The Day After the Storm and My Stay on Mathraki Comes to an End

This morning I awoke and threw back the curtains in anticipation of what today’s weather would bring. The sun had already begun to rise over Corfu and the last few clouds had begun to dissipate. Storm Cassandra had left in the early hours of the morning and calm had been restored.

This bright and beautiful morning compelled me to take a pre-breakfast walk along the beach. Seaweed and driftwood had been thrown up onto the shore. As I reached the water’s edge, Albania and Corfu seemed almost within touching distance. For the last few days they had been lost in the haze but today they can be seen with such clarity. The sun has brought with it some warmth but there is a little chill on the breeze. A perfect day for getting out and about! I have enough time to walk to the port and back. The old wreck looks far less ominous in the sunshine.

At 0930 on the dot, Anna arrives with the golf cart and we take the track up to Al Fresco. I have a ravenous appetite this morning and am looking forward to breakfast very much. The smell of Ksenia’s homemade banana and spiced bread is already wafting out of the kitchen across the deck. I’m not lying when I say I dream about this bread – it’s quite addictive! Out it comes with the homemade fig jam. This in itself is a fabulous breakfast. Today I decided to go for the Greek Yoghurt Parfait. When Oceane brings it to the table I don’t know whether to eat it or frame it it’s so beautifully presented. The sour cherry compote is absolutely to die for! A good start to my five a day!❤️

Ksenia tells me that today she is going shopping, usually something that she does with Chris – a scene played out in households across the world – though here there’s a slight difference. Mathraki doesn’t have a shop so supplies have to come in by boat. I would imagine that this isn’t always convenient. Think how many times you have to nip out to the shops in addition to the main shop, though imagine if the shop is on another island. Thankfully Chris and Ksenia have their own boat. Why dance to the tune of the ferry schedules when you have your own vessel to hand. Today is going to be a little bit different. Today Ksenia will sail herself to Corfu – her maiden, solo voyage so to speak.

She’d had the idea that being able to sail herself to Corfu to do the shopping would be more time-efficient. With so much to be done on the island (the running of the B&B but the ongoing building projects), every time the two of them are away, everything grinds to a halt. As it happened, there was a spare boat knocking about that would serve Ksenia’s purposes just perfectly. This afternoon she will sail the boat to Corfu and Chris will follow in the other boat to ensure that all goes well. Sailing across the straight between Mathraki and the small port of Agios Stefanos was going to be the easy bit – it’s mooring the boat at the port that could possibly be a bit tricky. Apparently. the fishermen of Agios Stefanos are very particular about how the boats are moored and would be watching with eagle eyes. There is no doubt that Ksenia will master it in no time!

Now it’s time to get out and explore Mathraki further. Chris had suggested that I could walk to Fyki Beach on the western side of the island. I am also going to attempt another walk down to the old port of Kontrakas. Before I head off, Ksenia hints that this evening’s meal will be Italian inspired! Mmm I can’t wait!

I set off down the winding track along the edge of the olive grove and down towards the top of the path to the old port. Without the rain and wind, I can take my time and stop to take note of the wayside shrubs and flowers. Along the roadside are retaining walls constructed from old stone now coated in moss and algae. Trails of campanula creep out from the gaps. Sprouting out from the top of the embankment are fresh lime green, dagger-shaped leaves which I’m sure are Irises. What a sight this must be when they are in full bloom. Further along, I spot the bright red berries of a mastic tree – a cousin of the pistachio – the perfect source of winter food for the wildlife.

I arrived at the top of the track to the old port and began to make the steep descent. As I turn the corner to the view of the open sea, I can see that it is far less ferocious than yesterday. It’s not exactly as flat as glass but it is calm enough to feel inviting. I didn’t get the urge to run in the opposite direction as I did the day before.

At the bottom, I took a minute to survey the coastline. It was littered with rocks projecting from the sea. One rock is so large that it acts as a natural breakwater giving shelter to the harbour. It beggars belief that this used to be a working port. It must have taken skilled sailors to navigate their way between or around these hazardous obstacles.

Straight ahead there is a small, dilapidated building and what remains of a larger structure, just a single wall doing its best to defy gravity. I love this type of dilapidation and patina and the old window in the singular wall frames the islet of Trachea perfectly.

After spending some time mooching amongst the debris on the beach, I haul myself back up to the main path. Following it along I arrive at the crossroads with the myriad of signposts pointing me in different directions. This put me in a quandary of where to go next. The Church of Agios Nicholas, which I’d only skimmed past previously seemed like a good starting point. I realised that the path down from Al Fresco had brought me along the back of the church. To access it I would need to walk around to the other side.

The foundation stone above the church entrance says that it was founded in 1675. It looks much newer than that so I suspect it has had a renovation or two since 1675, but it’s certainly an attractive church. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, so very appropriate for the fishing community of Mathraki. At the back is a small neat and well-tended cemetery. In the courtyard is a working well, painted in matching pink and inlaid into the perimeter wall are carved tablets with inscriptions. One of the inscriptions attributes a renovation of the church to several people – ah so it has had a renovation. Interestingly, amongst the names on the plaque is the name of Kasimi, the family name of my host Tonia on Othonoi. She did tell me that she had family on Mathraki so it is nice to discover this connection.

After leaving the church courtyard, I took a left with the intention of walking to Fyki Beach as Chris had suggested. I passed a large dome-shaped greenhouse. I couldn’t make out what was growing inside it, but whatever it was, it was pushing its way out through the sheets of plastic towards the light. On the outside, the weeds were trying to fight their way in. I suspected that it had long been abandoned and the greenery had been left to its own devices.

At the end of the path is a pretty little cottage with a flower-filled garden. Adjacent to the cottage is the entrance to a narrow track that leads down to Fyki Beach. As its name would suggest – it is covered in seaweed. I contemplated whether to walk down but decided against it. I’d rather see what views I can get from the other side of the island.

Just beyond the church is an attractive olive grove where the trees have been carefully pruned to help encourage fruit production. They’ve been planted at equal distances to each other giving it some semblance of order. Their gnarly trunks gave an indication of their age. It’s clear to even me as a novice that these trees have a history. I was reminded of my stay in an olive grove in Molyvos a few years ago. My host Christos had told me what an intensive occupation it is to grow and maintain the trees. I suppose most people think that the trees just grow and the farmer’s work only begins at harvest time but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Amongst the olive trees are a tethered goat and a sheep munching on the crisp fresh grass which I’m sure has been given a lease of life since the rain. They look up and throw me a cursory glance before continuing with their feast.

I’m surprised to see a Yucca plant that we in the UK treat as a house plant growing by the wayside. A tall column of cream bell-shaped flowers sprout from its crown. The aroma is heady and reminds me of Lily of the Valley. How special to see this growing wild along the edges of an olive grove.

Back on the main road – BTW when I say ‘main’ I’m not talking about a dual carriageway – an asphalt road takes me further north. Dotted along the way are modest villas with generously sized driveways sitting adjacent to ramshackle gingerbread house-style cottages that seemed to be clinging on for dear life. I’m always curious about these old cottages and what they may look like inside. Would it still be stuffed with the furniture and fittings from the previous residents? Would it look as though someone’s earlier life had been frozen in time? Had this particular cottage not looked so desperately close to collapse I may have been tempted to take a peek!

Just further along the track is an old truck that looks as though it could be the main focal point at the Chelsea Flower Show – you know – when the designers try to recreate an old abandoned garden where the plants regain control over humankind. This could be airlifted as is and fit in perfectly!

Vines had woven their way up over the wheel arches and into the cab and were now trailing along the back of the truck. The metal panels on the back have eroded so much that they looked like filigree. I don’t know when Google Maps surveyed the island but looking at the map of Mathraki on Satelite view, the truck had been there for some time. I love this stuff!

A little further along there is a path to the right which I assume will give me views over to the east of the island. Lo and behold, along the wayside is a collection of abandoned vehicles that have also succumbed to the power of nature. It’s a vehicle graveyard! There’s what looked like an old American school bus, a dilapidated van and an assortment of decaying cars. There’s something quite beautiful about them or rather the way the weeds were gradually absorbing them into the land.

Beyond the abandoned cars, the track began to climb. I passed several small holdings and a couple of sheep. I don’t know if I startled them or they startled me the most, but they began to make so much racket it brought an elderly lady from her house. We waved to each other and stopped for a sign-languaged chat. She understood that I was telling her that this place was beautiful – and beautiful it was as I caught sight of both Othonoi (identified by the lighthouse) and Erikouss0. A little further along was a stone cottage with a pantiled roof. What was unusual about it was the way it had been built into the hillside. I wondered if this was a strategy to keep out of view of invaders.

I sat on a nearby bench overlooking the view of the pine-covered hills gently rolling down towards the azure sea. Here I stayed for about thirty minutes just absorbing this little piece of heaven. Once the sheep had settled down everywhere was silent bar the sound of a distant chainsaw, preparing logs for winter. It’s hard to believe this is October. If I didn’t know any better I’d say it was spring.

The grassy mound in front of me is covered in smatterings of acid-yellow dandelions. A brown and orange butterfly (possibly a Meadown Brown) decided to join me, flitting from flower to flower. It stayed for about ten minutes, gorging itself on the abundance of nectar. Life really doesn’t get much better than this – for me or the butterfly!

I eventually managed to tear myself away from this magical place and retraced my tracks back onto the road down to the port. I called in at Dolphin taverna for a cold drink before they closed. Several locals are here to catch up on the latest gossip and to wait for deliveries that were delayed due to the boat cancellations.

Back at the beach house, I decided to take advantage of the fact that I had the beach all to myself. I changed into my bikini, slung a towel over my shoulder and walked down to the shore. The temperature of the sea seems to have dropped somewhat, maybe due to the change in wind direction bringing the cold waters from the north. Here I spent the rest of the afternoon beachcombing and reflecting on the journey so far and pondering on what is yet to come.

Later that evening Anna arrived on her trusty steed in the form of the golf cart to pick me up. I know I keep saying this but I feel like I’ve been treated like a queen during my stay on Mathraki. Now we head up to the eagle’s nest at the top of the island for dinner. We can’t help but notice what a beautiful evening it is. My last night on the island has been marked by a magnificent sunset which I get glimpses of through the olive groves. As we reached the higher plateau of the island we heard a rumble on gravel behind us – it was Chris catching up to us on another golf cart. We are all excited about the sunset and Chris tells us to follow him. He led us to the path above the old Kontrakas Port, the perfect viewing point. Chris left Anna and I to watch the sun drop out of view with the islet of Trachea in the foreground. No words were needed.

Sitting on the horizon line were the mountains of Italy. What I love about this part of Greece is the feeling of connectivity to other places. I may be on a tiny island but just across the water in view are so many more places offering travel possibilities which reminded me, I need to decide where I’m heading to next!

Up at Al Fresco, Ksenia brings out tonight’s Italian-inspired dish of pasta with tuna, sundried tomatoes and olives full of fresh citrus flavours. It’s a triumph! Honestly, this is the closest thing I’ve ever had (or likely to have again) to having a top class chef cook for me.

What an experience my stay at Nisaki Mathraki has been! It has more than exceeded my expectations. I’d said previously that I wasn’t sure what to expect, only having the information on B.com to go from. I mean nowhere is exactly as you imagined it before you get there. Yes, the beach house is amazing and the culinary offerings at Al Fresco are exceptional. The additional services and activities that they offer their visitors are incredible – their creativity knows no bounds. However, what makes this place so special is Chris and Ksenia’s passion for the island and all the hard work they are putting into creating this little haven. It extends way beyond the bricks and mortar of the business. Chris’s familial roots in the island have compelled him to look at ways to make the island more sustainable. They want families with young children to come and live here and one day, they will open the school again.

As the business grows (and it will), there may be seasonal employment opportunities available, just like Anna and Oceane have undertaken this year. For those of you who are lucky enough to hold an EU passport and share a passion for high-quality service delivery – give Chris and Ksenia a call.

Another project that Chris and Ksenia have just launched is to bring their 200-year-old olive grove back into production. The groves are planted with the Corfiot Lianiolia originally brought to the Ionians by the Venetians. The soil and the climate are well suited to this variety of olive tree. They develop into large trees with small fruit which produces an exceptional quality of oil. Lianolia olive oil is rich in polyphenols, oleocanthal, and antioxidants. In fact, it is known to have the highest phenol levels of any other olive oil making it one of the healthiest you can have.

Chris and Ksenia have just launched the project to look for sponsorship for the olive grove. The sponsorship will enable the maintenance of the trees to take place and bring them back into production. In return for the sponsorship, the chosen individual or organisation will be gifted the olive oil, paying only for shipping. This is an amazing opportunity for a restaurant or creative business.

This is a very high-level overview of their amazing new project and there is so much more in the pipeline. Please take time to read more about it by following the link below. Also do follow their Facebook page at Nisaki Mathraki Bed and Breakfast.

https://www.eurekacorfu.com/adopt-olive-grove