to the plateau, the road rises to give you fantastic views as it twists and turns.  If you are in a hire car, there is no need to worry, as there is a good surface all the way, and there are several places to stop so that even the driver can appreciate the scenery.  Just don’t be distracted if you see goats climbing trees!

Depending on how many stops you make, it will take circa 30 mins to drive from Kritsa to the parking area outside of the Katharo meeting point at Giannis’s taverna.  It is worth noting that you are welcome to use the taverna ‘loo’ even if you don’t want a drink before you set off.

Within yards of starting the walk, Steve shared some of the local folklore, and this added ‘extra’ peppered the walk like good seasoning.  With frequent stops to look at, and discuss the many specimens found along the way the walk was never strenuous.  One of the key facts that I enjoyed hearing was how the plateau has examples of plants that enjoy the extreme points of the compass with the most southerly, most northerly, most easterly, and most westerly specimens all in close proximity.

Throughout the walk, Steve guided our attention to plants, some rare or endemic to Crete, and explained the influence of local agricultural methods as an engaging chat, and never a lecture.  Sometimes we were wandering along chatting when Steve suddenly stepped off the path to show a specific specimen, even though it never once looked as if he was keeping a close eye on where we were.  Steve obviously does know the area like the back of his hand.  There is plenty of gentle humour too.  For example, look at this:

The Latin name is Onopordum bracteatum ssp. creticum.  Onopordum is derived from the Ancient
Greek, ονος-πορδον, Ass-fart!

Half way through our walk was a wide shady tree, a great place to sit on convenient rocks, and open our rucksacks for a drink and a snack.  Once refreshed our walk continued, and there were several points where Steve checked to see if we wanted a short cut back to the taverna or if we wanted to continue.  We chose to go on, and this meant walking through the water in the fast receding river.  In the annual race between the heat and developing tadpoles, the heat seemed to be heading for a win, and we certainly didn’t get very wet as we walked to the far side.

Once back at the taverna a cold beer was very welcome, and if you have time, I can recommend their chip omelette (a local tradition) and Greek salad, enough for two to share. 

When you plan your next trip to Crete, do book a walk with Steve, it is bound to give you a fantastic experience, and samples to treasure.  You can find a wealth of information, and Steve’s contact details on  www.exploringkatharo.com and www.cretanflora.com