A Walk to Limnos Beach and Volissos Village

I’m up early this morning (again) but decide to have breakfast in Volissos later. I’d spotted a nice patisserie cafe when I was there last. Today I’m going to walk to Limnos, a neighbouring village that I’d read has a great beach. At the side of Hook there is a road the takes you up and then down over a steep brough. This brings me out at a small beach called Lefkathia. It is a sand beach with a few pebbles and with tamarisk trees for shade. There is a cantina that is closed for winter and also disabled access facilities.

I continue to follow the road around and it takes me past some modern bungalows with well tended gardens set amongst olive groves. Beyond are the cloud covered mountains that still seem to be threatening something – there is definitely something in the air today. The road continues up (and down) to Limnos Beach which is a larger sand beach also backed by tamarisk trees. It also has an organised section with sunbeds and straw parasols.

Just a little bit further along the road is a rocky cove but I don’t go further than this. I decide to save my energy for Volissos which is steep! There are a couple of taverna’s here in Limnos which looks as though they offer a wider menu range than Limnia. I’d be tempted to come here one evening if there wasn’t the steep brough to contend with. Looking back across Limnos Beach you can see how high the brough is – a bit of a challenge in the dark and after a glass of wine!

As I walk back towards the bungalows I noticed another road heading towards the Kastro. I follow this for a while and then realise that it runs parallel to the road that I’d usually take to Volissos. This time the olive grove covering the valley floor and the sheer drop at the side of the road is on the right. Despite it still feeling like summer here, Autumn is make its presence known in the gold and red hues in the trees.

What’s interesting is that on top of the pine covered ridge is a series of old ruined stone towers. I couldn’t see them whilst walking along the other road because I was directly underneath them. I would imagine that these were watch towers looking out over the coastline for invaders. I can just about make them out on Google Maps on the satellite view. Walking towards Volissos your eye is always drawn towards the Kastro. One thing’s for sure – those clouds coming from over the mountains are definitely threatening something. I pass the bee farm (or whatever it is) and as the road reaches a junction I’m offered a slightly different view of the Kastro, one with a closer view of the windmill.

I just walk in a direction that I think will bring me towards the road up to Volissos. In doing so I stumble across the quaintest little workshop that I’ve ever seen. I can’t translate the sign directly but with this as a clue and also the stacks of donkey saddles piled up high and also the large display of tools, I’m guessing that he is a saddle maker/farrier/tool maker. I’m so glad that places like this still exist. What a little gem this place is!

I’m at the beginning of the village here but I’ve approached it a slightly different way. I get a little distracted by the doors and knockers – a bit of an obsession!

Eventually I drag myself away and head up from the central square to Voliskos patisserie cafe for breakfast. What am I going to have? Bougatsa of course! This place has a view over more olive groves and up to the houses that sit in the foothill of the Kastro.

I don’t linger for too long. My host Georgia sent me a message to say that she would arrive at the house at around midday and I don’t want to miss her. As I walk back down to Limnia, it is clear that the wind has really picked up again. During the night I could hear it howling through the trees. It had died down a little in the morning but is back with a vengeance now.

Five minutes after arriving back at the apartment, there is a knock at the door. Georgia is here to see how I am. She tells me that she has been away for her daughters wedding by showing me the photographs on her phone. She has also brought me some wedding treats wrapped and tied in ribbon which is very kind of her. No sooner had Georgia arrived, she went again – I assume that the wedding celebrations continue on the island elsewhere.

By now the wind is at full pelt. I read through various Facebook posts that there is a ban on sailing and that includes the sturdy old Nissos Samos. The wind is currently Beaufort 8. This fortuitously forces me to stay in the villa and – well kind of relax. I catch up on a couple of blog posts.