VISITING -- Venetian Wells Gavalochori

 

Venetian Wells and Monastery Agios Georgios

Close to Gavalochori we can find old traditional 'Venetian' waterwells...

The place has been renovated and historically restored ...

...about a dozen of wells are visible.

The area is excellent as a picnic place, where some platan- trees also will provide shade in sunny or hot days.

Here we can also notice  one small bridge over the river bed...

...that remains dry most of the year.

WALKING -- Kournas Area

 

Kournas Area --Discovery walk

' Azalakis street '  - that's the right name of the walk.

It starts from Kournas village, passes over one impressive holm oak forest and continues trough the mountainous landscape.

Here we have the Agios Antonios Church, remarkable point in the forest.

Could be excellent place for audience gathering.

Here we have another church on the route.

Here we have the stable, near Kournas center.

VISITING-- Lygenia Waterwells - Paleloni

 Lygenia Wells.

Allthough this landscape item, this wells, isn't clearly promoted through tourism- agencies...

...it's a marking point on Google Maps and it's  worth visiting. 

''

In areas of Crete, where the lack of springs makes water difficult to find, the people built cisterns to store rainwater or wells to find underground water. Many of these are worth mentioning as they are architectural ornaments. ''

''

Is a series of stone, round and quite deep wells that the villagers constructed in the past in order to increase water source. In winter the wells overflow and shape a small lake in the area.''

''

There are carved stone troughs everywhere which were filled with water to water the animals. Some years ago someone dropped a few goldfish in one of the wells. Over the years the goldfish multiplied and after the overflow of the winter, the fish were spread all over the wells giving a special color in this wetland. This is the only place of Crete mountains where goldfish lives.''

HIKING --- Gavalochori Xirosterni Hidden Path

 Hidden Walk ( Gavalochori/Xirosterni)

This one is a linear walk , a path connecting Gavalochori with Xirosterni.

Starting from Gavalochori, little upwards, close to the Venetian Wells, we encounter on the path:

Beehives.

Loads of stone constructions.

Ceddar trees, peaking high above the landscape.

                            Open areas.

VISITING --- St. George Church

 St. George Church--- Vrysses/Vamos

This was one old olive press station in the past.

Just the church and ruinesof the olive press factory has stayed. 

Here we find remainals of the Olive Press Station. 

Here are the crushing/milling stones.

This is the church itself (Karydia or 'walnut'- monastery), frontal wal (entrance).

This is one traditional instrument used to give a sign that ceremony is starting.

Near the frontal area.